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				<div style="font-family:serif;"><i>Old Bailey Proceedings Online</i> (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 08 December 2023), May 1787, trial of                      JOHN                      WATSON                                                                               (t17870523-79).<hr/><h2>JOHN WATSON, Theft &gt; grand larceny, 23rd May 1787. </h2>                                                                                                   <p>528.                                                       JOHN                      WATSON                                                                                                          was indicted for                                                          stealing, on the 13th day of May                     , seven cloth coats, value 3 l. four cloth waistcoats, value 10 s. three pair of breeches, value 19 s. six pair of stockings, value 6 s. a cotton counterpane, value 2 s. and four shirts, value 10 s.             the property of                                                       Anthony                      Burt                                                                                                                              .</p>               <p>                                                ANTHONY                   BURT                                                                                        sworn.</p>               <p>I lost the things mentioned in the indictment, and others to the value of five pounds; I only swear to the property; I am sure the things were in the ship when I left her, locked up in a chest in the stateroom.</p>               <p>                                                ANDREW                   LAWSON                                                                                        sworn.</p>               <p>I am a ship-cooper; the ship lay at Wapping Old-stairs                                                      ; on the 13th of May I went on shore for some provisions, between five and six; I returned on board, and found the prisoner on deck, and one ofthe hatches off; he said he came from one of the apprentices for some things out of the ship, and produced a key, which was a false key, with which he had opened the lock of the hatch-way; I was going to lay hold of him, and he ran away, over three or four ships, and got to shore; he was brought back; when I went down into the steerage, I found the cabin-door open, and the captain's chest open, and the state-room door open; and underneath the hatchway I found this bundle of things; before the magistrate, he confessed he was persuaded, on the Sunday afternoon, with two others, to go on board a ship, and they opened the lock, and the other man wanted the prisoner to go down below, but the prisoner would not; then the man went below, and in half an hour he came back with this bundle of clothes, and left them in the hatch-way for the prisoner to take away; the two men went away in one boat, and left the prisoner with the other; and while he was waiting for an opportunity, I came on board; there were no promises made.</p>               <p>(The things deposed to.)</p>               <p>Prisoner. I know nothing about it.</p>               <p>                                                      GUILTY            .</p>               <p>                                                                           Transported for seven years            .</p>               <p>Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice ASHURST.</p>            </div>
				
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