David Jones

Level 221

D Wong on 9th August 2018

Old Bailey: JOSEPH WRIGHT, DAVID JONES. Theft: housebreaking. 6th January 1831 Verdict Guilty > lesser offence Sentence Transportation JOSEPH WRIGHT and DAVID JONES were indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Roberts, on the 4th of January, and stealing, 3 reams of paper, value 2l. 10s., his property. Wright's Defence. When he crossed over to the warehouse I was on the opposite side, and seeing him go very hasty I stopped to see what was amiss; he came out directly with two gentlemen - the officer ran up Queen-street; I ran with him to see what was amiss, and at the top of Queen-street he said to me, "Did you see which way the young man went?" I said No; he looked at me, and said, "I think you are the young man who had the paper;" I said, "If so, I am willing to go where you think proper." RICHARD GEORGE STATHAM . Instead of his running after me I was running after him; he was a-head. Jones' Defence. I was walking down Queen-street; a young man, apparently in a great hurry with three reams of paper on his arm, stopped at the corner of a street, placed them on a window cill, and one of them slipped from between - I ran to put them on his shoulder; he asked me to carry them to Aldersgate-street with him as he was in baste; I said I had no objection, having nothing to do - he told me to follow him, and by St. Thomas Apostle the gentleman came up; the man had just turned the corner as the gentleman came up to me. WRIGHT - GUILTY. Aged 17. JONES - GUILTY. Aged 21. Of stealing only. - Transported for Seven Years. Joseph Wright arrived per 'Georgiana 1831'. David Jones was literate and single, his occupations listed are: Carpenter/bricklayer/Plasterer. Assigned to Edward Cox, Mulgoa. 3/6/1837: TOL Penrith 20/8/1838: COF 2/6/1841: Married Margaret Wilson in Brisbane Waters. They had 7 children. 1863: Was working as a bricklayer and was in Darlinghurst Gaol. 20/5/1863 Sydney Morning Herald: David Jones, bricklayer, found drunk in George-street, was gound guilty of assaulting the apprehending constable, and fined 20s, with the alternative of three days' imprisonment. 29/11/1872: David Jones committed suicide. 30/11/1872 Sydney Morning Herald: CORONER'S INQUEST. SUICIDE THROUGH EXCESSIVE DRINKING. YESTERDAY forenoon, the City Coroner held, at Kelsey's, Queensland Hotel, Kent-street, an inquest touching the cause of death of a man named David Jones, whose dead body was then lying at 218, Kent-street. Margaret Jones, living at 218, Kent-street, deposed: Deceased is my husband ; he is 64 years of age, and a native of London (England) ; he was by trade a bricklayer and plasterer; we have been married 31 years last May ; he has left four children ; ho has been 42 years in the colony; he was very much given to drink that is to habits of intemperance ; he has been drinking to excess during the last thirteen weeks; he has not been sober for a week during that time ; he was tipsy yesterday (Thursday) ; last night he was raving very much; I sat with bim till 12 o'clock ; he imagined he saw things in the house ; he said to me that he saw the devil ; I went to bed at a quarter to 9 o'clock; he was then asleep; I did not disturb him ; between 2 and 3 o'clock this morning he got up and went out into the yard ; he returned inside and came to bed again ; I did not speak to him ; I next heard him about half-past 4 o'clock, when he again got out of bed, but I cannot say whether he then left the room ; he said last night that he would get up early this morning and go and do a job for Mr. Day ; when he got up about half-past 4 o'clock tbis morning, 1 thought he was going to his work ; I went off to sleep and heard nothing more of him; I awoke about 5 o'clock; it was then broad daylight, and there was sufficient light in the room to enable me to distinguish objects; I then saw my husband standing against the outer bedpost at the foot of the bed ; I said, "Jones, what are you doing there?" getting no answer, I jumped out of bed and went to him ; I tried to shake him, but he did not change his position ; upon closer examination I found that he was secured to the bedpost by a cord round his neck, similar to a piece now before the Court ; I at once got a knife and cut the cord at the throat; I then laid him on the floor ; I did that before my lodgers came into the room, although I screamed out previously, " Oh my God! My husband, is dead!" I found that he was dead on lying him down; the body was slightly warm; I did not send for a medical man ; a constable came about 6 o'clock ; sergeant M'Keogh brought Dr. Wright; I never saw any cord in the house before like the piece produced, which is a portion of the cord which was round my husband's neck ; he attempted to hang himself about two years ago; he was drinking all that time; he was not punished ; I have not heard him say since then that he would take bis life ; I had no reason at any time to fear that he would commit suicide ; I put his razor away on Wednesday night, as I was afraid that he would do some injury with it, as he was very bad with the drink ; the cord was tight round the neck, which was close to the bed-post.