George Clark

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 18th July 2021

Conduct Record;- No; 441 Name; George Clark Ship; To NSW per Morley & to Hobart per Pilot Trial; London 1816 - Life Remarks; Conditional Pardon No; 490. 1 May 1833

116

Tony Beale on 15th January 2021

Old Bailey Online 174. GEORGE CLARKE was indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Josiah Parker , at about the hour of seven in the night of the 15th of December , with intent to steal, and for burglariously stealing therein, one counterpane, value 1l. and four yards of muslin, value 5s. his property. JOSIAH PARKER . I keep a ready-made linen warehouse , No. 14, St. John-street, Clerkenwell ; I am a shop-keeper there; my shop is part of my house; it is in the parish of St. James's Clerkenwell. On the 15th of December, in the evening, between six and seven o'clock. Q. Was it quite dark - A. It was a full moon. Q. Except the moon, was it otherwise dark - A. Yes, quite dark. Q. Did you hear any noise - A. Yes, by the breaking of the window; I was behind the counter, just by it, when I heard the window break; it was the shop window; I was within a yard and a half of the place; I heard the noise, and then turned round to see what it was, and I discovered the prisoner attempting to take out two counterpanes; they were within the shop, on the inside of the window that was broken; he could not get at them without breaking the window; he had hold of them when I saw him; I had something on the counter, and ran round, and at the time I came round, he thought he had secured the two counterpanes, and he was pulling the other articles off the lines; I laid hold of these articles that he was forcing out of the shop; there was a piece of corded muslin; his strength was superior to mine, and he forced me against the broken glass; I called stop thief two or three times through the broken hole; he had these articles which he got from the lines; he forced them out of my hands, and he then ran away; he had-tied the door; but I opened it, so that I forced my way through, and pursued him; I cried stop thief! and I think he got the distance of about one hundred and fifty yards, when a person came up, and laid hold of him; this person came up, and attempted to stop him, and he dropped the goods, and then ran off, and I picked up the articles. Q. From the time you saw him in struggling with you, until he was stopped, was he out of your sight - A. There is just going out of the house a bin, and I did not see him for that; but I got sight of him before he was stopped. I picked up the things; the things I picked up, where the things I lost out of my shop. (Property produced.) Prosecutor. This is the kind of muslin that I lost, and I believe this is it; it was muddy when I picked it up; I can swear to it from the manner it was cut out. There is nothing in the counterpane that I could swear to; but a counterpane was missing, and he took away a counterpane. FRANCIS PRINCE . I stopped the prisoner; he was running, with the property; I first made an attempt to stop him, and he dropped it, and then I followed him, until I secured him, by the assistance of one of the patroles, in Spa-fields; he was detained, and we took him to the watchhouse. -WINTESTON. I am a patrole. I heard the alarm of stop thief; I saw the prisoner coming across the fields, and I made across the fields, and I made towards him, until he crossed the ditch, with the last witness after him; he came up towards me when he crossed the ditch; I took him in charge, and took him to the watchhouse. WILLIAM READ . I am an officer of Hatton Garden. The prisoner and the property were delivered into my charge; I have had the property ever since. Prosecutor. The value of the muslin is about five or six shillings; I can't speak correctly, for I don't know the number of yards; but it is between four and five shillings. Prisoner's Defence. I was coming up St. John-street, and I crossed over to Corporation-row, and picked up these goods on the ground; I saw them laying down. I am a stranger in London; I heard the cry of stop thief; I was frightened, and ran away; when I ran into Spa-fields, they took me into custody. I have got no friends at all in London. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 24. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Dallas. I appears that George Clark was transported to Sydney per ship Morley and that same year (28/9/1817) transported to Tasmania per ship Pilot