Piedro Calligani

341

Maureen Withey on 19th February 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 19 February 2022), October 1836, trial of JOHN PEREZ DE CASTANOS PIEDRO CALLIGANI (t18361024-2307). JOHN PEREZ DE CASTANOS, PIEDRO CALLIGANI, Theft > theft from a specified place, 24th October 1836. 2307. JOHN PEREZ DE CASTANOS and PIEDRO CALLIGANI were indicted for stealing, on the 23rd of September, at St. James, Westminster, 4 seals, value 6l., the goods of William Broad Rowlands and another, in their dwelling-house. WILLIAM BROAD ROWLAND . I am a jeweller, in partnership with my brother, at 92, Quadrant, Regent-street, in the parish of St. James. On the morning of Friday, the 23rd of September, the prisoners came to our shop—Calligani asked to look at some seals—my shopman reached out two trays for their inspection—Castanos appeared to act as interpreter—he said the seals were for Calligani, and two were selected by Castanos for the other—they were shown to him by Castanos, and he approved of them—Castanos called him his friend, and gave me to understand they were for him—Castanos asked the price of engraving, and a long conversation took place about engraving them—they remained ten minutes or a quarter of an hour—on the Monday following, Bradshaw the officer came, and produced some seals to me—I examined my stock and four were missing—I identified three of the seals he produced—they were worth 3l. 10s.—another was lost which has not been found. Calligani. (Through an interpreter.) I cannot deny being in the shop, but instead of Castanos choosing them, I chose them myself, and I went to the shop again in proof of my innocence, Witness. They both came again the same day, I think it was at three o'clock in the afternoon, to bring the engravings—I did not show them any thing at that time—the seals coming to more than the price the had asked for, he said it was too dear, and went out—I asked Castanos for their address, and he gave me, "Sabloniere's Hotel, Leicester-square"—I have not been there, but they live in Lisle-street. RICHARD BRADSHAW . I am a policeman. On Monday afternoon, the 26th of September, at three or four o'clock, I went to No. 2, Little Lisle-street, Leicester-square, kept by Mr. Coqurel—I searched the room on the second floor, and found the three seals, which I produce, sewed up in the cloak—I found fourteen others in another part of the cloak, wrapped in paper, and bound with black thread, in different parts of the cloak, at the bottom—I showed the seals to the prosecutor, and he identified these three—I went afterwards to Sabloniere's Hotel, and found they did not live there, and were not know. Calligani. The address was given to the Hotel, because that day I intended to dine there—I had no interest whatever to give a false address—had I been a thief I should not have gone to the same shop again—the seals were not sewn in the lining of the cloak—it is false. Witness. I found them in different parts of the cloak—the lining was sewn, and I toe it up—they were wrapped in parcels of three each. MARGARET COQUREL . I am the wife of Lewis Coqurel, and live at No. 2, Lisle-street. The two prisoners lodged in the room which the officers went into, on the second floor—one slept in a cupboard, and the other on a sofa bed in the room—Castanos passed as the master, and Calligani as his servant—they always went out together as two friends, arm-in-are—I furnished the room for them—I have not received any money—they owe, at this time, between 3l. and 4l.—I know that cloak belonged to one of them—I cannot tell to which. Castanos. If we were master and servant, how could we be friends? Witness. He said to me on the Sunday night, when I gave him a candle to go to bed, "My friend will not come home to-night," and afterwards said, "My servant will not come home to-night." COURT. Q. What makes you say Calligani passed as servant? A. He used to call him servant, and Calligani used to attend to him, and used to come down to breakfast in a different dress—they sat down to meals at the same table together. WILLIAM BROAD ROWLANDS re-examined. These are the seals I missed from the tray—they were on the tray on the morning previous to the prisoners coming, I am sure—I showed two of them to them, I am certain—I have not sold either of them. JURY. Q. Were the three on the tray? A. They were in the morning—we do not took over the seals every day—we take an account of every seal we sell—I did not miss them till the officer came. Castanos. Q. Have you any private mark to know them by? A. Yes—we have the dye of the large one by us—it is one of our own getting-up—we have not another like it. Castanos put in a written Defence, stating, that on his way from Paris he met with Calligani, whom he had known previously, and it was arranged he should act as interpreter for him in England—that he accompanied him by his desire to several jewellers, where he merely acted as interpreter, and that he knew nothing of the seals which were found in Calligani's cloak. Calligani's Defence. I left Paris on the 15th of October, and came to London, with the desire of seeing this Capital—in my way I met with Castanos, whom I had known in Paris, with one of my friends—I begged of him to take lodgings for us together, as I did not know a single word of English, he might be very useful to me—he accepted the proposal, and went to Mr. Coqurel's—five or six days afterwards I begged of him to go with me to a jeweller's shop to buy a seal which I wished, and to have my named engraved, and he went with me to be my interpreter—on the Saturday I met an Italian named Capel, whom I had seen on the Thursday—I went to several places with him, and on the Sunday met him in the Quadrant—I proposed to him to take me to a house where several foreigners met—he gave me two or three parcels to take care of till the next day, as he did not like to take them to a gambling house—as I did not wish to expose them to any one's view, I put them between the linings of my cloak, which I put into the trunk, without the least knowledge of Castanos, who was fast asleep—my friend borrowed 6l. of me, and then 5l. more—he then begged me to keep the seals till he paid me. CASTANOS— GUILTY CALLIGANI— GUILTY Of stealing under, the value of 5l. Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 19 February 2022), October 1836, trial of JOHN PEREZ DE CASTANOS PIEDRO CALLIGANI (t18361024-2308). JOHN PEREZ DE CASTANOS, PIEDRO CALLIGANI, Theft > simple larceny, 24th October 1836. 2308. JOHN PEREZ DE CASTANOS and PIEDRO CALLIGANI were again indicted for stealing, on the 26th of September, 3 seals, value 3l. 6l., the goods of James Marmaduke Constable. JAMES MARMADUKE CONSTABLE . I am a jeweller, and live at No. 203, Regent-street. The two prisoners came to my shop on Monday morning the 26th of September, between ten and eleven o'clock—Castanos asked to see some seals—I showed him a tray containing forty or fifty—they were there about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, but bought none—I have since missed three seals—two of those produced are mine—one I can swear to most positively—I sold no seals at all between the time of their calling and my seeing the seals—I am certain I had sold them to any body. RICHARD BRADSHAW . I took the prisoners into custody on Monday the 26th of September, at a quarter after eleven o'clock, in Margaret-street, which is not above five minutes walk from Constable's. Castanos. We had to go to our lodging, to leave the seals, and then to Mr. West, all in half an hour, I think that is impossible. Witness. Lisle-street is about ten minutes' walk from Constable's, but that must be slow walking—I should say five minutes—Mr. West lives in Margaret-street, Cavendish-square—I examined the prisoners' lodging, and found the two seals I suppose to be Mr. Constable's, sewn up in the bottom of the cloak. JAMES MARMADUKE CONSTABLE re-examined. I only swear to one seal, and that is from a curious blood-stone in it—there is a great quantity of red in it. MARGARET COQUREL . I remember the day the prisoners were apprehended, it was on a Monday—I do not recollect at what time they went away. Castanos. Q. Did we come back to the lodging after leaving there the first time? A. I cannot recollect. LEWIS COQUREL . I remember the Monday the prisoners were taken—I am not able to say whether they came home after being out that morning—we have fifteen lodgers, and it is impossible to recollect—they went away in the morning. Castanos's Defence. From the moment we left the lodging we could not have put the seals there, it must be evident, whether we came home or not. I cannot he answerable for the seals being there—the manner in which they came there does not appear. Calligani's Defence. I never saw the seals from the time I received them from my friend—there is no proof that I stole them. CASTANOS— GUILTY . Aged 26. CALLIGANI— GUILTY . Aged 24. Transported for Life. (There were five other indictments against the prisoners.)

108

Nell Murphy on 18th November 2017

Piedro CALLIGANI was convicted at the CCC, London on 24 Oct 1836 for stealing gold and rings. Co-convicted was John de Peroz CONSTANOS. 14 yrs transportation sentence. Both sent to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania, Australia) per the ship 'Sarah' arriving 29 March 1837. Piedro's details recorded upon arrival in the Colony: Native of Italy; aged 25 yrs; labourer; sallow complexion; dark hair; blue eyes; 5'4 1/2" height; married - wife Rosina at Carrara, Italy. Ship Surgeon's report: "quiet & well behaved". Assigned to various locations for work service. Ticket of Leave granted 7 Sept 1843. Conditional Pardon approved 12 June 1846. Conditional Pardon extended 12 Jan 1847. 30 June 1844: Application for permission to marry - to Louisa Grange (or La Grange), transported per ship 'Margaret'. Approved. 17 Aug 1844: Marriage, at Catholic Church of St. Joseph, Hobart. Piedro CALLIGANI, full age, merchang to Louisa La Grange, full age. Witnesses: J.P. Constanos (Castanos) & Badelina Constanos. (ref. 37.1.4 no. 1336) Link to the record of his 2nd wife, married in Van Diemen's Land 1844 - Louisa Grange (or La Grange). https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/grange/louisa/63675