Wilfred Barnett

343

Maureen Withey on 2nd January 2025

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) May 1825. Trial of WILFRED BARNETT (t18250519-4). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18250519-4?text=Barnett (Accessed: 2nd January 2025). Trial at the Old Bailey, 19 May 1825. 861. WILFRED BARNETT was indicted for stealing, on the 12th of April , a watch, value 8 l.; a chain, value 2 l.; a seal, value 2 s., and a key, value 2 s., the goods of Thomas Sedgwick , in his dwelling-house . ELIZABETH BROWN . I am servant to Mr. Sedgwick, who lives in Highbury-grove, Islington . On Tuesday, the 12th of April, between one and two o'clock, the prisoner came to the house, and asked if Mr. Sedgwick was at home; I said he was not - he asked if Mrs. Sedgwick was at home; I said Yes; he asked to speak to her; I desired him to walk into the passage; he came in: I asked his name; he said Captain Barnett. I then asked him to sit down in the parlour - I went and told Miss Sedgwick, and then went down stairs; she gave an alarm in about five minutes, saying he had stolen her watch - he had then left the house; I went out, and saw him walking down the grove; I followed: three men were coming up who I called to; he turned back, and asked what I wanted: I said, "You have got the watch;" he gave it to me, and I gave it to Miss Sedgwick; he ran down the grove, and the men stopped him. MISS SARAH SEDGWICK . I am the prosecutor's daughter. The servant sent me into the room - I found the prisoner there; he said, "You don't want any spirits, do you?" I said No: he said nothing more, but went out: I immediately missed my watch out of a case, which laid on a cabinet in that room - I had seen it a few minutes before. I alarmed the servant, who immediately went after him. The watch is my own property, and entirely under my control - it was a present from my mother; I am twenty years old. COURT. The property belongs to the witness; she has a right to have possession of property. NOT GUILTY . 862. WILFRED BARNETT was again indicted for stealing, on the 22d of February , at St. Mary, Islington , seven silver spoons, value 4 l. 10 s., the goods of Samuel Cater , in his dwelling-house . SARAH CATER . I am the wife of Samuel Cater - he is a warehouseman ; we live at No. 12, Park-place , in the parish of St. Mary, Islington. On the 22d of February, between twelve and two o'clock, the prisoner came to the house - I opened the door; he said, "I perceive you have an apartment to let;" I said Yes: (there was a bill up to let it.) He said, "I want one for my master, who is a respectable elderly gentleman, who has not very good health, and is obliged to sleep out of town for air;" that he had just been to Hampstead to take a letter for his master, to Mr. Hoare, and his master desired him to look for an apartment as he returned - that he had lived with him twelve years, ever since the death of his father, and having lived with him so long he almost knew what would suit him as well as he did himself. I took him up stairs into the front room; he looked round the room several times, and said he was sure his master would be pleased with it, for it was airy and pleasant, and would just suit him. I took him into the sleeping room - he made the same remark. I went down into the parlour with him; he complained of being tired, saying it was a long way to walk from the City and back again; I asked him to sit down - he sat down between the sideboard and fire place. He asked me to write my address, that he might give it to his master, and said he had no doubt I should hear from his master next day, and perhaps he would send a note by him. I wrote my address in the room, and gave it to him - he put it into his pocket. He appeared tired, and remained sitting there; he asked for a glass of water: I thought he looked ill, and asked if he would have a little spirits in it (he had said he would either take porter or beer - I told him we had none) - he said he would; I went down to fetch the water, and when I returned with it I found him standing with his back to the door, near the side-board - I asked what he would like to take in the water; he thanked me, and declined taking anything in it, saying, perhaps his master would smell him, and think he had been loitering away his time at a public-house, and blow him up; he took the mug, drank a little water, and went out of the house very quick; I went to the door and let him out. In about ten minutes I went into the parlour to open the side-board drawer, in which I had left the key; I missed seven table spoons from the front of the drawer: I had opened the drawer not twenty minutes before, and they were safe; I am sure I had seen them after eleven o'clock. There was nobody in the house except the servant, who was at the top of the house, and had been there for an hour or two before. I was sitting in the parlour, writing, when he came, and for an hour or two, and had not been out of the parlour after I saw the spoons safe; I have never seen them since. I heard nothing of his master, nor did he ever come back. I did not see him again till after he was taken up; he was in the room with me some time: he was not dressed as he is now, but I saw him once at Worship-street in the same dress as he wore on that day. I am positive he is the same person. Cross-examined by MR. LAW. Q. When did you tell your husband of this? A. I went to town the same day and told him. When I saw the prisoner afterwards he was in custody; my husband told me a man was in custody answering the description. I never said I did not miss the spoons for seven days. I had no lodgers in the house; my servant did not come near the parlour before I missed them: they were in daily use: I saw them daily - they were large silver table spoons. SAMUEL CATER. My spoons were worth 4 l. 10 s. or 5 l. as old silver. I rent the house, and sleep there. Prisoner's Defence. I know nothing of the transaction. Five witnesses gave the prisoner a good character. GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 19.