Giovanni Astardo

343

Maureen Withey on 17th November 2025

Tried at the Old Bailey, 15 Jan 1812. 159. GEOVANNI ASTARDO was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 15th of January , two pair of pearl ear rings, value 10 l. a pearl ring, value 1 l. and a diamond ring, value 5 l. the property of Christopher Love and Richard Butler , privately in their shop . GEORGE PIZEY . I am clerk to Robert Garrow , jeweller, I was accessary to the prisoner's apprehension. RICHARD BUTLER , JUN. Q. Have you any share of the business of Messrs. Love and Butler. - A. No, the partners are Richard Butler , and Christopher Love , they keep a jeweller's shop , No. 6, Bond-street . On Wednesday the 15th of January, the prisoner came in the shop alone, about twelve o'clock at noon. Q. Had you any other person serving in the shop - A. Yes, Mr. Davis, he is not here. Q. Have you more than one counter. - A. Yes, two counters. The prisoner addressed himself to me, he was in the same dress as he is now, I was not at the same counter as Mr. Davis. He asked to look at some ear-rings, in English, I understood him perfectly well, I shewed him some small gold ear rings, such as foreigners usually wear, he objected to them, and wished to see larger, I shewed him some large ones, he made an offer for them, but did not buy any. Q. In the same box in which these ear rings were, were there any diamond rings. - A. No. Q. Were there any diamond rings in the reach of were he stood. - A. Yes, they were open on the counter, they were pearl rings, and a diamond hoop ring that was on the counter. Q. How long do you think he staid in the shop. - A. I suppose nearly ten minutes, he remained all the time at my counter. Q. When he went away did you miss any thing. - A. About five minutes afterwards, when the workman called for them, they were left out for the workman, upon the workmen calling, they were missing. Q. From the time that the prisoner quitted the shop, had any other customer come to the shop. - A. Only one customer came there, and that person we knew, that customer is not here, it was a Mr. Croker, a gentleman well known to me, he was the only person except the Italian. Q. What did you miss upon the workman coming. - A. I missed five pearl ear rings, and a diamond hoop ring, value altogether about sixteen guineas. Q. Did you ever see any of these things again. - A. Yes, in the evening, in the possession of Mr. Perks the officer, the prisoner was then in custody. Q. When you saw the prisoner in custody were you quite sure that he was the person that came in your shop and asked for ear rings. - A. Yes. The house is in the parish of St. George's, Hanover-square. JAMES WOOD . I am a servant at Mr. Hamlet's shop in Sidney's Alley. The prisoner came to his shop about one o'clock, he asked for ear-rings, I desired some to be shewn him. Q. Was he stopped while in your shop. - A. I received some information from Mr. Pizey, in consequence of that I stopped him, I went for Perks the officer, I saw Perks search him, there was a tin case found behind him, that he put out. Q. Did you see his hand move. - A. I did not. Q. Did you observe any tin case on the counter, before he was stopped. - A. No, I did not, it did not belong to our shop; and after he was stopped, there was a tin case close behind him on the counter. Q. What did the tin case contain. - A. It contained five ear rings and the diamond hoop ring; then he was taken to Bow street. - PERKS. Q. You were sent for to Mr. Hamlet's shop. - A. Yes, I searched the prisoner's person, I found a passport on him. Q. Where was the tin case when you went in. - A. I searched about him, and after that I found the tin case behind his back, containing the articles named in the indictment, together with a pair of cornelian ear rings. Q. Did the prisoner say any thing. - A. No. He pretended not to understand me, I told him to go about his business, he understood that and was going. Q. (to Pizey.) Were you in the shop at the time that this man was laid hold of by Perks. - A. Yes, I was in the shop, I informed Mr. Hamlet of such a person being about, we had missed a watch and a pair of ear rings while he was in the shop. When he was taken he was removed into another room where there was a counter, Mr. Hamlet removed every thing out of his reach. Q. After he was searched was there any thing on the counter. - A. Yes, he had put his hand behind him, Perks brought his hand forward and said, you rascal, what have you behind you, and then I saw the tin case on the counter. Q. (to Mr. Butler.) Look at these articles, and tell me whether these are the articles that you missed from the counter. - A. They are, I have no doubt whatever about them. Prisoner's Defence. It is not the truth. The prisoner being a foreigner, was allowed an interpreter. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 15. Tried by a Middlesex jury of half English and half foreigners, before Mr. Common Serjeant.