The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

65.   JAMES DOWSING was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 3d of November , a wrapper, value 1s. and thirty-five yards of woollen cloth, value 11l. 4s. the property of   William Sutton .

WILLIAM SUTTON sworn. - I keep the Salisbury Arms , in Cow-lane, Smithfield: On Tuesday, the 3d of November, I sent a truss of goods to Chester's-quay, by William Woodlands, directed to   Henry Braden , of Canterbury.

WILLIAM WOODLANDS sworn. - I am porter to Mr. Sutton: On the 3d of November, as I was coming into the Old Jewry, I missed a trufs of goods out of the cart; I was in the cart, driving with a rein, when I missed the good; I turned my

horse round to go towards Coleman-street, and saw a man on the other side of the way, with a truss of goods on his shoulder; I met him coming towards me with it; I cried out, stop thief, turned my cart round again, and soon overtook him; he was was in custody of an officer when I came up.

Q. When you say you met a man with a truss of goods on his shoulder do you mean the prisoner? - A. No, it was an officer.

Prisoner. Q. Was it an open cart, or had it a tail-board? - A. It was open.

Q. Was there any thing to prevent the truss falling out? - A. It was impossible, because I had put it so far in the cart; I had another large truss behind it.

  JOHN FENNER sworn. - I am an officer belonging to Cheap Ward; Alderman and I were in company together on the 3d of November, crossing, about six o'clock in the evening, Cateaton-street, we observed a man running with a truss on his back.

Q. Was that the prisoner? - A. Yes, and two others with him, one of whom we knew to be a thief; we immediately pursued him to the corner, of King's Arms-yard, Coleman-street, and there stopped him; I had never lost fight of him; he had the goods on his shoulder when I collared him; I asked him where he got the property, and he said a man gave him a pot of porter to carry it for him.

(John Alderman corroborated the evidence of Fenrler).

Sutton. This is the parcel I delivered to Woodlands; here is the bill of parcels I sent with it. -(Produces it.)

Prisoner's defence. I had been to Chater's, the watchmaker, in Cornhill, and going down Coleman-street, I picked up this parcel; there was another man with me, and he said, he would take it home to his house and advertise it.

Jury. (To Fenner.) Q. Is the truss clean ordirty? - A. Clean.

Q. What sort of night was it? - A. A very dark and dirty night. GUILTY , aged 25.

Transported for seven years .

London Jury, before Mr. Recorder.