Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 10 December 2023), February 1841, trial of GEORGE HARBOUR (t18410201-725).

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GEORGE HARBOUR, Theft > pocketpicking, 1st February 1841.

725. GEORGE HARBOUR was indicted for stealing, on the 3rd of February, 1 pocket-book, value 2s.; 8 sovereigns, 3 half-sovereigns, and 9 bills of exchange, amounting together to 701l. 6s. 6d. the property of James Delveau, from his person.

JAMES DELVEAU . I am a harp-maker. On the evening of the 3rd of February, I was at the Hanover-square Concert-rooms, sitting on one of the benches—I had, in my coat-pocket, a pocket book containing the money and bills of exchange stated—it was quite secure at the time—after I had been in the room a short time, I missed it—I immediately gave notice to the different persons who were near me, and to a policeman, who

went out with me, and stopped the prisoner in the street—he struggled, and would not come back into the rooms—I did not see my pocket-book then, but I heard it fall down an area—I saw a person pick it up—the concert was just beginning—the persons were not going away.

Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Have you any other Christian name but James? A. No.

SAMUEL GOODCHILD (police-constable A 36.) I was on duty at the Hanover-square Concert-rooms, and saw the prisoner coining out of the parlour from the Concert-room—I heard him ask for a check, which would authorise him to come back again without paying—he had been one of the audience—he then walked into Hanover-street—the prosecutor immediately afterwards came, and told me he had been robbed of hit pocket-book—Itold him to follow me, and went after the prisoner—I touched him on the left arm, and said, "My good gentleman, 1 beg your pardon, but you have just come out of the Concert-rooms"—he said, "I have not"—I said, "You have"—he said, "What rooms?"—I said, "The Hanover-rooms"—he said, "So help me G—, I was never there, and don't know where they are"—I said, "You are the person I let out of the parlour, you must go back with me, you are charged with robbing a gentleman, and if you are an innocent man, you will go bark without any resistance"—he resisted as much as he possibly could—when I got him to the door of the rooms, he hung his right arm round the iron railing!—he bad his great coat hanging on his arm—he took the pocket-book out of his coat with his left hand, and threw it down the area—I said to the prosecutor, "There goes the book down the area," and before the words were well out of my mouth, the book dropped into the area, and a sovereign and a half dropped in the area.

Cross-examined. Q. You knew nothing of him before, I believe? A. I never had him in custody, but I have seen him before, I do not know where.

GUILTY . Aged 30.— Transported for Fifteen Years.