Joseph Edward Cohen

218

Dianne Jones on 21st May 2021

1841, 5 January: Joseph Cohen was granted a Ticket of Leave. 1854, 10 September: Joseph Edward Cohen, 52, an upholsterer, died at Launceston from consumption (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/RGD35-1-23p62j2k).

218

Dianne Jones on 21st May 2021

1831, 20 October: His death sentence was commuted to transportation for life (21 years). 1832: On arrival in VDL, he was listed as 29, an upholsterer. He said he was a widower with one child (see https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON34-1-3$init=CON34-1-3P537).

218

Dianne Jones on 21st May 2021

1831, 8 September: Joseph Cohen was tried at the Old Bailey: "Third Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Alderson. 1544. JAMES BLACKET and JOSEPH EDWARD COHEN were indicted for feloniously and burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Esther Collison, about ten o'clock in the night of the 5th of August, at St. George, with intent to steal the goods and chattels therein. ESTHER COLLISON. I keep the White Hart public-house, Ratcliff-highway, and rent the house - it is in the parish of St. George. On Friday night, the 5th of August, there were some things in my bed-room, which was locked; I cannot say whether the window was shut - I went to carry some things up stairs that evening, and when I went up Blacket sat in the club-room, which is right opposite the staircase leading to the bed-room; I saw him sitting right facing the staircase - I had not been in the club-room that evening; there were several persons in the room - I had not seen Cohen there; they were all strangers to me; when I got on the landing-place Blacket came out of the club-room on to the landingplace; I went to my bed-room door, and could not put my own key in the lock - I found there was another key in the door; I did not take it out, and cannot say what sort of a key it was - on turning the handle the door came open, and as soon as I opened it two men rushed out: I laid hold of the last one, and held him till Blacket laid hold of me, and kept me away from him - the two men escaped down stairs; I cannot say who they were - I think the second man was dressed in a brown coat, but I had very little opportunity of seeing; I laid hold of Blacket, and gave him in charge - when I laid hold of him he said he had not been in the room; he would have got away if he could - he did not do any thing. Q.Had you any difficulty in stopping him? A. There were several people at the bottom of the stairs, as I called out, and it was useless for him to attempt to escape; after going to the station-house I went into the room - my sister, Elizabeth Walker, went in first, I believe: when I went in I found one of the top drawers taken out, and the contents thrown on the bed; they were bills, papers, and receipts - there was wearing-apparel and things taken out of the second drawer; some of my late husband's clothes were taken out, and put on the bed, and some of my little boy's clothes - the veneer was of some of the drawers, as if they had been forced open with a knife; a pipe laid across the wash-hand stand; it was warm when I saw it, which was a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes after the men had rushed out. Q.When you opened the door was the window open? A. I am not certain - it is a corner house; the window looks on Artichoke-hill - it is on the first floor, and a person holding by his hands could drop on the ground. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. About what time did the persons rush out of the room? A. As near as I can tell about ten o'clock - I cannot say whether it was a little before or a little after. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. How many times have you been examined on this case before the Justice? A. I was at Lambeth-street once or twice - I have been examined four times there; I believe a gentleman wrote down what I said each time - it was read over to me the last time, and I made my mark to it; I do not recollect its being read over to me more than once - I told the whole story over each time, as near as I could, I did not take much notice of what was being written - I was asked to come into a room, and what I said was taken down; I made my mark to it - that was the last time; I do not know whether what I said was taken down every time, or only the last; I have always told the same story, as near as possible. Q. Have you ever said you knew so little of the matter that you would not have come at all if it had not been for the Police? A. No, I will swear that positively; it was not the Policeman who asked me to come - I gave the account I have now before the Magistrate: whether Blacket was committed as a rogue and vagabond I do not know; he rescued the man, and pulled me away from him - he got between us, and pulled me away; it was in the dark, because when the club-room was shut I could not see; the moment I laid hold of the door to open it the light was knocked out of my hand. Q. That was before the men rushed out? A. No, it happened all at one time - Blacket came on the landing place where I stood; he was close against me - there was nobody on the landing-place but him and me; I did not know him before - I did not let him go till he was taken by the Policeman at the bottom of the stairs, which was directly after he prevented my holding the man; we came down the stairs together, and he was taken at the bottom of the stairs - he might have got from me by using great violence, but there were several people at the bottom of the stairs; my girl went and hallooed out - the Policeman and several people were at the bottom of the stairs, and took him directly - I never let him go; it was only up one pair of stairs - the Policeman was not in the house; I held Blacket by the collar - the girl passed us at the top of the stairs; she ran out with several more, and the Policeman came in. Q. Did you not release him altogether, and was he not some time in the house before he was given in charge? A. No. HENRY MARQUARD. I am a Police-officer. On Friday night I was on duty near this house, about ten o'clock -I went to the White Hart; I found Blacket there - the prosecutrix was there, and gave him in charge; I should think when I got to the station-house, it was near halfpast ten - I did not see the other prisoner; I afterwards went up to the room, found a small drawer on the bed, and some papers - the room was in disorder; Elizabeth Walker gave me a skeleton-key, which I produce - I found a little key on the bed; I received a knife from some witness - there was a tobacco-pipe with the bowl rather hot, and three phosphorus-matches on the floor. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Were you at the examinations before the Magistrate? A. Yes - Cohen offered to tender two witnesses to prove where he was. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Where was Blacket when you took him? A.Standing just by the bar, at the bottom of the stairs - there were several women round him; the prosecutrix was one, and, I think, she had hold of him - there was great confusion at the time: she was standing close to him - the station-house is about a quarter of a mile from the house; it might take me seven or eight minutes to get there - we walked slowly; the clock had struck ten when I heard the alarm- I was not a minute and a half going there, but we searched the prisoner at the public-house, and found a half-sovereign and some silver on him. ELIZA FITZGERALD . I was at Mrs. Collison's house on the night in question; I heard her give an alarm up stairs, and at that time I saw the prisoner Cohen come down stairs - he was alone; I saw one man come down before him, but I do not know him - Cohen came down alone; the other man had come down two or three minutes before - I had seen Cohen, I think, the evening before, in the club-room, but not before; I had not seen him in the club-room, that night - I had seen him the night before, but cannot be positive I had seen him that night. Q. How long had you an opportunity of seeing the person you call Cohen? A. I was standing at the counter at the bar, and he went by; he turned his head, and looked up at the clock - I had an opportunity of seeing his side face as he passed; he did not stop - he was dressed in a kind of snuff-coloured coat, the same colour as he has on now, with a black velvet collar. Q. How soon after he went away did Mrs. Collison come down? A. I heard her call out directly; I went towards her, hearing her give an alarm, and saw Blacket holding her - this was immediately after I saw Cohen pass. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q.Can you tell how many minutes before the other man had passed? A. To the best of my recollection two or three minutes - I never said I did not see Cohen's face; I recollect telling the Magistrate that to the best of my recollection, I had seen Cohen the night before - I cannot swear positively that he is the man I saw the night before, because there were more people there; I was not confused at the time I saw Cohen go through - I heard Mrs. Collison call out after that; I saw Cohen at the station-house, I think, the next night - I cannot say whether it was Saturday or Monday night, but it was on the night he was taken; I cannot say whether his cravat was white or black - he passed too quick for me to observe that; he went by quite quick. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Did you ever hear Mrs. Collison say she knew so little about it she never would have come if it had not been for the Police? A. I did not. CHARLES FITZGERALD . I went to this house on Friday night, to help Mrs. Collison; I know the prisoners -I saw them in the club-room that night, in conversation together; to the best of my recollection it was nine or ten o'clock - It was before the alarm; I should think it was about nine - there were several others in the room in conversation with the prisoners also. Q. Did you afterwards go into the club-room, before you heard the alarm, and after you had seen the prisoners there? A. Yes, Blacket was there then, but Cohen was not - that might be about half-past nine o'clock; I heard Mrs. Collison give the alarm about ten o'clock, and saw Blacket holding her - I did not see any body go out of the room then; I afterwards went into her bed-room, and found the things in disorder. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Are you related to the last witness? A. She is my mother - I am not a waiter there; I merely went over, being a neighbour: the regular waiter's name is Richard - he was attending on the club-room all the evening, backwards and forwards; I did not serve Cohen - if he was served with any thing it must have been by the regular waiter; he is not here - I do not know that he is ill; Cohen declared at the office that he was not in the house - I did not notice what waistcoat he had on; he had a black cravat, to the best of my recollection, but I cannot swear that - I will not swear it was not white. ELIZABETH WALKER. I am the prosecutrix's sister. I was at the bar on Friday night, and remember her giving an alarm; at the time she gave the alarm I saw Cohen come down stairs - I am sure of him; he looked at the clock as he went out, which gave me an opportunity of seeing his face - I found a key outside the bed-room door, and gave it to the Policeman. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Did you never go by any other name? A. No - I was married at Whitechapel church, to Robert Walker, and never went by any other name - my maiden name was Barlow. Q.Whoever the man was, he took some time to look at the clock? A. He made a full stop. Q. And deliberately looked up at the clock? A. Yes- Mrs. Fitzgerald stood by my side at the bar at the time, but my face was towards him. Q. If she has sworn he went so swift by her she could not see whether he had a white or black cravat, she must have made a mistake? A. Yes - I was never in a Court of Justice before; I went to Collison's to take some caps home; I said at the office that the man made a full stop and looked at the clock - there were different people in the public-house, outside the door and inside; I cannot swear what coloured cravat Cohen had on. Q. He made a very full stop at the clock? A. No, he passed and put his head up; I had seen him in the same dress the night before, in my sister's club-room. Cohen's Defence. On Friday evening, the 5th of August, in consequence of an indisposition, I did not leave home till after four o'clock; I then went to Charles Atkins', in Green-street, drank tea with him, and remained till after eight - I walked with him to London-bridge, then went down High-street, to the end of Dover-road, where we met two ladies of his acquaintance, but they are now in the country; we then proceeded down the Borough, to the end of Princes-street - I bade him good night, went home to supper, and was in bed at half-past ten o'clock, or from that to eleven. CHARLES ATKINS. I am a cabinet-maker, and live in Green-street, Blackfriars-road. On Friday, the 5th of August, Cohen came to my lodging, between four and five o'clock in the afternoon; he did not appear in good health - he took tea with me, and staid till eight o'clock; I then went out with him - we walked through various streets, and met two young women who I knew; I have not heard the defence he has made - I attended at the Police-office, ready to state this; he left me as near ten o'clock as I can guess, at the corner of Princes-street, in the London-road, which is one hundred yards or so from his home; he lived at No. 23. Pitt-street, Prospect-place - I think the clock had struck ten: the females we met are gone to Brighton. COURT. Q. What sort of a night was it? A. It rained while we were out, about nine o'clock: it was fine when I parted with him; I cannot say whether he had a white or a black cravat - I was with him all the evening. MARGARET HILL. On Friday, the 5th of August, the prisoner Cohen lodged with me, in Pitt-street, near the Elephant and Castle - he had lodged with me for three years; he was not in good health on the 5th of August - he came home on that night just after the clock struck ten, and was in bed before eleven o'clock; I had been at home all the evening - I attended to state this to the Magistrate. COURT. Q. How far do you live from the White Hart? A. I understand it is between four and five miles, but I do not know the house; he bore a very good character indeed while he lodged with me - I am quite sure of that. A JUROR. Pitt-street is in St. George's-fields. HENRY MARQUARD. That is about two miles and a half from the White Hart. GEORGE SEAMAN. I am a Policeman. I took Cohen on Saturday, the 6th of August, in the Commercial-road, just by the turnpike. BLACKET - GUILTY - DEATH. Aged 26. COHEN - GUILTY - DEATH. Aged 29.[Sept. 15.] (see https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/) --00--