John Bennett

135

C H on 11th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN BENNETT. JOHN DITTON. Theft; theft from a specified place. 12th September 1821. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN BENNETT, JOHN DITTON Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 12th September 1821 Reference Number t18210912-94 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Imprisonment, Corporal > Whipping 1141. JOHN BENNETT and JOHN DITTON were indicted for stealing, on the 3d of August , 100 lbs. of lead, value 5 s., belonging to the Company of Proprietors of the Regent's-canal , and fixed to a dwelling house belonging to them . SECOND COUNT, stating it to be fixed to a building of theirs. TWO OTHER COUNTS, stating it to belong to George Ward , Esq. treasurer to the said Company, and to be fixed to a dwelling house or building of his. MR. ADOLPHUS conducted the prosecution. JAMES PRICE . I am clerk to the Regent's-canal Company, George Ward , Esq. is treasurer . The house this lead was stolen from is in Paddington parish , and was intended as a residence for a toll collector in the Company's service; it was never occupied, but was shut up. WILLIAM TAYLOR . I am lock keeper to the Company. On the 2d of August, at eleven o'clock at night, I saw the lead safe on this building, nailed on the top of the porch, and at four o'clock in the morning it was gone. I afterwards compared it with the place, it fitted exactly, nail holes and every thing. I am sure it was the lead belonging to the place. I saw the prisoners with another between six and seven o'clock the night before, standing on the premises near the building. THOMAS MILLETT . I am a Bow-street patrol. On the morning of the 3d of August, about half past five o'clock, I was on duty in the New-road, and saw the prisoners and another in Maida-hill, coming from towards Kilburn, at Paddington, it was the right way to come from this house to avoid us, it is a bye way; Smith and Lee were with me, we were coming off duty; the prisoners were in company, about twenty yards from the turnpike; they saw us, and Bennet threw a sack off his shoulder into the ditch, and sat by the side of the bank, they were both in company. I went up and asked Bennet what he had in the sack he had just thrown away? he said he did not know, as he had picked it up in West End-lane, which is three quarters of a mile from there, and quite in a different direction. Ditton said he was very sorry that we came so soon upon them. We seized them and the bag which contained lead. We walked fifteen miles to find the owner. Taylor came to the watch-house and complained of losing lead. I saw it fitted to the place, every nail corresponded. JAMES LEE . I am an officer. I was with Millet, his account is correct. I saw the lead fitted and found two nails left behind on the porch, which fitted it. ROBERT SMITH . I was with the officers, their account is true. I found a knife on the premises. WILLIAM KENCH . I am a labourer. On the 3d of August about twenty minutes past four o'clock, I saw the prisoners in the fields, between Westburn-green and Kilburn, going towards West End-lane, they had a sack then with something in it. BENNETT'S Defence. I was coming from Edgeware-fair to Kilburn, and in crossing West End-lane I found the sack in a ditch. BENNETT - GUILTY . Aged 21. Transported for Seven Years . DITTON - GUILTY . Aged 15. Confined Three Months and Whipped . First Middlesex Jury, before W. Arabin, Esq.