Joseph Cox

135

C H on 8th April 2024

Old Bailey Online JOSEPH COX. Theft; housebreaking. 17th August 1846. Text type Trial account Defendants JOSEPH COX Offences Theft > Housebreaking Session Date 17th August 1846 Reference Number t18460817-1451 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1451. JOSEPH COX was indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Richard Savory, and stealing 17 coats, value 24l.; 20 pairs of trowsers, 20l.; 20 waistcoats, 15l.; 25 shirts, 7l.; 18 handkerchiefs, 3l.; 18 cravats, 32.?.; 12 stocks, 2l.; 2 pairs of boots, 2l.; 1 writing-desk, 1l.; 1 ring, 20l.; and 2 10l. bank-notes; the property of Henry Hansford. MR. PLATT conducted the Prosecution. HENRY HANSFORD . I live at No. 54, York-terrace, Regent's-park— I am park-keeper. On the 16th of March I was lodging at No. 21, High-street, Marylebone, in the dwelling-house of Mr. Richard Savory—about half-past six that evening I went from my rooms, leaving everything perfectly safe—I locked the door—my bed-room was the second-floor back room—I returned about twelve o'clock at night, and found the bed-room door open, and a skeleton-key in the lock inside the room—two boxes, a cupboard-door, a carpet bag, and a portmanteau were all broken open—everything of value was gone—I lost two 10l. bank-notes from one of my breeches pockets, and all my wearing apparel, seven or eight coats, eighteen or twenty pairs of trowsers, twenty-five or thirty waistcoats, several pairs of drawers, and a great many other articles, worth altogether more than 200l. to me. Cross-examined by MR. BALDWIN. Q. Was all this wearing-apparel for your own private use? A. Yes. SARAH WHOMES . I am single. On the 16th of March, about ten minutes after seven o'clock, I was coming down the stairs of Mr. Savory's house, and heard apparently a key opening the front door, which induced me to stop—the door opened, and two men rushed in quickly—it was light enough for me to see them—the prisoner was one of them, I am quite positive—he was in the passage, and the other one went up stairs—I have since been to the Penitentiary, seen the other man, and identified him—that man said to the prisoner, "you remain here, John; I will go and see"—the man stepped on the stairs, looked me in the face, and then went up past me—he said nothing to me, nor I to him—it was quite light at the time—Mr. Hansford lodged in the second-floor back room, over my head. Cross-examined. Q. What sort of a house is this? A. It was a greengrocer's—it is now a glazier's—there were two lodgers on my floor, two on the next, three on the next, and one in the kitchen—there is a private door—I am certain this was after seven o'clock—it was from seven to ten minutes after;—there was no lamp in the passage—they were too near for me not to see them J—there was a fan-light over the door, and a passage-window—the man who I went up saw me, and still went up—I did not see him come down again—I j went in to the landlady to deliver a message, and the prisoner was in the passage when I went up stairs to my room again—I saw him next at the station-house, several months after, not more than three weeks ago—I had never I seen him before that night—I always said I should know him, if I met him in the street—when the door opened, I was at the foot of the stairs, and they came to the middle of the passage—there was a gas-lamp directly opposite the door in the street—I do not know whether it was lighted, but I saw their faces very plain—there was no light but from the outside. MR. PLATT. Q. Look at him again—is he the man or not? A. He is—they shut the door after them—there was quite enough light through the fan-light for me to see them. COURT. Q. How do you know it was ten minutes past seven? A. I know it was after seven—it was quite light—I had not had a candle, and I had been at work—the man's back was to the fan-light, but there was a window on the landing, and it is a very wide staircase—the light from the window fell on his face—I delivered a message, and went up to my room—I did not hear anything going on overhead—my two nephews were playing in my room—I noticed the men because they were strangers—I thought it odd that they should enter a house in that sort of way—I did not give an alarm, because I did not like to interfere—I thought they had come to see Mr. Hansford, or somebody in the house—I did not know Mr. Hansford was out—if I had heard anything, I should have supposed it was him at home—the prosecutor is not related to me. WILLIAM PAW SON (police-constable C 107.) I know a man named Molloy—I was present when he was tried and convicted in this court, in July last, of another offence—he is in the Penitentiary now—I went there with Whomes, and she identified him in my presence, as one of the men concerned in this case. THOMAS LINTOTT . I am a eaft-proprietor, and live at No. 7, Blandford-mews—my cab is generally in Great Marylebone-street. About eight o'clock in the evening of the 16th of March, two persons came up to me—I am not certain whether the prisoner was one of them—I cannot swear to him—it was very dark—they hired iny cab—they had a large bag and a gentleman's writing-desk or dressing-case—one got outside and the other in—I drove them to Oxford-market, and set them down there at a little after eight o'clock. Cross-examined. Q. It was a dark and wet night? A. Yes—I know that it was on the 16th by taking the fare there, and in coming back I got another fare at Somerset-street, and took a gentleman to the Great Western, to the mail-train—that could have happened on another night—I heard of the robbery on the Tuesday in the next week—I then knew it was the 16th—it was a large bag of clothes, as much as they could 'poke into the cab—it was something like a tailor's or Jew's bag, that they carry old clothes in—it was a very large bag; it filled the door up as it went into the cab—they had great difficulty to get it in—one of them carried it before him—the other carried the writing-desk—it was on a Monday—I heard of the robbery on the Tuesday in the next week. CLARA SHIP . I am the wife of Henry Ship, of Castle-street, Oxford-market; the prisoner lodged in the next room to us. On the 16th of March, between seven and eight o'clock in the evening, as near eight as possible, I saw the prisoner come home, carrying a large substance up the stairs—it resembled a large bag—I saw him through a hole in my door—he asked his wife to show him a light—it was more near eight o'clock than after—I lodge in the second floor front room. Cross-examined. Q. When did you hear of the robbery? A. Not more than three weeks ago—I remember it was the 16th of March by a chair being left in the parlour for the person in the attic, and I heard the prisoner scrambling up stairs, and, thinking it was my husband, I looked through the keyhole; but, instead of a chair, it was the bundle—a person in the house looked at her rent-book about three weeks ago, and I know it was the 16th of March by that and by the chair—if I had not seen the book I should not have known it was the 16th of March—I remember the bundle coming that day—it appeared large—he asked his wife to show a light, as if she did not show light enough, and when I saw it was not the chair I took no more notice—it was a very large bundle—I could see through my key-hole—it is a wide staircase—the candle showed a light on his face, not on the bundle—it threw a shadow on his face, but I could see it was him distinctly—I coold see him—I I saw bis face when he turned the stairs—there was a cupboard belonging to I the prisoner's room on the landing—his door is beyond that cupboard—I his wife stood with a light—he asked her to show more light—the bundle I was a large substance—I cannot tell the shape or colour—the landlady is I not here with her book—I cannot be positive of the day without the book. MARIA WARD . I am the wife of William Ward, of Tottenham-street, I St. Pancras. The prisoner lodged in my house when he was apprehended, I which was on a Monday, about three weeks ago. RICHARD GOLDBAR . I am shopman to Mr. Hall, pawnbroker, of Norfolk—I street, Middlesex-hospital. On the 13th of July I took a shirt in, pawned I in the name of Ann Cox—I also produced a pair of drawers—I did not take I them in—they were pawned by a female, in the name of Ann Park. Cross-examined. Q. you do not know that they were the same person? A. No—I do not know the prisoner. HENRY COE . I am footman to Mrs. Lewes, and live at Southall. I recollect a man named Molloy—he was under-butler to Mr. Hodgson, of Carlton-gardens—he called on me in April last—the prisoner was with him—I I do not know the day of the month—I am not quite certain whether it was in April or the latter end of March—Molloy came to sell me some clothes—he took the principal part on himself—I bought a coat, waistcoat, trowsers, and other things, and paid him for them—I was not particular as to the I quantity I got—I paid 3l. 10. for them—I cannot swear what they were—I got the value of my money—I found that out by selling them—there were five or six pairs of trowsers—there were not ten—there were four coats, I think, and six or seven waistcoats—they were second-hand—it was a (air price for them—there were one or two pair of gloves—the prisoner was present during the sale—he sat on a chair, and he saw them sold—he did not interfere with the sale—these articles produced are some of the things I bought—I have worn two waistcoats. Cross-examined. Q. Did you know Molloy between the time you served with him at Hodgson's and the time you bought the clothes? A. Yes—he told me he was getting his living by jobbing—I have bought things of him before—I considered he had them as valet, and bought them to sell again—I knew that he did it to turn a little money, and I did the sam£—I bought them to sell part of them again—I did not know the prisoner before—I know he is the same man very well—he partook of some ale we had, and left with Molloy—I see no difference in him now—I paid Molloy the money—he was there about an hour and a half or two hours. COURT. Q. You were Molloy's fellow-servant at one time? A. Yes—he used to buy and sell clothes then of various servants, and I have done the same—my master's old suits and livery, anything to make a shilling of—the prosecutor fetched the things from where I sold them—there was nothing suspicious about it. ANDREW WYNESS (police-constable D 42.) On the 27th of July I apprehended the prisoner, at 14, Tottenham-street—I asked him whether his name was John Cox—he said, "Yes,"—the prosecutor was with me—I said I took him on suspicion of a robbery in High-street—he said, "Very well, I will go with you"—I searched the room, and found forty-six duplicates—some were for drawers and a shirt—the one for the shirt was dated 13th July, in the name of Ann Cox, pawned at Hall's, 15, Norfolk-street—I had these coats from the witness Coe. Cross-examined. Q. How do you know it was the prisoner's room? A. The landlord told me his room, and I took him in that room—only two of the duplicates relate to the property. HENRY HANSFORD re-examined. These things are my property, and were safe in my room that night—this shirt is mine. Cross-examined. Q. Look at that pair of drawers, are they yours A. I swear to them—there is no private mark on them—they are a very particular sort—I have another pair exactly the same, off the same piece—there is no particular mark on the shirt, but I have a shirt of the same make off the same piece—it is made by the same maker in High-street—I bought the cloth myself, and had the shirts made—I do not believe there is plenty of cloth of the same quality—the shirts are worked down here in a particular way—you will not find another such shirt in the whole town—it is made to order—the pattern was sent—I was looking up my shirts that night, as I was just moving—there was half a dozen of this kind of shirts—I have from eighteen to twenty shirts altogether, but only half a dozen of these—I had counted them the day before—they were put into one box—the drawers are new—they have not been worn—another shirt of the same sort was found on Molloy. RICHARD GOLDEN re-examined. These two duplicates are the parts of the duplicates given to the parties pawning the things—I have the counterpart of them here—this is the duplicate I gave for the shirt to Ann Cox. GUILTY . Aged 30.— Transported for Ten Years.