Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 03 June 2023), April 1837, trial of ROBERT ARMSTRONG (t18370403-923).

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ROBERT ARMSTRONG, Theft > embezzlement, 3rd April 1837.

923. ROBERT ARMSTRONG was indicted for embezzlement.

THOMAS HALL . I live in Bishopsgate-without. The prisoner was in my employ to sell goods and receive money at the counter—he was to account to the cashier—he was so employed on the 6th of February—he has never accounted for these sums.

ELIZABETH THOMAS . I live in Widegate-alley, Bishopsgate. About half-past eight o'clock on the evening of the 6th of February, I went to Mr. Hall's shop, and the prisoner served me with 4 1/2 yards of calico, which came to 1s. 10 1/2 d.—I gave him a half-sovereign and one shilling's worth of copper, and he gave me the change.

CHARLES TRAFFORD . I am cashier to Mr. Hall. On the morning of the 6th of February I was sitting at my desk, and the prisoner borrowed 1s. of me to pay the postage of a letter—he gave me an I 0 U for it—in the evening of that day I saw Mr. Smith collect the money I had in my desk—I had put the I O U there, and had asked the prisoner to pay the

shilling—he said he had not any money—about a quarter of an hour after-wards he came to my desk, and brought me a shilling's worth of copper and half-a-sovereign, and told me to take 10 1/2 d. out of the half sovereign, and to take the shilling's worth of copper to pay his I 0 U—I gave him the I O U, and the change out of the half-sovereign.

Cross-examined by MR. DOANE. Q. How came you to recollect this was the 6th of February? A. The circumstance of his paying me the shilling in copper makes me recollect the date—my attention was called to it on the 18th of March—more than a month afterwards—I have been six months in Mr. Hall's employ—I am quite sure I gave him the I O U back—the shilling I lent him was my master's.

OLIVE PACE . On Saturday morning, the 18th of March, I went to Mr. Hall's shop—the prisoner served me with some gloves, ribbon, and sew-ing-cotton, which came to 1s. 5d. altogether—I gave the prisoner half-a-crown—he left me, and brought me 1s. 1d. change, and I left the shop.

HENRY PATTISON SMITH . I saw the prisoner serve Pace—he brought me a half-crown—I gave him two shillings and sixpence in copper for it—he did not give me any account of the goods he sold—in the absence of Trafford the cashier, I was the person for him to account to—in consequence of what I observed, I went after Mrs. Pace, and inquired into the transaction—I told Mr. Hall when he came in.

Cross-examined. Q. Are you quite sure you gave him two shillings and sixpence in halfpence? A. No—it was one shilling, two sixpences, and six-pence in copper—I did not observe that he put any money into the till—he might have done it without my observing it—it is usual to put sums under the amount of 3d. into the till, but above that, they should be accounted for to the cashier.

CHARLES TRAFFORD re-examined. He did not account to me for any part of the half-crown on the 18th of March.

MR. HALL re-examined. He has been about eight months in my em-ploy—Trafford is my regular cashier—I have a number of shopmen, but they do not officiate at the desk—another boy takes it in turn with Traf-ford, when he is at his meals, sometimes, but it is Smith's duty to seethe desk attended to—the other boy was not at the desk that day—the till was examined immediately this was discovered, by Mr. Smith and Mr. Hall, who had the key of the till in my absence—the cashier's book is al-ways balanced at eight o'clock every evening.

JURY. Q. Did you never have silver put into the till? A. New, and I found none there.

(The prisoner received a good character.)

GUILTY . Aged 22.—Recommended to mercy.— Confined One Month.