Thomas Anderson

218

Dianne Jones on 4th March 2021

NATIVE PLACE: Birmingham, Warwickshire. Married (to Mary Johnson) with two children (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-2$init=CON31-1-2p121). OCCUPATION: Groom and coachman. CRIME: Tried at the Old Bailey - with Mary Johnson (born 1810), his wife - on 20 February 1834 for "stealing two pieces of silk handkerchief". The following is a transcript of their trial: "#355. THOMAS ANDERSON and MARY JOHNSON were indicted for stealing, on the 9th of January, 2 pieces of handkerchiefs, containing 14 handkerchiefs, value 3l.; the goods of John Scales Christian. Mr. CRESWELL conducted the Prosecution. FREDERICK ALEXANDER CANDLER: I am shopman to Mr. John Scales Christian - he is a linen-draper, and lives in Wigmore-street - on the 9th of January the prisoners came in together, and looked at some pieces of silk handkerchiefs - they did not select any from the first pile, but wanted to look at some others - I fetched four other piles - Anderson fixed on one, and asked Johnson if she liked it, and if it would wash - she said, "Yes" - I cut one off, and Anderson paid me 6s. for it - the prisoners then left the shop, and I told some young ladies, who were in the shop, that I missed one piece - I went to the station-house, and saw the prisoners there, and this piece of handkerchief, which to the best of my belief is my master's, but it was not folded then as I generally fold them - I missed a piece of this description. JURY: Q. Is your private mark on it? CANDLER: A. No; not now - I cannot tell whether there was one when this was in the shop - we generally put them on gum tickets, which are apt to come off - I put a piece of this pattern and colour on the counter. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS: Q. How many pieces did you put down the second time? CANDLER: A. I cannot say, there was only one of this pattern - I know every pattern we have in the house - I cannot tell how many pieces we have- there are five piles about a foot high - if a handkerchief was taken I should miss it immediately, though there were twelve or fifteen pieces in a pile - the young ladies I mentioned it to were those who serve in the shop - I know this piece, as it had been in the window about three months before, and the part that was uppermost, when it was folded, was rather faded - I remember putting this particular piece in the window - I cannot say whether it was on the top of the pile or in the middle - I cannot find any trace of the gum mark on them - I missed this piece and another - the one I first missed has not been found. Q. Have you not been giving the jury and me to understand that you missed this piece? CANDLER: A. I missed this, but this was not the one I missed first. Q. But when you talked about your knowing it by its being faded, and by the fold, why did you not say that you did not mean this one? CANDLER: A. I have not had an opportunity - the prisoners were minutely searched for the other piece, but it has not been found - it was a British twill, a shell pattern, and a scarlet colour - I described it to the officer - I think there was only one young lady in the shop when the prisoners were there - she was twenty yards from me - but there were more when I missed the handkerchiefs - I did not see this piece found on the prisoner, but I saw it in about a quarter of an hour - I could not swear to it, but I went back and missed it from the shop - I cannot now swear it is ours, but to the best of my belief it is. GEORGE HORSLEY WOOD: I am a relation of the prosecutor's - I was in his shop - I saw the prisoners there - I received information - I went out and sent for an officer, and when the prisoners came out I was at the door with the policeman - he took them in charge - Anderson made a violent attempt to get into the shop again, and so did Johnson, but I prevented it - Anderson said he had bought the handkerchief, or a handkerchief, and he ought to be treated like a gentleman - I followed them to the station-house and watched them. Cross-examined: Q. Do I understand you that from the time they left the prosecutor's till they got to the station-house you were behind them and watching them? WOOD: A. Yes; I do not believe they dropped anything in the street, but they might in the police-office - I saw Anderson searched there, and nothing was found on him; but Johnson went down with the cook, and she might have been bribed to take anything. JOHN WHEALAN (police-constable D 81): I was sent for to the shop and saw the prisoners coming out - I took them to the station-house - they both objected to go, and made a rush to get into the shop - I searched Anderson at the station-house, and found these two silk handkerchiefs on him; he said he had bought them - this one is quite new. Cross-examined: Q. Did you ask where he bought them? WHEALAN: A. No. FREDERICK ALEXANDER CANDLER: This is the one he bought of me; the other has been used. JOHN CRAWLEY LITTLE (police-constable D 74): I was at the station-house when the prisoners were brought in - the man was searched, and after looking under the woman's cloak I took her down stairs, where a woman searched her while I stood at the door; she found nothing on her - I was not satisfied, and took her to another woman, and as I was directing her to search her, she dropped this piece of handkerchief; I took it up and said, "What is this?" she said,"It is what you are looking for." Cross-examined: Q. Johnson said, "This is what you are looking for?" LITTLE: A. Yes, I stated that before the Magistrate; I suppose it was taken down - there was nothing found on Anderson which the prosecutor claimed - I did not find anything dropped in the station-house, nor in the room below, but this piece. Anderson's Defence: When the officer came and stopped me, I asked for what - he said, "I will tell you at the station-house" - I said, "This is the shop I have been in," and I wanted to go in, as I did not like to be stared at in the street - Mr. Wood put his hand to my bosom, and shoved me back, and said, "I shall not allow you to come in, you must go to the station-house" - I went, and was searched three times, and then twice more down stairs - after that, the shopman brought some handkerchiefs down and said, "Here are some handkerchiefs for you, do you know these?" - I said, "All the handkerchiefs I have are my own, and the one I have paid six shillings for." ANDERSON - GUILTY. Aged 24. JOHNSON - GUILTY. Aged 24. Transported for Seven Years." (source: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18340220-37-defend490&div=t18340220-37#highlight) --00-- NOTE: Mary JOHNSON alais EADY was transported to NSW on the George Hibbert (departed 22 July 1834; arrived 1 December 1834. Her record appears on this website at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/johnson/mary/6188. However, there is no mention of her having been married to Thomas ANDERSON. She is listed as having two children, both of whom travelled with her, but she is called a widow. And, on 18 November 1837 she married Thomas SUTTON in Sydney.