Joseph Belcher

341

Maureen Withey on 3rd October 2025

WEDNESDAY. Joseph Belcher, William Taylor, and Thomas Scott, were severally indicted, capitally, for stealing on the 29th of August last, one ewe sheep, the property of Mr. Samuel Terry, at Bathurst. A second count in the information laid the offence to be one of killing, with intent to steal the carcase, &c. From the evidence of John May, formerly a shepherd in the employ of Mr. Icely, at Bathurst, till becoming free by servitude, he got into Mr. Terry's employ, and was in it in August last ; during part of which month the prisoner Belcher assisted in curing of some of Mr. Terry's sheep, which were in a diseased state — Taylor being there in the capacity of shepherd, and Scott of night-watchman. About the latter end of August, on a Thursday night, Belcher, according to May's evidence, followed him into the pen, and asking him if he would "stand the slaughter of one of the sheep," on May's refusal, there was nothing further done to the injury of the sheep, till between nine and ten o'clock next night, when, it being moonlight, witness was coming home by the back part of the huts, he swore he overheard Belcher say, " we'll have one in spite of him ;" which expression was followed, by Belcher's going into the sheep-yard, and returning with one sheep, which he stabbed, as witness deposed, in the neck, and by the blaze of a brisk fire in the hut saw the other two prisoners assist Belcher in skinning the sheep ; and after observing what was going forward, for nearly an hour and a half, witness reported the circumstance to Mr. Terry's superintendent, and afterwards to the chief constable, Mr. Blackman, who, with the witness May and two subordinate constables, on searching the prisoners' hut found a new skin, resembling in every way the description previously given of the slaughtered sheep by the witness May, who, it appeared on cross-examination, had had a quarrel with the prisoners, and reported some time in August that three sheep had died; whereas it subsequently appeared one of the sheep had died, and the other two been killed by the native dogs. The prisoners simply put in a denial of the truth of the charge laid against them, and the learned Judge leaving the case to the Jury as one depending in a main degree on the weight of credit they might be disposed to attach to the story told by the witness May ; as, if they believed all of his testimony, there was a case made out against the prisoners, but if on the other hand they should receive his evidence with jealousy, bearing in mind what his Honor considered a public duty to mention, as the ends of public justice were concerned in it, that the tale told them by the witness May did not precisely accord with that before the Magistrates,— the Jury brought in the prisoners not guilty. The Australian, 5 Dec 1828.

341

Maureen Withey on 3rd October 2025

Joseph Belcher, aged 21 years, charged with. breaking and entering a mill, and an uninhabited dwelling house, adjoining, at Steeple Aston, and stealing gun, two jean frocks, and other articles, the property of Thomas Hawkes and Edward Woods;  also charged on suspicion of having wilfully set the said mill on fire. Oxford University and City Herald, 1 March 1817. Oxford Assizes. James Belcher was indicted for wilfully and maliciously setting fire to a mill. In a second indictment he was charged with stealing from the said mill, a gun, two jean frocks, and three ferrets, the property of Thomas Hawkes and E, Woods. Edward Woods was in the service of Mr. William Robinson, in November last, as carter, He worked at the mill.  On the 4th of November he between eight and nine at night, having swept up the room adjoining the mill, and the fire was raked up, and a large stone was laid upon the embers; the doors and windows were fastened; witness had a gun, which he put against the window-shutters. The mill was stopped a quarter of an hour before the witness and the came out, when they left every thing safe. Between eleven and twelve o'clock the same night the witness was alarmed by the cry of fire; and, on going to the mill, he discovered  that the roof over the mill-part was on fire; it was burning rapidly ; the mill was going very fast ; the screw was screwed much tighter than it usually was and would cause it to go more rapidly: two panes in the window were broken, and the shutters were wide open ; witness's gun and smock-frock were gone, also a tub of  ferrets; the stone was drawn partly from the fire, and there was a broom nearly burnt lying across the fire where the stone  had been. Sume straw had been from the fire to the mill, which was not there when the witness left it. On the day before he had seen the prisoner at the mill: he came and asked for a bag. The mill-work was not injured. The prisoner was not at the fire. Thomas Hawkes confirmed the evidence of the last witness; and added, that he raised the upper  stone of the mill, because it had been at work, and was very hot. Many witnesses proved that the prisoner was seen in the neighbourhood on the night of the fire; and on the following morning it was proved he left the ferrets, a gun and frock, which the prosecutors swore to be their property, at a public-house in  W. The foregoing evidence was received as applying to the charge of arson; but Mr, Justice Park observed that there was not a tittle of evidence to prove that any malice existed between the prisoner and or that he was seen near the premises on the night of the fire. The Jury found him— Not Guilty. The same evidence as to the stealing of the articles was entered into, when the Jury found him—Guilty, and the Judge sentenced him to transportation for seven years. Oxford University and City Herald, 15 March 1817.

341

Maureen Withey on 2nd November 2022

COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE. SEPT 23d. 1828. TWENTY POUNDS REWARD. WHEREAS the Four undermentioned Individuals contrived to effect their ESCAPE from the Gaol at Bathurst, on the Morning of the 11th Instant;-NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That a REWARD OF FIVE POUNDS will be paid for the Apprehension of each of the said Individuals who shall be safely lodged in any of His Majesty's Gaols; viz, JOSEPH BELCHER, per Tottenham, Labourer and Groom, a Native of Oxfordshire, 31 Years of Age, 5 feet 7 inches high, with sallow Complexion, brown Hair, and dark Eyes, holds a Certificate of freedom, No. 46-1913, dated 5th March, 1824. WILLIAM TAYLOR, per Minstrel (2), Millwright, a Native of Glasgow, 20 Years of Age, 5 Feet 21/2 inches high, brown Complexion, brown Hair, and light blue Eyes. THOMAS SCOTT, per Manlius, a Native of Waterford, 18 Years of Age, 5 Feet high, fresh fair Complexion, brown Hair, blue Eyes, and is afflicted with singular cutaneous Disease like leprosy, from his Infancy. The above Three Men were committed for Sheep Stealing. JAMES GREY, per, Countess of Harcourt (4), Hatter, a Native of Dublin, 21 Years of Age, 5 Feet 6 1-2 Inches high, fresh fair Complexion, light fair brown Hair, and grey to blue Eyes, under Sentence to a Penal Settlement. Sydney Gazette, 24 Sep 1828.