Samuel Willm Amos

341

Maureen Withey on 18th February 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 18 February 2021), April 1813, trial of JAMES BROWN SAMUEL WILLIAM AMOS WILLIAM MERRITT , alias MACKEY (t18130407-99). JAMES BROWN, SAMUEL WILLIAM AMOS, WILLIAM MERRITT, Theft > burglary, 7th April 1813. 443. JAMES BROWN , SAMUEL WILLIAM AMOS , and WILLIAM MERRITT , alias MACKEY , were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Charles Logan , about the hour of nine at night, on the 9th of January , and stealing therein, a bed, value 3 l. a pair of sheets, value 5 s. two blankets, value 5 s. a pillow, value 2 s. and a rug, value 1 s. the property of Joseph Smith . JOHN LOGAN . Q. Do you know Charles Royle - A. Yes; he and I live in Green's-court, Pulteney-street . I and Charles Royle pay the rent for the part of the house that we inhabit. I am a cabinet maker ; Royle is a porter. We pay two shillings and sixpence each of us for the rent of the room. I have a key of the room, and so has Royle, and Mr. Smith likewise has a key of the room. The other part of the house is let out in lodgings. We go in at the same door as all lodgers do. Q. On the evening of the 9th of January did you go out - A. I left the apartment about ten minutes past seven. It was at that time I went out and locked the door. Royle returned first. CHARLES ROYLE . On the 9th of January I returned home about nine o'clock at night: I found the door of the apartment wide open, and the bed missing, and a rug, pillow, blankets, and sheets. Q. Whose bed was it that was taken - A. Mine. Q. You hired the lodgings of Mr. Smith - A. Yes, and I have a key as well as Logan. The door had been opened by a picklock, or a key. The lock was not injured at all. JOSEPH SMITH . Q. We understand you are the proprietor of this house and the goods - A. Yes, and I let it out to different people, except the kitchen, that I keep for myself. I sleep at the house opposite. Each of these men have a key, and each of them pay me two shillings and sixpence a-week. Q. Were these things yours - A. Yes. JOHN COTTON . On the 9th of January, me, Brown, Amos, and Merritt, met at the Coach and Horses, in Carnaby-street, kept by Mrs. Parkinson. I lodged there. We met about eleven o'clock in the morning the first time. Amos, asked Brown whether he had any picklock keys to unlock Mr. Smith's door, in Green's-court; he had been there twice before to look at this apartment. Brown said, he had; he would bring them in the evening. Brown went out of the house, and went to Paddington. We appointed to meet at five o'clock in the evening, at the same public-house. We met about six o'clock. About twenty minutes after eight we all went to Green's-court, to the house of Mr. Smith. We lifted up the latch; we proceeded into the passage; Brown opened the parlour door in about two minutes with two picklock keys. We all went into the room; me and Brown went in first. Brown brought out the sheets, and I brought out the bed, and gave them to Amos. I went in again to fetch the bolsters and pillows. I brought them out, and gave them to Merritt, and he went away with them. Merritt had the blankets and all. When we had taken these things, Brown told them to go to Saunders's, in Dudley-court, Crown-street. Q. What is Saunders - A. He keeps a chandler's shop there. He is absconded. We went to Saunders. Saunders refused to purchase them. He told us to go to Mr. Whitfield, and he would buy them. Q. Whitfield is the gentleman that is indicted for the receiver - A. Yes, he is a farrier; he lived in Crown-street; he is gone off too. We took them into Whitefield's yard, and opened them. Brown asked two pound for them; he said he would not give two pound, he would only give twenty-three shillings; he paid with a pound note and two eighteen-penny pieces. He paid me and Brown at the door. We then went to the Cart and Horse public-house, St. Giles's, and had a pot of beer. From there we went to the Coach and Horses, in Carnaby-street. We all four went back there, and Merritt slept with me all night in the same bed. We changed the one pound note with Mrs. Parkinson, and divided the money. We sat up till one o'clock there. Q. How soon after this were you taken up - A. On the Monday following the Saturday I was taken for a deserter. I was a deserter from the West London Militia. I was in custody a week before I made this disclosure. MRS. PARKINSON. My husband keeps the Coach and Horses, in Carnaby-market. The last witness was a lodger of mine. On Saturday night, the 9th of January, between nine and ten o'clock, the prisoners and Cotton came into my house, and Cotton had one of them to sleep with him all night, but which of them I cannot say. THOMAS PACE . I am an officer. From information from Cotton, I and my brother officer found this property at Whitfield's. Q. to Smith. Have you seen this property - A. Yes, it is the furniture I let to Logan and Royle; it is mine. Pace. We took the prosecutor's sister to identify the property. I and another officer took Brown on the 13th, at Chatham, on the coach. Capel told Brown we took him for the burglary in Green's-court. He said, never mind; they cannot hang me; they can only lag me. Lag is transportion. We took Merritt; he was found in Clerkenwell prison, and Amos we found in the House of Correction. Brown's Defence. I am innocent. Amos, the same. Merritt, the same. BROWN, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 20. AMOS, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 19. MERRITT, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 17. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 9th May 2020

Old Bailey On line Born - 1793 1812 - Imprisoned. Age 19 1812 - 15 January, Occupation. Errand Boy. Tried at Old Bailey, London. Accused of grand larceny (feloniously stealing, on the 3d of November, a waistcoat, value 16 s.). Found guilty. Sentenced to no punishment. Judgment respited . 1813 - Imprisoned, Age 20. 1813 - 7 April. Tried at Old Bailey, London. Accused of burglary (burglarously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Charles Logan , about the hour of nine at night, on the 9th of January, and stealing therein, a bed, value 3 l. a pair of sheets, value 5 s. two blankets, value 5 s. a pillow, value 2 s. and a rug, value 1 s.). Found guilty. Sentenced to death. Sentence outcome was transported. 1813 - 10 June. Sentenced to twenty one years. Sent to New South Wales.

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 9th May 2020

New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Age; 20 Occupation: Groom