The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

1345.   THOMAS PAUL was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of April, 1837, 1 watch-case, value 10s.; two seals, value 1l.; 1 tobacco-pouch value 3d.; 1 pencil case, value 6d.; and 1 handkerchief, value 1s.; the goods of   Duncan Crawford, since deceased.—2nd COUNT, stating the property to belong to   Charles James, Lord Bishop of London.

MR. CURWOOD conducted the Prosecution.

  GEORGE GILBERT . I knew the deceased Duncan Crawford—he lodged with me seven months—the last time I saw him alive was on a Sundays in April, 1887, and I think it was the 9th, but I am not certain—I am certain he had his watch in his pocket at that time—he always bad seals to his guard—I cannot say positively whether he had them at that time, but he had his guard about his neck—he went away at four o'clock, and I saw no more of him afterwards—I saw his body, I think, on the Wednesday alter, at Poplar bone-house—there were plenty of marks about the body at that time—I saw the mark of a blow under his left ear.

  AMELIA INGRAM . I keep the Ferry-house at the Isle of Dogs, near the Mill-bank. Some time about twelve months ago I remember four men coming, and giving me information that a dead man was at the back of my house in the water—the prisoner was one of the four—he is a navigator, and was working in the neighbourhood—he was in the habit of coming to my house for beer—I knew nothing of the deceased, nor his property.

Cross-examined by. MR. PAYNE. Q. Was the prisoner the person that spoke to you about it? A. No, another man—it was on, a Monday morning—I am sure it was not Wednesday—it was about half-past eight o'clock or ten minutes to nine o'clock—the persons went away together afterwards COURT. Q. You say four of them gave you information, and he was one of them? A. Yes—two of them came to the kitchen door, and two stood down the steps—he was one of the two that stood on the steps.

  BENJAMIN LOVELL (police-constable R 15.) On the 9th of April, this year, between two and three o'clock in the morning, I went with another constable to the prisoner's house, in Grove-lane—I went into the room where he was in bed—the landlord and two lodgers were in the room besides—he was quite tipsy—I shook him several times before I aroused him up—I then asked him if he knew me—he said "Yes," and called me by name—I told him he had no call. to answer me any questions except he thought proper, as whatever he said I should repeat to the Magistrate—I then told him I came to apprehend him on a very serious charge—he wanted to know what it was—I told him for being concerned in murdering a man, and robbing him of his property in the Isle of Dogs, about twelve months back—I asked him if he had sent a girl named Mary Davis to pledge the case of a watch at Mr. Perry's, in Flagon-row—he said he did, that she was detained with it, and he went and got 5s. on it himself—I asked him whether he had ever had the inside of the watch—he said "No" he never saw it—I

asked him how he came by the case—he said he had it given to him—I asked him who gave it to him—he said sooner than he would confess he would suffer to be sent out of the country for life—I then took him to the station-house, searched him, and found this book, pencil-case, and tobacco pouch in his waistcoat pocket, which has been identified as belonging to the deceased; also a knife, which has not been claimed—there was a long investigation at the police-office, and the prisoner was at last committed for larceny.

Cross-examined. Q. Was he very drunk when you took him? A. Yes—when I roused him up and shook him he fell back again—I did not ask him any questions till he was collected—I was in the room twenty minutes or half an hour before he dressed himself and came out—I asked him those questions in the room before he was dressed—he was sitting upright in the bed—I only asked him at first whether he knew me, and he said "Yes"—I found the things in his pocket when I got him to the station-house, which is a very little distance from the house.

COURT. Q. Did he appear to you, although he was so tipsy, to understand what the questions were? A. After he got out of the house he was just as able to walk as myself—I did not put any question to him till he was thoroughly collected—he said he knew very well what I said.

  JAMBS CONNOR (police-constable R. 191.) I went with Lovell, and was present when he had the conversation with the prisoner—he has stated it correctly—I produce a watch-case, which I got from Mr. Perry's, a pawnbroker, in Flagon-row, Deptford—the duplicate is also here—I heard the prisoner asked whether he had sent Mary Davis to pawn that case—I have nothing more to say than Lovell—every word would be over and over the tame.

Cross-examined. Q. What did the prisoner say when he was asked about Mary Davis? A. He first said he did not send her—that was when he fell back—he was not, I should say, properly collected at that time—he afterwards said he did.

  MART DAVIS . I know the prisoner—on a Monday afternoon, about twelve months ago, the prisoner gave me a watch-case, and asked me to go and pledge it for 4s.—I did not hear of the man being murdered or drowned till twelve months after—the pawnbroker did not let me have the 4s., but detained the case—I went back to the prisoner, and he went to the pawnbroker's—I believe it was in the month of April—I do not recollect the day of the month—it was on a Monday—it was a silver watch-case, like the one produced, but I cannot swear to it—I never pawned but one watch-case for him.

Cross-examined. Q. How long ago is it since you were first asked any thing about this? A. Not till about last week, I believe, when I went before the Magistrate—I did not hear of the man's death till then—I live at Deptford, and get my living the best way I can.

  JOSEPH CUNNINGHAM . I am in the service of Messrs. Perry and Barnes, pawnbrokers, in Flagon-row, Deptford. I recollect this watch-case being pawned with us on Tuesday, the 11th of April, 1837—it was brought by Mary Davis—I asked her who it belonged to—she mentioned some name, which I have forgotten—I told her to send the person, and she went away, leaving the case behind—the prisoner came afterwards, the same day—I am sure of the date, by the ticket, and the entry that was made at the time how book—I have no doubt about the prisoner being the person.

Cross-examined. Q. I suppose you have no memorandum which would enable you to tell it was the prisoner? A. No—I wrote the ticket myself—I am quite sure of him—I do not know that I was always so sure.

  CHARLOTTE JOHNSON . I knew the deceased Duncan Crawford—he resided at Rotherhithe—I was the last person he spoke to on leaving hoot—I know he had his watch with him that Sunday morning, by a particular circumstance—I was sitting down stairs, and he came tome, and asked me to tie his cravat—I did so, and he had his watch about him then—I know his watch well—I used to have it for a week together in my possession—this is the case of it—I know it by three letters that are in it—I swear positively that is the case of his watch, and this pencil-case I can swear to—it was his—this book was also his—it has his hand-writing in it—I saw him write in it one afternoon as he was sitting at dinner—I cannot swear to the tobacco pouch—I know he had one—the pencil-case, book, and watch-case, I swear to positively—he had his watch and seals attached to it when he left. Cross-examined. Q. How came you to have his watch for a week togtther? A. He would very frequently give it to me on the Monday morning, when he went to work, and not ask me for it again till Sunday morning, when he dressed himself—I was living with my parents at the time, where he lodged—he was not paying his addresses to me—I was not in the habit of opening the watch, but I once cut a paper for it, and saw the letters J R K in it—I do not know whether that is the Hall-mark to show that it is silver—I used to keep it in a drawer, and sometimes hung it round my neck—I did not see it again till a short time ago—I am living at home now—the pencil-case is a common one, but I can swear to it by the impression on the stone—I have seen him list ft—I often saw him use this book, and I saw him write this, "Braganza Steamer," in it one afternoon—a young man came to him who was going to work on board the Braganza. Steamer, and he wrote that down—I swear I saw him write that more than a year ago—I saw him write in the book at other times, but I cannot say whit it was particularly—it was one afternoon, on a week-day, that I saw him write this—I did not look over him when he did it, but he left the book on the table, and I took it up, and gave it to him when he came home to tea—I cannot say what the book is about, but he used to write in it—there is a good deal of his writing in it—I believe every part of it to be his handwriting—that is some of his—(pointing some out)—I cannot say I saw him write that, but it is his hand-writing—I am married—my husband is an officer on board her Majesty's ship Barrow, which was at Malta a short time since.

(Elias Walter, a foreman of works at the Thames-tunnel, gave the prisoner a good character.)

GUILTY Aged 36.— Transported for Seven Years.