Joseph Samuel

Old Bailey: JOSEPH SAMUEL, Theft > theft from a specified place, 20th May 1795. Offence: Theft > theft from a specified place Verdict: Guilty > lesser offence Punishment: Transportation JOSEPH SAMUEL was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 10th of May , a dimity cloak, value 5s. a bed tick, value 20s. a bolster tick, value 5s. two pillow ticks, value 5s. three yards of muslin, value 9s. a pair of callico sleeves, value 1s. two muslin caps, value 2s. a linen table cloth, value 1s. two linen aprons, value 2s. a silk cloak, value 6s. and two silver table spoons, value 15s. the goods of Henry Hodges , in his dwelling house . GUILTY, of larceny only . (Aged 14.) Transported for Seven years. Joseph arrived on the 'Canada'. Joseph was 14 years old, 5’ ?? tall, dark complexion. brown hair grey eyes. Native place was Germany, and he was a dealer in old clothes. Samuel succeeded in escaping and, with a gang, robbed the home of a wealthy woman, and in the process, a policeman named Joseph Luker who was guarding her home, was murdered. The gang was hunted down and quickly captured, and during the trial, the woman recognised Joseph Samuel as one of the culprits. He confessed to robbing her home, but denied having murdered the policeman. The other members of the gang, including the leader, were acquitted due to lack of evidence, but because the woman identified Samuel, he was convicted and sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. On 26 September 1803, Joseph Samuels, was three times suspended: the rope first broke, in a very singular manner, in the middle, and the suffering criminal fell prostrate on the ground; on the second attempt, the cord unrove at the fastening, and he again came to the ground; a third trial was attended with no better success, for at the moment when he was launched off, the cord again snapped in twain. Thomas Smyth, esq. the provost-marshal, taking compassion on his protracted sufferings, stayed the further progress of the execution, and rode immediately to the governor, to whom he feelingly represented these extraordinary circumstances, and his excellency was pleased to extend his majesty's mercy. Samuels was afterwards transported to another settlement, in consequence of his continuance in his dishonest career, and has subsequently lost his life on the coast, in making an attempt to escape from the colony. 18/5/1806 Sydney Gazette: We lament, that notwithstanding the immediate measures pursued by the Officer in Command for apprehending the people who went off in one of the boats, yet no tidings whatever have been received of them. These people 8 in number, went off the 1st of April in an open boat with only provision for a few weeks, and neither mast, sail, or any single implement of navigation. The Resource arrived two days after, and went immediately in pursuit, but after running beyond Port Stephen, and accurately examining every creek, bay, and inlet, returned well satisfied that the unhappy men had never outlived the tempest on the second night subsequent to their unfortunate flight. Among these rash people was a young man of the name Douglas, Joseph Samuels, Charles Williams, whose time had not more than twelve months to run, and Joseph Gilman, a German.