James Blofield

Level 135

C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online CHARLES NASH. JAMES BROOKS. JAMES BLOFIELD. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827), Theft; receiving. 12th December 1836. Text type Trial account Defendants CHARLES NASH, JAMES BROOKS, JAMES BLOFIELD Offences Theft > Simple larceny, Theft > Receiving Session Date 12th December 1836 Reference Number t18361212-248 Verdicts Guilty > With recommendation, Guilty, Not guilty Punishments Imprisonment, Transportation 248. CHARLES NASH and JAMES BROOKS were indicted for stealing, on the 5th of December, 1 bag, value 6d., and 154 lbs. of linen rag, value 7s. 6d., the goods of Allen Mason and another; and JAMES BLOFIELD for feloniously receiving the same; well knowing them to have been stolen. MR. DOANE conducted the Prosecution. JOHN BRANTON . I am foreman to Allen Mason, and Mr. Longman, wharfingers, in Upper Thames-street. Last Monday week we had thirty-three bags of linen rags on the premises, and about a little before six o'clock that evening the private watchman missed a bag—I had seen it a few minutes before four o'clock myself—I went to a place near Queenhithe, and saw the prisoner Brooks and another person, and was induced to go to Blofield's shop, which is about three minutes' walk form our premises—I saw him there with a boy, and asked him if he had bought a bag of rags, describing what rags they were—he said, no, he had not—I told him I knew he had, and then he said he had—I asked him to let me see them—he would not—I then called the patrol in, who was outside, and we went down stairs—I picked out a bag of rags there, and told him that was my master's property—he said, "That is the bag I have bought"—I asked him what sort of a man brought them—he gave me a description which agreed with that given by our private watchman—I went and took Brooks into custody, and took him in to Blofield, who said, "That is the man who brought the bag to my shop, and the man I paid the money to"—a woman who I suppose was his wife said, "That is the man who brought the rags, but you paid the money to a taller man."—he said, "Let me alone, I know what I am about"—Brooks said "It is false, Mr. Blofield, I have not been in your shop to-day"—they were then taken into custody—Nash was taken up last Saturday—he is a Porter, and so is Brooks—I have employed Brooks occasionally for my master—I have not the least doubt of the bag or rags being my employer's. Cross-examined by MR. PAYNE. Q. Did you not ask Blofield whether he had bought any rags about a quarter of an hour before? A. I did not—I might have said so—I cannot say either way—he said at first he never purchased a rag of any description—he said nothing about an hour and a half—I did not get into trouble about this myself—I did not say to Blofield I did not care so long as I cleared myself—I said I should like to make it out, or else master might think the workmen on the premises were concerned, bags having been lost before—he objected to let me look for the rags—he did not say I should not do it by myself—I did not notice any one else in the shop but the little boy—we did not go down till he said we might—he hesitated for about three minutes. JAMES DAVIS . I am a constable of Queenhithe—I was called in by the patrol—I heard nothing about searching the premises—Blofield and Brooks were there when I went in—I asked Blofield if he had bought a bag of rags—he said yes, he had—I asked him, then, if Brooks was the man who brought them into the shop—he said no, he was not the man that brought them, but Brooks was with the man, and he paid the money to a taller man—Mrs. Blofield, said "Mr. Davis let the poor man have the rags, and take them down to Mason's wharf"—I said, "I shall not"—I went down into the cellar and fetched them up. JAMES BROWN . I am patrol of Queenhithe. I was called in about half past seven o'clock last Monday week to Blofield's house, and Branton said he missed a bag of rags from the wharf, and he wished to see them, but that Blofield had rather denied him seeing them—Blofield said, "No, I do not deny your seeing them"—I and the foreman then went down stairs, and turned a bag or two of rags over, and he said, "This is the bag"—Brooks was afterward brought in—Davis came in after this. Cross-examined. Q. The moment he saw Brooks, he said, "That is the man I bought them of?" A. Yes. EDWARD BELCHER . I live with my father, who is a tailor in Bow-lane. On Monday evening last week, about seven o'clock, I was in Blofield's shop, and saw Nash, and I think Brooks, but I cannot swear positively to him—they were selling the bag of rags in the shop—Blofield said "I will give you 3s. 9d. for this bag, the same as I give the rest of your men"—something was said about standing a pint of beer, and they then went away. Cross-examined. Q. Were you in the shop? A. I went in while the prisoners were there—I went to get a nut to fix the bedstead-screw—I stood waiting my turn to be served by the side of the short man—Blofield saw me—I always live at home with my father—Blofield lives in Little Trinity-lane—I did not make a memorandum of the conversation—it was last Monday week—I was first called on to give evidence on Saturday—I mentioned it at home, and it got to Davis's ears—I am not mistaken in what Blofield said—he said "Your men"—it struck me as remarkable—I knew Nash before—I did not know he was in the prosecutor's employ—I knew he was a porter about the wharf—I mentioned it directly I heard of the robbery. Nash. Q. Did you see me bring any rags into the shop? A. No, I was not in the shop when they were brought in, but Blofield was pointing to the bag of rags. Brooks. Q. Will you swear I was there? A. No, I do not swear it. JOHN BRANTON re-examined. The rags are worth 7s. 6d. per cwt.—the the quantity found is three quarters of a hundred weight—the rags and the sack is 3qrs. 16lbs.—the bag would be sold with them as rags—it weighed 153lbs. when lost. CATHERINE BLOFIELD . I am the prisoner's daughter. In the evening of last Monday week a tall man came in by himself to sell some rags—he was dressed like a coal-heaver—I do not know who he was—Brooks came in at the time my father was paying him—my father asked the man if they were his own—he said they were, he was not afraid or ashamed of them, for they were his own—I saw 3s. 9d. paid. Cross-examined. Q. Did the man ask your father what he gave per lb. for them? A. Yes—he said 1/2 d. per lb., or 5s. per cwt—the scales were broken, and they could not be weighed—my father guessed them—I was in the shop—my father said he would give 3s. 9d., the same as he gave the men—he did not say "The rest of your men"—I was there all the time. Nash. Q. What time do you say I came in with the rags? A. I forget what time—I think it was about five o'clock. Nash's Defence. I worked at Mr. Mason's upwards of nine years, and never had a charge against me before. (MR. PAYNE, on behalf of Blofield, stated that the price given for the rags was not an unfair one, as he had to sell them again, and the prisoner's first denial related to having purchased any a quarter of an hour before, of a particular description; but he immediately said he had purchased some about an hour and a half ago; and that he had only refused the witness searching, not wishing him to go alone.) (Edward Bullen, shoemaker, of Islington; James Elliott, bone-merchant, of Walworth-common; and Joseph Collins, publican, Little Trinity-lane gave the prisoner Blofield a good character.) NASH— GUILTY . Aged 22.— Confined Six Months. Recommended to mercy. BLOFIELD— GUILTY . Aged 44.— Transported for Fourteen Years. BROOKS— NOT GUILTY .