John Adams

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Maureen Withey on 18th July 2022

Convict Conduct Record: https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-2$init=CON31-1-2P102 No. 601. John Adams, per John (2) , arr 1 Dec 1833. Tried, Middlesex 16 May 1833, 7 years. Transported for stealing a chair. Gaol report- in Newgate before. Stated, this offence, and once for assault one month and fined 30/-. Single. March 30 1839. T.L. Absent without leave from his district, Admonished. Free Cert, No 441/1840. May 16 1843, F.S. Felony committed for trial. -------------------------------------------------- Tuesday May 9. John Adams, charged with having feloniously received, one gold brooch and one gold breast pin, the property of Mr. William Henry King : remanded. Launceston Examiner, 10 May 1843. ----------------------------------------------------- Friday May 12. John Adams, charged with feloniously receiving, was brought up for further examination, and again remanded. Launceston Examiner, 17 May 1843. ----------------------------------------------------- John Adams was indicted for receiving, on the 29th of April last, a gold brooch, value 40s., and a gold pin, value 30s., the property of William Henry King, knowing the same to have been stolen. Wm. Henry King. — I reside in George-street; about four months ago I missed a brooch and breast pin; have no doubt that they were stolen out of my sitting-room; I next saw them about three weeks ago at the police office; am confident that those now produced are the same that I lost, I value the brooch at £2 and the pin at £1 10s.; saw the pin in the possession of a man of the name of Johnson before I saw it at the police office. By the Chairman. — I have another brooch the same as this; know the pin by the flower upon it. By the Prisoner. — I am in the habit of dealing in those articles; have had brooches similar to the one now produced in my possession before; Down and Cunningham do not sell on commission for me. Walter Powell. — Am clerk to Mr. Bell, auctioneer; know the prisoner; recollect his bringing some jewellery for sale about two months ago, it consisted of some small breast pins and three larger brooches or pins; the smaller pin and two of the brooches were sold, one of them was bought in by the prisoner; one of the pins was purchased by a man named Johnson; I saw these articles since at the police office; this is the same brooch which was bought in by the prisoner; this is the one which was bought by Johnson, and which was previously given to me by Adams for sale. By the Prisoner. — You have been in the habit of buying and selling by auction. Isaac Davis. — Was present at a sale, at Mr. Bell's, about two months ago, and saw the prisoner there; remember seeing a brooch put up, and knocked down, but do not know who was the purchaser; the prisoner soon after offered a brooch to me for sale, which I purchased front him for five shillings; this is the same brooch which I purchased from the prisoner; its invoice price would, I believe, be about eighteen shillings; I have seen many brooches of the same kind, it is a very common pattern ; I showed the brooch to Mr. King and afterwards handed it over to a constable. Henry Johnson.--Was present at a sale of jewellery, at Mr. Bell's, about three or four weeks ago ; I bought a gold pin, which I afterwards gave to Mr. Byron; this is the same pin, I know it by a mark which I made on it before delivering it to Mr. Byron; gave nine shillings and ten pence for it; the trade price I should suppose to be about fourteen shillings. John Byron.-I produce in court a pin and a brooch. the pin I got from a man named Johnson, and the brooch from a man of the name of Jacobs; searched the prisoner's house the same day I received the articles; he said that he bought them from a man of the name of Johnson, who had gone to Sydney. Keith Jackson King.-My brother, Wm. Henry King, resides with me; recollect his having some jewellery in his possession, and also of his having missed some; have frequently seen the articles produced, in his possession. By the Chairman.-There may be many pins of the same kind, but it is rather a peculiar make. By the Prisoner.-I never saw a pin of the same kind either in this town or any where else. The prisoner urged in his defence that it was very improbable that he should have put these articles up for sale by auction, had they been stolen; he would certainly have endeavoured rather to sell them privately where they could not have been recognised. A witness of the name of Sprads was called in by the prisoner, who swore that he had seen the prisoner purchase a brooch and pin from a man named Johnson, and that he had written out a receipt for him, which was produced in court; he could not, however, identify the articles produced in court as being the same which he had seen sold to the prisoner. The Rev. Mr. Weston and the Rev. R. R. Davies bore testimony to the prisoner's good character for honesty while in their service. The chairman said that the evidence which had been elicited in this case did not go to prove that the prisoner had any knowledge of the articles having been stolen. The jury returned, a verdict of "not guilty." Launceston Examiner, 3 June 1843.

40

Maggie Syms on 18th July 2022

Crime: stealing a chair Free Certificate 1840