Amos Aston

343

Maureen Withey on 9th September 2025

Trial at the Old Bailey, 8 Apr 1812. 383. THOMAS KIPPING was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 31st of March , twelve gun barrels, value 7 l. and six gun locks, value 4 l. the property of Thomas Ashton . And AMOS ASTON for feloniously receiving, six gun barrels, value 3 l. and six gun locks, value 4 l. part of the before mentioned goods, he knowing them to have been stolen . STEPHEN WHITEMAN . Q. Are you in the employ of Thomas Ashton - A. Yes; he is a gun-smith ; and Kipping was also in his employ. On the 26th of March my mistress sent me out to buy some gun locks; I purchased five at first, I purchased three afterwards; I purchased eight on that day. I brought them home and took them to my mistress; I examined them all, they had the king's mark upon them; I paid six shillings each for them, my mistress gave me four pounds four shillings; I laid out three pounds ten shillings and sixpence; the rest of the money I laid out in walking about. THOMAS ASHTON . I am a gun-maker; I work for the Tower; I receive out barrels and locks from the Tower, I put them on stocks, and make them into guns, and return them into the Tower. Q. When these locks were brought by the last witness did you examine them - A. Yes, and they were all such locks as I had from the Tower, one of them I knew in particular; I have the gun for it, and the stock, it had been fitted to that gun. (Witness producing the stock and gun barrel.) Q.Upon your knowing this you took up the witness Bull - A. I did. Q. Was it in consequence of what Bull said that you went and searched Kipping's premises - A. I did, Kipping and Bull both worked for me. I found these six barrels at Kipping's, I found them between the sacking and the bed in Kipping's house, they are all new, they have the King's mark upon them. When I went to Kipping's house he was at home, I told him I was come upon a disagreeable circumstance, I told him Bull had told me that he had six barrels and six locks; he denied that he had any such thing; he told me I might search his house if I would get a search warrant; I told him I should do it without, and he had better give them to me than for me to disturb his goods; he directly said, he would shew them me; he turned down the bed and pulled out these six barrels; the officer took them in custody; I asked him what had become of the locks; he told me that he had sold them to Amos Aston . He was taken away, and these are the gun barrels, and there is not a doubt they are mine. I can swear to the barrels. Mr. Knapp. Then do I understand you that you do not mean to swear to the locks - A. I will not. I told Kipping I would be as favourable to him as I could. He had been with me four months, and Bull two years. JOSEPH BULL . I work for Mr. Ashton, a gunsmith, and the prisoner Kipping worked with me. Q. Do you remember any thing being done by Kipping and you respecting gun-barrels - A. I was taking on Tuesday the last day of March, about eight weeks before that we had more barrels and locks that than was for use directly; he spoke to me about doing something; I agreed that he should have twelve barrels, and twelve locks; he had twelve barrels on one evening, and twelve locks on another evening; he had twelve barrels in a sack of shavings, and the locks he took away in his apron. Q. Did Kipping afterwards tell you what he had done with the barrels and locks - A. Yes, on the Friday following he told me that he had sold six barrels and six locks to Amos Aston ; he told me he would give me part of the money; I went from the shop to the Crooked Billet; he gave me sixteen shillings and sixpence; he told me he was to have sold Aston the other in the morning, but he sent him a note to keep them eight or nine days longer; he gave me five shillings and sixpence for a barrel and lock. Q. to Mr. Ashton. What is a barrel worth - A. Eight shillings, and a lock seven shillings and sixpence. Mr. Knapp. So it must rest upon what you say, and not in the presence of the other prisoner - A. Yes. Q.He, according to his own account, agreed with a thief, and not in the hearing of another man - A. No. - COOMBES. I am a police officer. I went first to Mr. Ashton's house and apprehended Bull; Kipping was at work. When I took Bull in custody I went to Kipping's house, I told him I apprehended him for stealing locks and barrels; he said he had sold the locks, but the barrels he had got; he had sold the locks to Amos Aston . I apprehended Aston, I told him he had been buying locks and barrels of Kipping belonging to Mr. Aston; he denied buying barrels, but he did not deny buying locks. Kipping's Defence. Bull, the evidence, asked my permission if he might bring the barrels and locks to my place, saying he had got some barrels and locks; I gave him permission. I did not know who they belonged to, nor how he came by them. Ashton's Defence. I deny what Mr. Coombes said; I denied to him buying the locks or the barrels, and there is no proof of it. Kipping called five witnesses, who gave him a good character. Aston called eight witnesses, who gave him a good character. KIPPING - GUILTY , aged 28. Confined Six Months in the House of Correction , and fined 1 s. ASTON - GUILTY , aged 41. Transported for Fourteen Years . [The prisoners were recommended to mercy by the jury on account of their good characters.] First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.

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