James Ayres

343

Maureen Withey on 4th September 2019

Trial at the Old Bailey. (Old Bailey online) JAMES AYRES, Theft > burglary, 14th February 1798. 158. JAMES AYRES was indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of George Float , he and others of his family being therein, about the hour of two in the night of the 3d of February , with intent to steal his goods, and stealing two silk handkerchiefs, value 4s. a clasp knife, value 6d. a leather pocket-book, value 1d. 4800 halfpence, value 10l. and two Bank-notes, each of the value of 1l. the property of the said George . MARY FLOAT sworn. - I am the wife of George Float; he keeps the Red Lion, in Whitechapel-road : On Saturday, the 3d of February, about a quarter after four in the morning, our house was broke open; I went to bed about half past twelve, I was the last person up in the house, I went round the house, and saw every part of it properly fast; a puppy that we keep just by the bar-door, made a noise, and that rather alarmed us, but we did not get up then; my husband got up about a quarter after four; I had left ten pounds worth of halfpence in the bar, a silk handkerchief, a clasp knife, a leather pocket-book and two one-pound Banknotes; my husband called me up as soon as he found the place broke open; I came down stairs, and found that the bar door had been cut with a knife, and wrenched open; the handkerchief and the knife I had left in a drawer under the till; the money was in a cupboard under the till, all tied up in brown paper, and the notes in a pocket-book in the till; the prisoner was taken last Thursday, and I saw part of my property in the hands of the officer; he had been my servant about two years ago. GEORGE FLOAT sworn. - I keep the Red Lion, Whitechapel-road: About twenty minutes before four in the morning of the 3d of February, I was disturbed by the noise of a puppy - Q. He would make a noise at any thing passing in the street? - A. Yes; he is quite a little puppy; I came down stairs - Q. Was it light at that time? - A. No, it was dark; I had a light in my hand; it is not day-light till about a quarter before seven; I came down and found the street door wide open, and the bar door; the bar door opens into the passage, and the cellar goes down facing the bar door, it had been wrenched open; they had got in at one cellar window, and got out at the other; they are both on my premises, leading into the street; I cannot say whether that was fastened or not; it was put down because people walked over it; then they came up the cellar stairs and broke the cellar door open; I saw the handkerchief and the knife in the bar the night before; I had not seen the money; I called my wife, and she came down, and missed it; Robert Coomes, the officer, apprehended the prisoner, on Thursday following, at Deptford, in the street, I was with him at the time; we found the handkerchief round his neck; we searched him, and found the knife, and ten shillings and four-pence halfpenny in halfpence; we asked him, how he came by the halfpence; I told him, it would be better for him to confess. Court. Then you must not tell us what he said. Float. I found the pocket-book, according to his direction, at the Red Lion, at Hoxton, where he had thrown it away. ROBERT COOMES sworn. - I belong to the Public-office in Lambeth-street: I apprehended the prisoner, in company with the last witness; I found a silk handkerchief round his neck, a knife, and ten shillings and four-pence halfpenny; I found the pocket-book afterwards at the Red-lion, at Hoxton; he told me that he changed one of the notes at the Red-lion, and then threw the pocket-book away, and that he saw the landlord's little boy pick it up. (Produces the property, which was deposed to by Mrs. Float, except the halfpence). Prisoner's defence. I know nothing of the property. The prisoner called the prosecutor to give him a character, who deposed, that he had had reason to suspect him before. GUILTY (Aged 19.) Of stealing the handkerchief, the knife, and the pocket-book. Transported for seven years. Tried by the first Middlesex Jury, before Mr. RECORDER.