Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 09 December 2023), January 1801, trial of MARTIN BRYANT GEORGE LOWE (t18010114-7).

MARTIN BRYANT, GEORGE LOWE, Theft > grand larceny, 14th January 1801.

101. MARTIN BRYANT and GEORGE LOWE were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 25th of October , a pair of breeches, value 12s. and a frock, value 3s. the property of John Francis , the younger.

ANN FRANCIS sworn. - I am the wife of John Francis , No. 58, Old Gravel-lane ; I keep a slopshop; I know the prisoners: On the 25th of October, between seven and eight in the evening, the prisoner Bryant came in to buy a frock; I shewed him some; he asked me if I had no others; I told him, no; he said, he wanted one with exactly a dozen stripes down it; I told him I never saw such a thing; he said, he should want some more things, and would call again; I had not set down, when the prisoner Lowe came in, and asked for some knives; he asked if I had no smaller; I told him, no, I never sold them smaller to sailors, then he went away; as soon as he was gone, I saw there was something gone out of the window, but I did not know what till my husband came home.

JOHN FRANCIS sworn. - I am a slop-seller, in Old Gravel-lane: On the 25th of October I came home about eight in the evening, and missed a pair of velveteen breeches which hung next the door; I did not miss the frock till the Monday morning; I gave no information to the Magistrate, nor thought any more of it till Tuesday; I went out, and was fetched home by one of my lads; when I came home, I found one of the officers from Lambeth-street; I went with him to the Flying-horse, in Lambeth-street; I gave a description of the breeches, and then they produced them to me; they did not shew me the frock till the day of the examination, which was two or three days afterwards.

JOHN GRIFFITHS sworn. - I am one of the officers of Lambeth-street, Whitechapel: On Saturday, the 28th of October, about eight o'clock in the evening, we went to apprehend the prisoners for another offence; we found them at the Maxworth-arms, in White-horse-lane, St. George's; we took them into the parlour, and searched them; upon Bryant I found a watch and a Guernsey frock, which he said was his own; I made enquiry, and found that the prosecutor had lost these things, and he came forward and swore to them.

THOMAS GRIFFITHS sworn. - I was with my brother on the 25th of October, we apprehended the prisoners at the Maxworth-arms; I searched Lowe, and found upon him a pair of breeches, buttoned under his coat; he said he had bought them, and that they were his own. (Produces them)

Prisoner Lowe. (To Francis.) Q. How do you know that frock is your's? - A. There was a flaw in it, and I gave it to my mother to draw up, I knew it by that.

Q. How do you know the breeches? - A. I have had them in my possession some time; being lined with leather, they did not sell so well; the shop mark has been taken off; here is the thread where it was sewed on.

Bryant's defence. I bought the Guernsey frock of a Jew in Rosemary-lane for four shillings and sixpence.

Lowe's defence. I bought the breeches of a Jew upon Tower-hill, I gave fourteen shillings for them. Bryant, GUILTY , aged 20.

Lowe, GUILTY , aged 18.

Transported for seven years .

First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron Graham.