The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

1326.   GEORGE BAKER,  GEORGE BASSETT , and   JOHN GRANT were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of   James Lindsey, about one in the night of the 19th of Feb., at Lewis-ham, with intent to steal, and stealing therein, 2 pairs of spectacles, value 1l. 10s.; 2 milk-pots, 1l.; 2 ladles, 1l.; 8 spoons, 4l.; 3 handkerchiefs, 6s.; 3/4 of a yard of silk, 10s.; 30 sovereigns, 8 half-crowns, 40 shillings, 30 sixpences, 6 groats, 30 pence, 40 halfpence, 60 farthings; and 1 30l., 1 10l., and 3 5l. Bank-notes; his property; to which

BAKER pleaded GUILTY .— Transported for Ten Years.

MR. DOANE conducted the Prosecution.

  JAMES LINDSEY . I am a grocer, and live in the parish of  Lewisham. On the night of the 19th of Feb. I was the last person up in the house—I went to bed about eleven o'clock—everything was then safe and fast—the skylight of the washhouse was quite safe—I came down about seven o'clock in the morn-ing—Dodd, my servant, gave me information—I keep the post-office—I found the post-bag opened, the letters taken out, opened, and torn; all my drawers open, and the things in them all out—I went to the washhouse, and found the lead-work and frame of the skylight completely removed—they had got in that way—the hinges were broken open, and the skylight entirely removed off—I know Bassett by his coming for dust occasionally—he had an opportunity of seeing the premises—he has been there several times.

  ELIZA DODD . I am servant to the prosecutor. On the morning of the 20th Feb., about a quarter past seven o'clock, I came down stairs—I was the first that came down—I went into the shop, and found everything in confusion, the doors open, and things lying about—I went up, and told my master—I had 4s. in my work-box, in the kitchen—that was taken, and the things all turned out on the floor.

  REBECCA LINDSEY . I am the prosecutor's wife. I take care of my hus-band's money—on the morning of the 20th of Feb. I missed from the desk in the parlour a 30l. Bank-note, a 10l., and three 5l. Bank-notes; and, among other money, I lost between two and three shillings' worth of farthings, in a little tin box in the till—I lost a great deal of other property, which was all safe before—I had occasion to look at the farthings to give change shortly before, and there were two very old-looking ones and a counterfeit shilling—those two farthings were left on the table in the kitchen—the shilling has been found by the officer—this is it—I know it well—I took it of an old man, who said he would change it for me again, but he had no other.

Cross-examined by MR. PAYNE. Q. Did you take it for a shilling? A. No, for a farthing—I know it—I have no private mark on it.

  WILLIAM PERRING . I am a carpenter, and live next door to Mr. Lindsey. I was awoke out of my sleep on this night by my dog barking I heard a noise, which appeared to be in Mr. Lindsey's warehouse or washhouse, where the

skylight is—I fell asleep again—it was about two o'clock—I am quite positive it was before six—it was dark.

Cross-examined. Q. Are you quite sure you were not dreaming? A. Yes, I was awake for three quarters of an hour—I thought it was Mr. Lindsey up, going to market.

  SARAH HOGG . My husband keeps the Lord Nelson, in Dock-street, Deptford, about two miles from  Lewisham. On the morning of the 20th of Feb. the three prisoners were at our house—Bassettand Baker were there about a quarter after six o'clock, and Grant came about seven—I knew them before, and have no doubt of them—they used my house—I served them with some ginhot—Baker called for it, and paid 4 1/2 d. for it, all in farthings, except this coin, which is a counterfeit shilling—I made a mark on it—this is it—I took it as a farthing—I put the farthings on a shelf where there was no other money—Grant had not come then—when Grant came he drank with them—I gave the farthings to the policeman, and the bad shilling.

Cross-examined. Q. Where did you put the farthings? A. On the shelf at the back of the bar and the shilling with them—I put them there about a quarter past six o'clock in the morning—the policeman did not have them for two days, but he came and inquired about them the same day—I am positive they are the same—I took them off the shelf and marked them when the policeman came, which, I believe, was the same evening—I served in the bar that day—I do not know that anybody else did—my husband was in and out—nobody else serves—we do not admit people into the bar—we do not keep a maid—the potman was in the hospital at the time—from the time the farthings were paid to me till the policeman came, nobody but myself and husband were in the bar—I was there all day, and must have seen if anybody came—if I left the bar my husband was there—the policeman came about seven o'clock the same evening, and requested me to take care of them—I marked them then, and locked them up in the cupboard.

MR. DOANE. Q. Did it call your attention the men paying you entirely in farthings? A. Yes—I did not observe the counterfeit shilling among them till the officer came—I had no farthings, or money in the place where I put the farthings—I had taken one farthing away to send out change—with that exception, they tallied.

  MARGARET DUNN . I live in Dock-street, Deptford. I know all the prisoners—Baker kept company with my sister—he came to me on the morning of the 20th of February, between seven and eight o'clock, and gave me 10s. to take to my sister—while he was talking to me, Bassett came and called him—I heard him, but did not see him—he stood on the step of the door, and said, "Come along, Baker, you know where we have got to go to; make haste, Baker, you know where we have got to go to "—Baker said, "I am coming "—he gave me 4d. to get something to drink for myself, and went away—he had got more money—I saw silver in his purse.

  FREDERICK DOBSON . I am barman to Mr. Quarry, of Penny fields, Poplar. On the morning of the 20th of Feb., between seven and eight o'clock, three men came there—I believe Grant and Bassett to be two of them—they had a pint of porter, and drank together—it came to 2d., and they paid for it in eight farthings—they asked me if I would take six pennyworth of farthings of them, which I did—they afterwards said, "We have fourpennyworth more," and I gave them fourpence more for farthings—they then asked if I could give them change for a 5l. note—I do not know which of them it was—I can recognise Grant.

Cross-examined. Q. You had never seen Bassett before? A. No—I only think he is the man—I cannot tell which offered the farthings.

  ROSE DAVIS . I am single, and live in Ship-yard, Temple-bar. On Tuesday,

the 20th of Feb., between two and three o'clock in the day, I met the three prisoners in the Strand—I knew them before—I remained in their company all the afternoon, and I went to the play with them all three—Bassett went home, and passed the night with me—next day I joined company with all three of them again, and went to the Grapes public-house—they gave me some gin there—Bassett gave me 10s. when at home—they treated me at the play, Baker paid for us all—I saw Baker with two or three 5l. notes on Wednesday the 21st, and five or six sovereigns—I did not see any with Grant—Baker was in my company all day long on Wednesday—on Wednesday night Baker asked the other prisoners if they wanted any money—they said they did—he pulled out some gold and silver, and gave each of them some silver, but I do not know how much—Bassett said he had some silver spoons on board his ship, and if he could get them away, he would make me a present of one or two—Bassett paid 3s. for the bed we slept in, for each night—he slept with me two nights.

  CHARLOTTE DUTTON . I live at the same house as Davis. On Tuesday, the 20th of Feb, I saw the three prisoners, and accompanied them to the Grapes public-house—I went with Grant, and passed the night with him, for which he gave me 10s., and 3s. for the room—he accused me of stealing a sovereign from him—I saw he had some sovereigns, but I did not notice how many—we were all together at the Grapes—Davis and several other girls were there in company—Baker treated all of us there—he treated pretty well every person that came—we remained there drinking at his expense till between five and six o'clock, when we went to the theatre—Baker paid for the lady he was with—Grant paid for me—we had a cab—I heard Bassett say he had sent the cabman to get change for a 5l. note, and he had promised to give him 15s. if be returned quick—we went to the theatre without waiting for the cabman's return—Bassett said, "Never mind, perhaps some day I shall see him in Newgate "—Baker and Grant heard that—I saw Grant with a 5l. note, besides two or three sovereigns—he only staid with me one night.

Cross-examined. Q. You are an unfortunate girl, I suppose? A. Yes—it was in the Grapes that Bassett spoke about the cabman, just previous to our going to the theatre—I believe what he said was "We have sent the cabman for change for a 5l. note, but never mind, we shall perhaps see him in Newgate before long"—it was not Bassett that said that, it was Grant—I was not there at the time it was sent—to the best of my knowledge it was Grant said it.

MR. DOANE. Q. Was it the man that slept with you? A. Yes, to the best of my knowledge.

  SARAH DEN TON . I am an unfortunate girl, and live in Newcastle-court, Strand. On the night of the 20th Feb., about half-past one o'clock I went over to No. 15, and saw the three prisoners there, Dutton and Davis were with them—I went and slept with Baker at that place—in the morning I saw he had a great deal of money—I did not see Bassett or Grant with any.

  EDWARD BROWN , I keep the Grapes, in the Strand, On Tuesday, the 20th Feb., between four and five o'clock in the afternoon, the three prisoners came to my house, and staid about an hour and a half or two hours—the three witnesses and several more girls were with them—they were treating them—the money was sent out by the waiter—I cannot say who paid—they went away—I saw them all again next day with the same three girls and several others—they staid at my house all that day enjoying themselves—they laid out altogether about 4l. with me—Grant changed a 5l. note previous to going to the play—I saw a cabman there, and he brought a 5l. note to me—I kept it—I have spent it—I gave him his change for it—I gave Bassett or

Baker 3l. previous to going to the play—I gave a sovereign to each—the note the cabman had, went on with the reckoning until it came to 3l.—I gave them a sovereign each, as I had 2l. left out of the 5l.,—I gave him 3l. previous to going to the play, and next day the reckoning came to 3l. 10s.—I saw two 5l. notes, that is what I speak of.

Q. You have said you changed a 5l. note for Grant, and they went to the play? A. I meant to say I advanced him 3l.—I have not said I saw two 5l. notes together—5s. was to be given to the waiter—I paid the two 5l. notes to Mr. Webb, a wine-merchant, at London-bridge, one of which I received from the cabman—Baker put a name on the back of the 5l. notes—it is not here.

COURT. Q. Do you keep a house for thieves and prostitutes? A. I keep a house.

  ELIZA DAVIS . I live at Deptford. On Sunday, the 18th of Feb., I saw Bassett—he gave me a Bible, and asked me to buy it for 1s.—I gave him 1s. for it—he said he had no money to pay for his night's lodging, and so he sold it.

  BENJAMIN LOVELL (police-sergeant). On Tuesday, the 20th Feb., I went to Mr. Lindsey's—I found the sky-light removed—in consequence of information, I went after the prisoners—I had seen them all three on Monday night, the 19th, about half-past ten o'clock, at the Riding-circus, Greenwich, about half a mile from the prosecutor's. On Tuesday evening, about eight, I went to the Lord Nelson, in Dock-street, they were not there then—I saw Mrs. Hogg, she showed me sixteen farthings, and among them a counterfeit shilling—she marked them—I afterwards received them from her—they have been produced. On the 26th I found Grant at the station, and said to him, "Well, John, I was pretty close to you yesterday, in Whitechapel, here you are"—he said he knew I was, and said he had been to my house to give himself up to me, and that he had nothing to do with the robbery—I had not said anything to him about the robbery—I had said, "I understand you were all down at  Lewisham on Saturday"—he said, "Yes, I was"—he said they came down after the silver spoons that were hid in the Roebuck tea-gardens—that Baker got them out and sold them for 20s.—I asked what he had done with the notes—he said he never saw them—he had on a new cap and pair of shoes—he said Baker bought them for him in Rosemary-lane.

  JAMES DOUGLAS (police-inspector.) On the 26th February I was at the station at Greenwich, when a man named Baxfield came with Grant—he said in Grant's presence that he had come to his house on purpose for him to go with him to Sergeant Lovell, to give himself up for the robbery at Lewisham, as he heard he was after him—he said he was not with him when the robbery was committed.

BASSETT†— GUILTY . Aged 21.

GRANT†— GUILTY . Aged 25.

Transported for Ten Years.