The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

372.   JOHN HUGHES was indicted for stealing on the 20th of February five pigs, value 13 l. the property of   William Bolt . And   RICHARD STONE and   EDWARD CONNOLLY for feloniously receiving two pigs, value 6 l. part of the before mentioned goods, they knowing them to have been stolen .

The case was stated by Mr. Knapp.

ANDREW KEEF. I am a servant to William Bolt, he is a quaker , he lives at Hertford-heath, in the parish of Hamwell; I had the care and feeding of young Mr. Bolt's pigs, he kept them in his father's yard, I missed five pigs on the 20th of February, I had seen them safe about six o'clock at night, I missed them about six in the morning.

Q. When did you see them pigs again, and where - A. I saw three dead ones at Battle-bridge, I saw two alive near the Foundling-hospital, the officers were with me.

  WILLIAM CLIFF . I am ostler at the College-arms, Hertford-heath, that is about a mile from where the pigs were stolen. On Wednesday the 19th of February, the prisoner Hughes came into our house between six and seven o'clock in the evening, he called for a pint of beer, he left the yard about eight.

  RICHARD THURROGOOD . Q. Do you know Hughes, the prisoner - A. Yes, I saw him on Thursday morning, the 20th of February, at Enfield highway, about eight o'clock in the morning, he came to hire a cart of my master.

Q. What is your master - A. A farmer; he wanted a cart to draw five pigs, my master let him a horse and cart, and the five pigs were put into the cart, I drove the cart, and went to the back of Islington; Hughes left three pigs at the back of Islington, he took three out and left me in the street until he returned, he went somewhere but I do not know where he went on and told me to follow him, we went round by Gray's Inn-lane, near Little Guildford-street, he

took the pigs out of the cart, I delivered the pigs to Hughes and Stone.

Q. You did not see Connolly at that time - A. No.

Q. Where did Stone join in company - A. In Gray's Inn-lane; Hughes gave me half a guinea for the cart and sixpence for myself, then I returned.

Q. In Islington did you meet with any body - A. Yes, my master and another gentleman, I communicated to them what I had been about, and we all went to Hatton-garden Police office, and there I gave information.

Q. Did you go in company with   John Hutt an officer - A. Yes, we went to where I set the pigs down, we found two alive in Stone's stable.

Q. You are sure these five pigs are the same that you delivered - A. Yes.

  JOHN HUTT . I am an officer, on the 20th of February I went with the last witness to Berner's mews by the Foundling-hospital, we traced the pigs to Woburn-mews, Little Guildford-street, after making two hours enquiry I went to the stable window and forced a pane, we undid the door and got in, the two pigs laid under the manger, I suppose the weight was thirty stone a-piece, they were very much fatigued, I could not get them to stir at all; I fastened the door up again and took my station at the top of the mews to see who came to the stable, presently Stone and Connolly came to the stable, Connolly with a sack under his arm, I let them go towards the stable door, Stone put the key into the door, as soon as I saw the key put in the door I came up and seized them both, Stone asked me what was the matter? I said you keep this stable for other purposes besides horses, you keep pigs in it, he said the two pigs were brought there by a man, he gave him leave to put them in the stable; I observed that they were stolen pigs, and that there were three more wanting, he said that he knew nothing about them; I saw his waistcoat was bloody, I asked Stone where he lived? he said he should have no objection telling me if I would not touch any thing at his house, I told him I knew partly what it was by what I had found in the stable, molasses and sugar, and draining of a distillery, a great quantity was in the stable, a great quantity we took to the Excise office with a still that we found at his house; I got my brother officer to mind the pigs, I found out where Stone lived, it was then about eight o'clock in the evening, I sent my brother officer to Stone's house to enquire if he was at home, I desired him to put his foot in the door to keep the door open until I came up, the door was opened by Mrs. Stone, I knew Stone, his real name is Peppitt, I told her I come about some pigs, we found a still and about five hundred gallons of wash fermentation, we did not find any pigs there, we stopped these all night, a little before six in the morning a person throwed some dirt at the window and smacked a whip at the door, presently a man knocked at the door, I opened the door directly, and Limbrick rushed out and seized Hughes, this was Friday morning, we told him what we apprehended him for, he said he drove the pigs for a German butcher from the ry, he had left him down by Bagnigge-wells, I told him that we had two of the big ones, and that they were stolen pigs; I asked him where he lived, he would not tell; I told him I understood he used the Bell down at Battle-bridge, I should take him down there and make some enquiry, we were going along, and by the  Pindar of Wakefield he took me of one side and said he did not want to be exposed, he said he would tell me where he lived, and that the pigs were dead at his house, I went to his house in Smith's-place, Battle bridge, there I found the three pigs hanging up dead there, they would weigh about eleven or twelve stone a piece, they were quite warm all the offal laid upon a table in a large pan, the copper was hot, and hair all lying about, they could not have been killed above four or five hours; I shewed the pigs to Keefe.

Keefe. The pigs Hutt shewed me are my master's property.

- LIMBRICR. I am a constable, I accompanied Hutt to Stone's house, I helped to seize Hughes, I took him and the whip, I asked Hughes how he came by the pigs, he told me that he was a pig drover, he drove them for a German butcher; I asked him where he lived, he said he did not know, he drove for him ten or eleven years.

Hughes' Defence. My lord, on Wednesday the 19th of February, I was employed to go down to Cheshunt to see if I could engage a house for a friend of mine, either in Cheshunt or a mile or two of this side or the other; I met with a friend I had known seven or eight years, he asked me where I was going, I told him not much farther; he told me he was going to Hertford, and if I was going further we would walk together; I told him I was weary of travelling; he asked me how I got my living; I told him by hawking of meat and slaughtering, he told me he was going to Hertford to meet some pigs, and if it was agreeable I might drive them home and kill them, I told him I had a very good convenience for slaughtering pigs or sheep, we went on, we come to Hoddesdon, it was about five o'clock when he left me, he told me I had better remain there and get some refreshment and rest myself; I sat there till half after five, or a little better, I asked the people of the house how far it was to the next public house on the Hertford road, I did not like to be idling there so many hours, I went to the public house called the College-arms, I called for something to eat and a pint of beer, and returned to Hoddesdon to the same house that I had left, I called for a pint of beer, I sat there till ten o'clock, I saw the company going home, I walked out, and in about a quarter of a mile of the other side of Hoddesdon I met a man with the pigs and another man walking along with him as a traveller with a bundle, we walked about an hundred yards, and the traveller wished us good night, and the person who employed me to drive the pigs, he left me at the further end of Hoddesdon, he said he must seek a bed there, when I told him it was doubtful the hogs would not travel to town, he told me then I might engage a horse and cart, I came to Enfield highway, I saw Mr. Steel standing in his yard, I asked him if he had got a horse and cart to let, the hogs were drove into the yard, Mr. Steel and his man assisted me with them into the cart, we came on to town to Pentonville chapel, we took three pigs out, we went on to Gray's

Inn-lane, I called Mr. Stone and asked him to help me with them into Berner Street. I drove the hogs to a stable that is between him and me.

Court. Now where is this man that hired you at Hoddesdon - A. He is not here.

Stone said nothing in his defence.

Connolly was not put on his defence.

HUGHES, GUILTY , aged 36.

Transported for Seven Years .

STONE, NOT GUILTY .

CONNOLLY, NOT GUILTY .

First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.