Michael Anthony

343

Maureen Withey on 23rd November 2019

Tasmanian Conduct Record https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-1$init=CON31-1-1p9 Several incidents of stealing, punished by 100 lashes and transferred to Chain Gang. Note at side of record - S.C. Life, 1821. HOBART TOWN, MARCH 31.—COURT OF CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.—Monday March 26th. Michael Antonio, a man of colour, was arraigned on a capital charge of breaking and entering, on Wednesday last, at two o'clock in the morning, the dwelling-house of George Munday, in Argyle-street, in this town.—It appeared in evidence, that the prisoner got into the.premises by undermining the foundation at the sill of the door ; an alarm, however, being made by the children, he was apprehended, soon after having effected the burglary, by the prosecutor, with his head under the table at the foot of the children's bed, A constable speedily took him into custody ; when, upon his reproaching the prisoner, as to the folly of the attempt he had made, he said, " It was better, he thought,to be hung out oft the way at once." The prisoner was of course found Guilty ; and sentenced to Newcastle for the term of his natural life. Sydney Gazette, 28 Apr 1821

343

Maureen Withey on 23rd November 2019

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 23 November 2019), December 1813, trial of MICHAEL ANTONY (t18131201-21). MICHAEL ANTONY, Theft > theft from a specified place, 1st December 1813. 21. MICHAEL ANTONY was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 16th of September , from a vessel called a brig, in the navigable river Thames, a watch, value 8 l. 8 s. a watch-chain, value 1 l. a pocket-book, value 1 s. a 5 l. bank note, and two promissory notes, value 1 l. 1 s. each, the property of Thomas Plaxton . THOMAS PLAXTON . I am master of a brig ; she lies at Hull, in Yorkshire, at present. She was robbed at Custom-house quay on the evening of the 16th or the morning of the 17th of September. It wanted about twenty minutes to eleven when I went to bed; I put my watch upon a shelf at the head of my bed. My pocket-book was in my coat pocket. I hung my coat upon a nail in my state-room. In the morning when I went to look for my watch it was gone, and my pocket-book was gone also. After that, I found an old pocket-book in a vessel the next to mine, and my ship papers were in it. JOHN BELLAMY . I am a wharfinger at Custom-house quay. On the 17th of September, in the morning, about eight o'clock, the master of a vessel laying next to the brig Samuel; the brig Samuel was then laying at the Custom-house quay; the master of the vessel produced to me this pocket-book, observing that there were ship papers in it; no doubt it belonged to the master of a ship. I examined the book in his presence, and found the papers of the Samuel. On shewing them to the captain and mate of the Samuel, the captain stated these papers were in his book previous to his losing it. This book was found on the deck of the vessel, as if dropped by accident. On examining the letters in the book in a foreign language, which are Portuguese, they got an officer; they went in search of the thief; in so doing, the Samuel went away from the Quay. On the 14th of October following, a Yarmouth vessel was laying at our Quay; her name, the Hannah, Captain Miller On the night, or early the next morning, the prisoner was detected in the state-room in the act of taking his watch, previous to which he had pulled off his shoes and gone into the forecastle and took the boy's jacket; he afterwards went into the captain's cabin, where the captain seized him; he was taken to the Compter. The captain of the Hannah was going away the following day, and Captain Plaxton was coming again. Captain Miller was allowed to depart; the prisoner was remanded until Captain Plaxton arrived. On the 16th of October, the officer and me went agreeable to the prisoner's directions written with his own hand-writing. We went into Denmark-street where he stated he had got some linen, which he should be glad to have. This direction was to a female in Denmark-street, who took the officer over to the other side of the way to where the bundle of linen was; the officer and the female brought the bundle of linen to me, and in that bundle the first thing we found was Captain Plaxton 's pocket-book. This bundle of linen was taken out of Dennis Holland 's house, in Denmark-street; finding the pocket-book in it. I went to Dennis Holland , and asked him if he was satisfied that this bundle was left by the prisoner; he stated it was. The hand-writing in the pocket-book found on the deck of the ship precisely corresponds with the writing the prisoner gave to the officer to look for the linen. This is the first book. Q. A book was found with the papers belonging to the captain - A. Just so. Q. In that book there is writing exactly similar to the hand-writing of the direction the prisoner gave to get his linen - A. Yes. JOSEPH BOWDEN . I am a cooper. On the 14th of October, it was right to be at the watchhouse, being a constable of the city. The prisoner was brought to me on the following morning charged with having robbed the brig Hannah, Captain Miller, master; he went down into the forecastle; he took the boy's jacket and pocket-book. I took him to the Compter. The next day he was brought up to the Lord Mayor; on the 16th he had another hearing; he asked me to go to No. 16, Denmark-street, to where he lodged, to fetch him some clean linen. I went. When I came there they said they knew nothing of him; they had no property of his. Over the way, at Dennis Holland 's, I found a handkerchief. Q. What is Dennis Holland - A. He is an old man that sells fish about the streets. The prisoner had lodged there. On my looking into the bundle, I found the pocket-book in the bundle. I came back to Giltspur-street compter, to the prisoner. I took the bundle to the prisoner; I asked him if he knew any thing of the pocket-book; he said, yes, he did; then I asked him if he had the captain's property; he said he had, it was country notes; he could not get rid of it. He said if I would get the captain not to prosecute, he would give up his property; he said he wanted to give up the property to Captain Plaxton . The Lord Mayor granted me an order to take him to No. 14, Drury-lane. This was on Tuesday evening; he told us he would give up the property on the following morning, and to go with us, and when we got to No. 14, Drury-lane, I saw it was a large distillers. I said to him, you did not lodge there; he said, no, he should not tell me where it was until he had got a letter from his landlady. Therewere five or six came round me that knew him; they got refractory. I was obliged to put him in the Compter; he would not give up Captain Plaxton 's property. He told me I and the Lord Mayor might be d - d altogether. DENNIS HOLLAND . I sell things in the street. On the Tuesday before the officer came to my house, the prisoner came to my house; he came in with a handkerchief in my hand; he had a pennyworth of spice-cakes, which he paid for; he had a pipe in his hand; he lighted it, and went to the street door. I was going out to get some cakes. I said to him, do not leave your handkerchief there, perhaps my child may play tricks with it. He left the handkerchief, and went to where he resorted. It is the same handkerchief the officer found. Q. What was in it - A. I don't know; it was in the same state that he left it. On the Friday afterwards I asked my child if the man had been for the handkerchief; she said, no. After that, the girl came over; she said, have you a shirt of Antony's. I said I did not know; I had an handkerchief, if you want it, take it to him. Prosecutor. The officer took me to the prisoner; the prisoner confessed the robbery. He said he had the property, and if the officer would go with him the next morning he would give him the property. Q. Did you over find your watch - A. No, the watch has never been found. He would not give up any of the property. I have got my pocket-book, and that is all. This is my pocket-book. Q. to Bowden. Now, produce the two pocket-books - A. I have three altogether; the third pocket-book has duplicates in it. This is Captain Plaxton 's pocket-book; it was inside of a flannel shirt in the bundle. Prisoner's Defence. I had Captain Plaxton 's pocket-book, because a young fellow gave it me. The other pocket-book is none of mine. GUILTY , aged 25. Transported for Seven Years . London jury, before Mr. Recorder. Michael Antonio was on a List of 40 male convicts embarked on the Brig Kangaroo for the Derwent. 13th April 1816. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON13-1-1$init=CON13-1-1p57 No. 25, Michl. Antonio, Indefatigable 2nd, Convicted at O.B. London, Dec 1813, Sentence – 7 years, trade – Seaman.