John Beck

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 8th April 2021

John Beck was tried twice on the same day at the Old Bailey. On the first charge, he was found not guilty. JOHN BECK, JAMES BIGGS, HUGH LAMBERT, Theft > grand larceny, 18th July 1821. 1036. JOHN BECK , JAMES BIGGS , and HUGH LAMBERT were indicted for stealing, on the 9th of July , one chain, value 1 s., and one seal, value 10 s. , the goods of Thomas Barber . THOMAS GRENVILL . I am porter to Mr. Ferrell. I I stood at the gate, at the corner of Lamb's Conduit-street , at the corner of a passage, on the 9th of July, about half-past nine o'clock at night, and the three prisoners came up and met Mr. Barber, and snatched his watch, he called, "Stop thief!" I ran after them, and was tripped up in the passage, they pulled the gate after them, and shut Biggs in with me, I secured him, and am sure the other two were with him - I had been watching them about the neighbourhood for seventeen nights - Beck snatched the watch. Cross-examined by MR. ANDREWS. Q. You were placed there to watch - A. Yes; I was within a yard of Barber - there are gas lights - I am sure they are the men. ROBERT PITCHER . I was watching several nights at the top of Chapel-street, in consequence of several robberies having been commited - I heard the cry "Stop thief!" I saw three men run up the court - Grenvill secured both prisoners. JOHN KNIGHT . I was at the corner of Chapel-street; Beck and Lambert ran by, from the cry of "Stop thief!" THOMAS BARBER . I was going along Lamb's Conduit-street, with my wife, a man ran up, made a violent tug at my watch, and got the chain and seal - the three prisoners were stopped directly; I cannot swear to any of them. Cross-examined. Q. Did you not desire the officers to give the prosecution up, as you did not know the men - A. Yes; I am a jeweller , and live in Lamb's Conduit-street. NOT GUILTY . First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder. However... JOHN BECK, Theft > pocketpicking, 18th July 1821. 1037. JOHN BECK was again indicted for stealing, on the 8th of July , one watch, value 10 s.; one chain, value 6 d.; two seals, value 10 s., and one key, value 2 d., the goods of William Harrod , from his person . WILLIAM HARROD. On Sunday, the 8th of July, I was in Portpool-lane , about ten o'clock at night, with my wife and daughter, going down Gray's-inn-lane, home; and four young men were walking behind us - as I put my foot on the step of the door to ring the bell, they passed - one came back, asked if that was No. 26, and took my watch out of my pocket; I said, "You have got my watch," he ran towards Tash-court, I followed, and caught him, but was knocked down by two of the party, and he got away - I cannot say the prisoner is the man. ANN HARROD . I was with my father; we stood at the door to be let in; four young lads passed us, and in a few moments, one of them returned, and asked my father if that was No. 26 - my father said, "He has taken my watch;" he ran across the road, and my father caught him at the end of Tash-court - two of his companions knocked my father down, and all three ran up the court, I pursued, calling "Stop thief!" and at the top of the court, I saw the prisoner, he asked which way the three ran; I told him all three ran down Tash-court, and he was the fourth, for he was one of the party - he said, "Do you say, Miss, that I took your father's watch?" I said, "You are one of the party." He said, he would go any where with me; he came down to the bottom of the court with me, and I gave him in charge - I am sure he is one of them, he is not the one who took it, but he is one of the four, I am certain. JOHN DORAN . On Sunday night, about half-past nine o'clock, I heard a cry of "Stop thief!" I went to the door, and the last witness gave the prisoner in my charge for robbing her father - I held him some minutes, she said, he was one of the party but not the man who did it. I let him go. and he ran away; I am sure he is the man I stopped. JOHN KNIGHT . I took him in custody on the 9th of July. Prisoner's Defence. I saw five of them run up the street; and went to see what was the matter. GUILTY . Aged 19. Transported for Life . First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Recorder. -------------------------------------------------- National Archives. Criminal Petitions. HO 17/15/361821 July 31 Prisoner name: John Beck. Court and date of trial: [Old Bailey] Sessions July 1821. Crime: Robbery. Initial sentence: Transportation [term not stated]. Annotated (Outcome): Nil. Petitioner(s): Prisoner and 10 signatories. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Convicted on the evidence of young girl; others at scene of robbery declared prisoner was not the person who had committed the crime; previous good character. --------------------------------------------------- Tasmanian Convict Conduct Record. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-1$init=CON31-1-1p227 No 513. John Beck. See record for details.