Michael Berry

342

Maureen Withey on 12th October 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 12 October 2023), May 1814, trial of JOHN FIELD, alias JONATHAN WILD MICHAEL BERRY SARAH COLLARD WILLIAM ROBINSON (t18140525-8). JOHN FIELD, MICHAEL BERRY, SARAH COLLARD, WILLIAM ROBINSON, Theft > burglary, 25th May 1814. 467. JOHN FIELD, alias JONATHAN WILD , MICHAEL BERRY , SARAH COLLARD , and WILLIAM ROBINSON , were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Philip Phillips , about the hour of twelve in the night of the 9th of April , and burglariously stealing therein, two silver waiters, value 25 l. a tea-pot, value 12 l. five ladles, value 9 l. 10 s. a cheese-scoop, value 1 l. a butter-knife, value 1 l. a pair of snuffers and stand, value 6 l. 12 s. a table-bell with ivory handle, value 3 l. nine frocks, value 1 l. 10 s. a pelisse, value 1 l. 10 s. a pair of spurs, value 1 l. four silver candlesticks, value 12 l. two pinafores, value 4 s. two petticoats, value 10 s. a cloak, value 1 l. 16 s. two pair of stockings, value 16 s. two work-boxes, value 3 l. one hundred and forty-four knives, value 12 l. two hundred and forty-four pair of scissars, value 12 l. one hundred and forty-four razors, value 7 l. twenty gilt purses, value 18 s. seven hundred and fifty-four pocket-combs, value 22 l. an hair trunk, value 60 s. sixty pair of scissars, value 3 l. forty-six broaches, value 18 s. twenty-eight purses, value 6 l. 18 s. ten thousand needles, value 3 l. a 2 l. bank note, and nine 1 l. bank notes, the property of Philip Phillips , in his dwelling-house . PHILIP PHILLIPS . I am a merchant ; I live in King-street, Bartholomew-close ; I keep the house. On Saturday, the 9th of April, I went to bed about twelve o'clock; I examined the fastenings before I went to bed; they were all secure. I was particularly attentive to the fastenings. The house had been attempted two or three nights before. I gave particular charge to all the watchmen in the neighbourhood. The cellar door was fastened. That cellar leads to the warehouse. There is a stair case from there to the warehouse; the dwelling-house is above the warehouse; it is all under one roof. I went to bed about twelve o'clock; the nursery-maid and Mrs. Phillips were up last. On the next morning, I was awoke by the nursery-maid; she told me there was a number of things laying about the warehouse in confusion. I got up. I went into the drawing-room; I found the glass buffet broken open; the lock had been forced, and all the articles of plate, with the exception of a wine-strainer, had been taken out. I had seen the buffet the night before, all was safe. Some of the articles that I missed, I saw afterwards. I missed a large silver waiter, a smaller ditto, a silver tankard and cover, four silver candlesticks, a silver soup-ladle, a gravy-ladle, a sauce-ladle, a cheese-scoop, and a silver table-bell with ivory handle; that was taken out of one of the cupboards. Q. Did you look at the table-drawer in that room - A. I did. I have a secretary and a book-case also in that room. The drawer was nearly emptied, and open. I went into the kitchen; I missed six silver table-spoons from the kitchen; I had seen them there the evening before. I then went to the warehouse; there is a glass case door; that was broken open; the glass broken and the lock broken. I missed a great number of articles from there; I missed an hair trunk, and the whole of the articles in that trunk. Q. Among the rest of the articles, was there anyscouring paper - A. There was a great deal of scouring-paper in some part of the warehouse, several reams; some of that was taken. There is a desk in that warehouse; I saw it closed on the over night. In the morning, the flaps were up, all the drawers were out, and laying on the floor. I did not then go to the cellar. After I returned from Hatton Garden office, I went to the cellar. Q. Had you some time before, some steel purses - A. I had; I lost some that night. I have seen one of them since, that I lost that night. When I returned, we entered into the cellar; we found where the entry had been made. The entry into the coal-cellar was very narrow; we found the walls were wiped clean, and the coals had been disturbed. We then found the entry had been made in the cellar; the officers were of the same opinion. Q. Did you know either of the prisoners at the bar - A. I know Field; he was my servant. That is the name he used to go by; he lived in my service near three years; he had left me about two months I think; he had been my porter. On the Sunday night, I saw some part of the cutlery and combs, and the next morning I saw part of a silver candlestick. The first thing that I saw was in Checquer-place, Checquer-alley. The other things were brought to me by the officers. ANN READ . I am nursery-maid to Mr. Phillips. On Sunday morning, the 10th of April, I came down about half past seven; I came into the shop. The first thing I observed was a knife laying at the bottom of the stairs, and a quantity of Whitechapel-needles laying on the floor; the street door was open. I fastened the street door the night before; there was no appearance of force to that street door; it must have been opened on the inside. I went and told my master and mistress of it. That is all I know about it. MRS. PHILLIPS. I was the last person up in the house. CHARLES BROWN . I am an officer. Mr. Phillips made application at Hatton Garden office. On Sunday, the 10th of April, I went with the prosecutor to No. 2. Checquer-place, Checquer-alley, Whitecross-street; I went to look after Field; I could not find him in the morning. In the evening I went in company with Cook and two City officers to the same place; I found Field and Berry in the custody of Cook and the other officers. I handcuffed them, and took them to the watchhouse, and from there to the office. On the next morning we agreed we would take Collard: she lived in the same house where we took Field and Berry from; we took her in custody. I searched her at the office. I found in her pocket these three knives and two thimbles; they were afterwards identified by the prosecutor as his property. Mrs. Collard said the knives were given to her by Field, to keep for him. Q. Did Mrs. Collard keep the house - A. I believe she did. CHARLES COOK . I am an officer of Hatton Garden office. On Sunday evening, the 10th of April, I went to No. 2, Checquer-place, Checquer-alley, to Mrs. Collard's house; I saw the prisoner Collard, two other females there, and the prisoner Berry there. I knew Berry before. He was sitting by the fire; he appeared to be in liquor. I endeavoured to awake him. I searched him. I found four combs, and three knives upon him. I produce them. I shewed them to the prosecutor afterwards. According to the description of the things, I was satisfied this was part of the prosecutor's property. I handcuffed them, and told Berry he should go with me. I searched a closet close to where Berry was sitting; I found a dark-lanthorn, a phosphorus bottle, with matches, complete, and this hat; on the side of that, this small chisel. Q. Did you afterwards go to Phillip's house - A. I did, and saw the buffet; there were marks of violence upon it, exactly corresponding with this screw-driver. Q. Did you see any thing of Mrs. Collard - A. I did. I asked her who that hat belonged to; she said, she did not know; she believed it belonged to her son. I asked her who she had got up stairs; she said, no one. I went up stairs, and in the garret I found Field in bed; he had part of his clothes off, and part on. I endeavoured to awake him; he seemed very much stupified. His face being black with coals; and by the description I had in the morning, I was almost certain he was the person that was seen. I had great trouble to awake him; he was very much in liquor. Before I brought him down stairs, Moore searched him; in his waistcoat pocket he found a pair of scissars; he gave them to me. I then brought him down stairs; Mr. Phillips identified him as the person he was in search of. Q. Did you take any notice of his coat - A. There is another person that can speak to that. I went to the premises of Mr. Phillips; I examined them. In my judgment, the persons got into the house at the flap of the coal-cellar, and by the appearance of the place, they did get in that way. On Monday, I was present at the taking of Mrs. Collard, and on the 15th, I went to the house of the prisoner Robinson, in Henley-place, Checquer-alley; there I found in a box, a steel purse. I found the prisoner in bed. I had received information that part of the property laid there. I took Robinson to the office. The prosecutor saw this purse; and said, he had every reason to believe it was his property. At the office, Robinson was admitted to bail, and to day he surrendered. The box in his room was not locked. I never heard any thing against his character. JAMES SCOTT . I am an headborough of St. Luke's. I went with the other persons to Checquer-place, I found Field in the garret; he was intoxicated. His face was quite black, his coat was dirty, and torn in one part. Mr. Phillips identified him. I found this coat hanging up in his room; I found the scissars in his coat pocket. We got him up twice; he got into bed again, with his shoes off, and his breeches on. We found no other coat in the room. We took him to the watchhouse. We shewed Mr. Phillips that coat; he has got the coat on, I believe. Prosecutor. I know the coat he has got on; Igave it him. I am sure the coat that he had on, was the one that I gave him. The coat was black with coals, as if he had rubbed against the side of the coals in the cellar. Field wanted to be admitted an evidence before the magistrate. WILLIAM LEE . I am a constable of St. Andrew's. I went to the house of Sarah Collard , on Monday, the 11th; I found this coat. Sarah Collard said, it was a coat that was given to her for her husband. In this coat pocket, I found the top of a silver candlestick; the prosecutor saw it, and identified it. JOSEPH PRINCE . On the 10th of April, I saw Michael Berry in White-cross-street, about half past five in the morning; he had got an hair trunk on his head. I had seen him before as I came home from work in bad company one or twice. Q. to Prosecutor. Look at the top of the candlestick - A. It is part of my silver candlestick. Q. Look at the other articles, and see if you know them - A. Here are combs, knives, scissars, and a purse; these came out of the buffet up stairs. This nozle of a candlestick was in the buffet in the drawing-room. My loss upon this occasion was between three and four hundred pounds; there were a number of things taken. I cannot tell the extent of it. Q. to Lee. Whose coat is that - A. Mrs. Collard owned it; she said, it was her son's coat. She said it was one that was given to her by a friend, that lived at the other end of the town; it was for her husband. We could not find him. Barrett. I spoke to Mrs. Collard about this coat; I said, I thought it was Jonathan Wild 's; Mrs. Collard said it was not John's; it was given her for her husband. Prosecutor. I lost an hair trunk, about two feet and a half long, with a round top; that hair trunk contained pattern cards. This knife was in a card in that hair trunk, that the boy, Prince, has described he saw Berry with. Field said, before the magistrate, they had burned the hair trunk. In that trunk was a variety of articles. Field said nothing in his defence. Berry's Defence. When Cook, the officer, found the two knives upon me, I told him I bought four; I gave nine shillings for them. Collard's Defence. When the officers asked me if I knew any thing about the business, I said, I did not. Robinson's Defence. I am entirely innocent of the charge against me. FIELD, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 21. BERRY, GUILTY - DEATH , aged 21. COLLARD, NOT GUILTY . ROBINSON, NOT GUILTY . London jury, before Mr. Recorder.