William Caffle

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C H on 14th February 2024

Specific Tattoo Descriptions 1793-1925 Record ID ttc9757 Year1846 Tattoo keywords heart Tattoo body locations left arm Subjects love namesinitials Written words H|S|L|T Description of tattoo H|.|S|.|L|.|T|.|heart|on|left arm Full description Scar on upper lip face freckled moles on chest H.S.L.T. heart on left arm. VDL Convict Labour Contracts 1848-1857 Record ID lab1279 Given names William Surname Caffell Ship John Calvin Day 21 Month 9 Year 1849 Contract length (months) 12 Pounds 12 Pay per annum 2880 PAYdecpounds 12 Employer Samuel Barrow Employer's given name Samuel Employer's surname Barrow Employer's sex male Address Long Bay TAHO reference ID CON30 Gender m VDL Convict Labour Contracts 1848-1857 Record ID lab1280 Given names William Surname Caffle Ship John Calvin Day 11 Month 4 Year 1850 Contract length (months) 6 Pounds 9 Pay per annum 2160 PAYdecpounds 9 Employer Thomas John Harrison Employer's given name Thomas John Employer's surname Harrison Employer's sex male Address Antill Ponds TAHO reference ID CON30

135

C H on 14th February 2024

JOHN STONE. THOMAS SMITH. WILLIAM CAFFLE. Theft; burglary. 30th March 1846. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN STONE, THOMAS SMITH, WILLIAM CAFFLE Offences Theft > Burglary Session Date 30th March 1846 Reference Number t18460330-946 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Transportation 946. JOHN STONE, THOMAS SMITH , and WILLIAM CAFFLE were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of James Smith, about five o'clock in the night of the 16th of Match, at St. Dunstan, Stebooheatb, alias Stepney, with intent to steal, and stealing 1 coal-skuttle, value 15s.; I tea-kettle, 10s.; 1 warming-pan, 8s.; 1 coffee-stew-pan, biggin, 7s.; 3 spoons, 5s.; the lid of a 5s.; and 3 stockings, 6d.; his property; and that Smith had been before convicted of felony. MR. PRENDERGAST conducted the Prosecution. JOHN JOHNSOH (police-constable K 296.) On Tuesday morning, the 17th of March, I saw Stone in Catherine-street, Limehouse-fields, between five and six o'clock—there were two men with him—I did not see their faces distinctly, but I saw their dress—Stone had got a copper, with something in it—he was going in a direction from Stepney church, towards the Regent's-canal—I asked what he had got—he said a copper, and he was going to set it at No. 20, in that street—I said I would walk there with him—the other two men walked away on one side—it is my belief that the other two prisoners are the men who were with Stone—Caffle had a light jacket on and a blue cap, and he was the tallest of them, and the other, who was about the same height as Smith, had a long blue coat and a hat on—one of them stepped to the left and the other to the right hand side—when I had spoken to Stone, he said the copper was rather weighty on his shoulder, and asked me to move it—I took hold of it and got it in my hand, and then he started off—I followed him down Catherine-street, springing my rattle—I followed him till M'Gregor, another policeman, went after him, and then I went back to the copper—M'Gregor got sight of Stone before I went back—I saw him run after Stone, and I knew that he was the man I had stopped with the copper—M'Gregor brought him to the bridge—I took the copper to the bridge—in the copper there was a coal-skuttle, a copper tea-kettle, a warm—ing-pan, and a lid of another kettle or saucepan—I searched Stone at the station, and found on him two silver teaspoons, marked G. M. S., and one salt-spoon, and three stockings—one of them is marked Smith—these are the articles—M'Gregor was not bound over to attend—it was quite light in the morning, and I had a distinct view of Stone—I lost sight of him when M'Gregor ran after him—I am quite sure he is the same man—I had a distinct view of him befere he started. Cross-examined by MR. BRIERLY. Q. Caffle is not dressed now as he was at first, and you did not see his face? A. No—he had the same dress on when he was brought to the station—Smith has the same dress on now that he had then. MARY ANN SMITH . I am the wife of James Smith—we live at No. 62, Beaumont-square, Stepney—on Monday evening, the 16th of March, I shut up the house very early, perhaps between six and seven o'clock—I went to bed about eleven—the house was all safe at that time—I was alarmed by the policemen about seven in the morning—they directed my attention to the kitchen door, leading into the garden—I found that door open—I had shut it myself the night before, and bolted and barred it—there was a pane of glass cut out of the window—by doing that, they could lift a piece of wood which fastened the window, open it, and get in—a part of the window-frame was cut—I missed a kettle, a warming-pan, the lid of a stew-pan, a coal—skuttle, and a copper—four haras were lying ready to be taken—two tea—spoons and a salt-spoon were gone, and four shillings—I know these spoons, they have our initials on them—this skuttle and other things are mine—they were all safe that night—our house is in Stepney parish. COURT. Q. How was that window fastened down? A. A piece of wood fastened it—I did it myself, being alone. Cross-examined. Q. What time did you fasten it? A. Early—between six and seven o'clock I was alone in the house—the servant came home about ten o'clock—I can swear no person went out afterwards—I arose in the morning when the policeman alarmed me, about seven o'clock—I do not think it was quite seven. DANIEL PRESCOTT (police-constable K 75.) I received information, and went to the house No. 66, Beaumont-square, which is unoccupied—I found there had been a great deal of trampling about in the garden—I saw there were footmarks in four different gardens—that led me to the house No. 62—I got over the wall of No. 62, and found this coffee-biggin standing on the window-sill—the window was open, and I found several lucifer-matcbes, a small piece of candle, and two metal spoons inside—I saw tallow marks on the window—the window-frame was cut away, and in a cupboard I found this piece of wood, which appears to have been the fastening of the window—the kitchen was in a very disturbed state, and on the table I saw some hams, a boa, and several other things—the clock had just struck six when I received the information, and I went there directly. Cross-examined. Q. Did you observe the house had been broken open? A. I did—it was about half-past six o'clock when I was there—it was a very fine, bright morning—I believe I was the first person who was there—there was no person there when I went. THOMAS WATKINS (police-constable K 310.) In consequence of information, I went on Tuesday morning, the 17th, to the house in Beaumont-square, but before that I went to the Five Bells, and found the prisoner Smith there—I asked where he was at half-past one o'clock last night—he said he was along with Wincop—that is the prisoner Stone—I asked where he went to after he left the first bridge—he said, "I shan't answer you any more, you know too much for me"—I took him to the Mile end station, and there took his boots off—I went with them to No. 62, Beaumont-square—I got there about half-past eleven o'clock—I saw marks in the ground very distinctly—I compared the marks with the boots—I made a pressure alongside of the marks that were in the ground—the impression corresponded with the marks that had been made before—these are the boots—they are nailed, with tips to them, and are rather extraordinary boots, having so many nails in them—here is a nail absent in one row—I measured the distance in the marks, and it exactly corresponded with the absence of this nail—I have no doubt at all that these boots made the marks—I traced them along the ground, and going over one wall, and returning back again—I observed the footmarks of two or three persons—I could not tell which, but there were no others like these—I have known all three of the prisoners for years—I never see them apart hardly. Stone. Q. How long have you known me? A. Four year—I knew you four years ago in Mill-wall—I know you have been convicted—I have known Smith more than four years. GEORGE MUMFORD (police-constable K 118.) In consequence of information, I took Caffle into custody on the 17th—I told him I wanted him on suspicion of committing a burglary, in breaking into a house in Beaumont-square—he said he knew nothing about it—I asked if he had been Smith—he said he had not—I took him to the station—I found a skeleton key on him, some lucifer-matches, and a clasp knife—I took his boots off, and went to Nos. 59, 60, 61, and 62, Beaumont-square—I saw marks in all those places—I made impressions with these boots, in the soft mould in different places, and found the impressions I made were of the same size and description as the marks in the mould—these boots are not nailed, but are broken—I observed such marks as these would make—here is a hole in this boot—there were no holes in some of the footmarks—here is the other boot—there is no hole in this—this and the one with the hole appeared to be the marks of the same man—I took this knife, which I found on him, to the kitchen window of No. 62, where I found two marks—I applied this knife to them—it fitted them exactly; and there is also a piece of putty at the end of the knife, and the knife is broken off at the end—Caffle was dressed in a light-coloured jacket, corduroy trowsers, and a blue cap—I found some lucifer-matehes on him, which I compared with what were found on the Window ledge—they appeared to be the same sort—he has changed his dress since he has been here—he was seen in the light jacket and blue cap, by the first witness soon alter I took him. COURT. Q. There are two holes in the bottom of one of the boots? A. Yes—I could discover these holes in some of the footmarks, but I did not see them in those I made. Cross-examined. Q. When you put down these boots to make fresh, marks you did not press so heavily? A. I put down the boot with my hand; and leaned the weight of my body upon it—this knife fitted exactly the marks in the window frame—the end of this knife is broken—it was driven in the putty to gouge the putty out—the knife seemed to fit every way—if it had been done with another knife it must have been of the same size. THOMAS WATKINS re-examined. On the morning of the 17th of March I saw Caffle and Smith on the Britannia-bridge, together, just before nine o'clock—that was after Stone was apprehended—I did not know they were wanted at that time—they were in very deep conversation. MARK EDWARD JERVIS (police-constable K 312.) On Tuesday morning; the 17th of March, between three and four o'clock, I was in White Horse-lane—I saw the three prisoners in company together—that is not quite fifty yards from Beaumont-square—I am sure the prisoners are the person—I knew them perfectly well before, but not their names. Smith. Q. How do you know me? A. I have seen you with the other prisoners frequently in Mile End-road, and in the neighbourhood, and another person named Rose—I was on that beat. PETER THOMAS COLLETT (police-constable K 283.) I produce a certificate of Smith's former conviction at this Court—(read—Convicted on his own confession , on the 19th Aug., 1844, having been before convicted of felony, and confined one year)—he is the peron. (John Leppard, a cow-keeper; William Matthews, an appraiser,; and John Richmond, a rope-maker, gave Caffle a good character.) STONE— GUILTY . Aged 19. CAFFLE— GUILTY . Aged 19. Transported for Ten Years. SMITH— GUILTY . Aged 21.— Transported for Fifteen Years. Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) March 1846. Trial of JOHN STONE, THOMAS SMITH, WILLIAM CAFFLE (t18460330-946). Available at: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/record/t18460330-946?text=Caffle