James Bolland

135

C H on 18th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN MILLER. JAMES BOLLAND. JOSHUA DURDEN. Theft; housebreaking. 3rd January 1833 Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN MILLER, JAMES BOLLAND, JOSHUA DURDEN Offences Theft > Housebreaking Session Date 3rd January 1833 Reference Number t18330103-131 Verdicts Guilty > Lesser offence Punishments Transportation Before Mr. Recorder. 403. JOHN MILLER , JAMES BOLLAND , and JOSHUA DURDEN were indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of John Ward , on the 30th of November , and stealing 13 shirts, value 30s.; 6 handkerchiefs, value 5s.; 4 towels, value 4s,: 1 collar, value 1s. 6d.; 1 frill, value 1s. 6d., and 1 pair of stockings, value 1s. his property . JOHN WARD , JUN. I live at Uxbridge ; my father John Ward , rents the house. On the 30th of November I got up between six and seven o'clock in the morning; I found the house quite safe; I left the house directly I came down; I returned at eight o'clock, and these things were then gone from off the dresser - (there had been a wash in the house;) I saw the prisoners in custody with them on the Friday following, which was a week after the robbery - Miller lived near us at Uxbridge; I am sure when I left that I closed the latch of the door; I heard it shut, but did not try it. ANN WARD . My husband rents this house. On the 30th of November, when I went to bed, these articles were all safe in the kitchen; I got up at seven o'clock, and they were then gone; I found the door and the gate open - the prisoners all live at Uxbridge; I saw the property before the Magistrates on the next Friday. JOHN STEVENS . I am a labourer, living at Uxbridge. I saw the prisoners Miller and Bolland, who I knew before, about half-past six o'clock, twenty or thirty yards from Ward's house; they had nothing with them that I saw; Bolland lives in the parish, but a great distance from the house - Miller lives not far off; I did not speak to them. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. How far from the house does Durden live? A. Nearly a mile - I did not see him. JOHN FRANCO . I stood in Uxbridge-market. Durden came to me, and asked if I bought old silver; I do not know the day of the month; it was the Saturday before the prisoners were taken - I am a traveller; Durden asked if I would buy some old silver; I said Yes, and asked him where it was; he said he would bring it to me at six o'clock in the evening; and at six he came to me, and said if I would come home with him he would show it to me; I went to his house, which was by a common, about a quarter of a mile from Uxbridge - he produced some leather gaiters, and some linen, but no silver; I said it was of no use to me - he opened a shirt, which I saw was marked "29, G. Tollet," on the body - it was mended with a piece of new linen in front; I declined buying them- I did not know him before - I saw him under examination and am sure of his person; on Sunday morning I was walking out with a traveller, named Stennet, and was telling him of this, and heard from him of this robbery - we then went and gave information to the Police. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. What are you? A. I serve shops with pencils and things - I never buy old clothes - I was then living at the Three Legs public-house, at Uxbridge; when he asked me to come and see the things he said, "It is just up here" - I did not know it was a mile off; he said he had plate to sell - he showed me some new gaiters, said he had forty-eight pairs, and mentioned 3l.; I offered him no money for them; but on the Monday, when we wanted to detect him, I offered him two sovereigns - Miller was at the house when I went to look at the things, and he said, "Will you buy them?" I said No, it was quite out of my line - I had not above 5s. in my pocket, and could not have bought more than an ounce of plate - I had come from Reading: when I am in town I live at the Bear and Ragged Staff, Smithfield. WILLIAM HENNELL . I am a licensed-hawker; Franco gave me information, and I went and gave information to the officers - I know nothing myself. JOHN BIRCH . I am a constable of Uxbridge. I know all the prisoners. On Tuesday, the 4th of December. I apprehended Miller and Bolland, at the bottom of Uxbridge common - they asked what I took them for; I said, "Come with me a few yards and I will tell you what for," and about thirty yards on a head was Hennell and Franco; I took them up to them, and asked if they were the men who had offered them some linen for sale - they said they were; I took Durden the same day in Uxbridge - I told him the charge, but before I apprehended him, Franco said, in the hearing of the others, that they were the men who offered him the linen, and that the linen was hid in the plantation - a constable then came up, and we secured them; I searched the plantation, and found a blue bundle, containing, shirts, towels, handkerchiefs, and several little articles - there were thirteen shirts, four handkerchiefs, and four towels; the plantation is by the side of the road - this was before I had secured Durden; there was another bundle in the same place, containing forty-three pairs of leather gaiters, which are not claimed by Ward; Mrs. Ward saw the linen, and claimed it; most of them, having the name of Tollet and Budd on them, at full length -I found nothing on either of their persons. Cross-examined. Q. Franco said you would find the linen in the plantation? A. Yes. WILLIAM STRANSON . I am a constable. Franco gave me information - I was with Birch when Miller and Bolland were taken; I kept them while Birch searched the plantation, and found the bundles - Franco said, that was the bundle which had been offered to him by Bolland and Miller, on the morning we took them - we found Durden at Uxbridge; I told him we wanted him about some linen and gaiters - he said he knew nothing of it; Mrs. Ward claimed the contents of the blue bundle - they made a statement before the Magistrate, which I saw the Magistrate sign; I saw all the three prisoners sign the paper - I was present during the whole examination; neither threat nor promise was made to either of them - I am quite certain Bolland and Miller put their marks; Durden signed his name - (read). MIDDLESEX. " Joseph Durden voluntarily says, that John Miller came to him, and said he had got two bundles, one was a bundle of gaiters, and the other a bundle of shirts - he asked him if he knew any body as would buy them; he afterwards saw Franco, and asked him about them, and he said he would buy them - he them told Miller, who asked him if he had any place where he could take them to; he said they might take them to his father's stables - Miller brought the bundles to the stables, for what he knew; the bundles were at the stables when he got there with Miller - Miller and he, as it was dark, took the handles into his father's house, Miller one and he one - this was when Franco came; he did not expect to get any thing for doing what he did - after Franco did not buy them, Miller took them away; he never saw any more of the things - he did not have any gaiters; when he saw Mr. King, he said he had plenty of gaiters, but wanted shoes, and would swap." "John Miller voluntarily says, that on Saturday morning last he met Joseph Durden, and said to him he knew where there were two bundles of things under some hay - Joseph Durden afterwards said he knew a young man who would buy them if they could agree to price; John Franco then came to the Jolly Ostler; Durden said he would show him the things, which he did, and he asked 3l. for them, and Franco offered 30s. - he then took the things back to the place where they were found - Durden fetched one of the bundles along with him, and they took them to his father's stables; he said he should leave it all to Durden to sell the bundles for him; there were forty-eight pairs of gaiters when he had them - five pairs were missing. James Bolland voluntarily says, that he was asleep in Cooper Ellon 's shed, under some hay, and as he was covering himself over, he kicked against the two bundles now produced - they pulled them out, looked at them, covered the two bundles up again, and came away with John Miller, who slept in the barn, within.(Property produced and sworn to.) Miller put in a written Defence, making the same statement as he had done before the Magistrate. MRS. WARD. Here is one shirt, with the name of Tollet, No. 29, on it - the linen all belongs to persons whom I wash for. MILLER - GUILTY. Aged 19. BOLLAND - GUILTY. Aged 19. DURDEN - GUILTY. Aged 20. Of stealing only . - Transported for Seven Years .