James Field

135

C H on 25th February 2024

Old Bailey Online JAMES HICKMAN. JAMES FIELD. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 15th April 1801 Text type Trial account Defendants JAMES HICKMAN, JAMES FIELD Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 15th April 1801 Reference Number t18010415-49 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation 342. JAMES HICKMAN, alias FOSSETT , and JAMES FIELD , were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 27th of February , one hundred and seventy pounds weight of tea, value 40l. the property of John Johnson , and Robert Thorley . Second Count. Charging it to be the property of John Mason . Third Count Charging it to be the property of Thomas Pickford , James Pickford , Matthew Pickford , Jonathan Higginson , James Vaux , John, Vaux , and Thomas Vaux . Fourth Count. Charging it to be the property of John King . Fifth Count. Charging it to be the property of certain persons to the Jurors unknown.(The case was opened by Mr. Knapp.) THOMAS WEATHERALL sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am clerk to Hugh, and John Johnson : On the 22st of February, two chests of tea, congou and souchong, were sent to the Castle Inn, Wood-street , to go by the Liverpool waggon; the carman who took them to the inn is not here; the chests were marked with a crow-foot. GEORGE DRINKWATER sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I put the marks on this chest, the King's number, 17265, the merchant's number, 5, and the merchant's mark, called crow-foot; Messrs. Johnson and Co. sent me directions to put No. 95 upon this chest, and I put it on; as to the other, I don't know what the mark is; I afterwards saw the same chest at the Castle Inn, and I am certain it is the same chest. JOHN MEKIN sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am a porter at the Castle Inn, Wood-street: On the 27th of February I received a great many chests of tea; we loaded one waggon, for Liverpool, entirely with these chests, there were more chests than the waggon would contain; I cannot say whether they all went off that day or not. JOHN ALCOCK sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am an inn-keeper, at Dancer's-hill, in the county of Middlesex: On the 27th of February, when the waggon came to my house, about two o'clock in the day, it was all right; it was a narrow wheeled waggon, with five horses, it contained two ton; about nine o'clock at night, I received intelligence that the waggon had been robbed; I went to look at the waggon, and I observed the ropes cut, I had seen it about a quarter of an hour before, and then it was perfectly safe; the waggon was robbed at my house, it stopped there till Sunday; the ropes were cut, and the sheet let down; I looked into the waggon, and saw a space where the chests would have come out; in consequence of that, I went in pursuit o f the thieves; there was some straw removed in the waggon, and I tracked the straw down a lane that led to Mobs-hole, about half a mile from my house, and there I found a mare and a cart, and in the cart two chests of tea; we brought the tea back, and the next day took the horse and cart to Bow-street; about half an hour after we had brought the chests back, I saw the prisoner, Hickman, and another man, go past my house, I had never seen them before, it was a moon-light night; we pursued them, and took them; the person that was with Hickman, said they had come from St. Alban's that they had been there to meet a drove of sheep, and stopped at a house at South Mims; I set off to enquire at South Mims, and while I was gone the other man ran away. Cross-examined by Mr. Bevil. Q. Was it Hickman or the other man that said he came from St. Alban's? - A. It was Hickman; and the other said he had come from the Trumpet, ast St. Alban's. ROGER CUTLER sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am a farmer; I went in pursuit of the thieves, I stopped the cart in the lane, leading to Mob's-hole, it was going on, it is a by-way round to Barnel; there was nobody with the cart; I was present when they were taken; on of them struck at the man who held him, and got off and ran away. JOHN CROSS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am clerk, at the Castle-inn, Wood street, (refers to his book and reads) 95, Ridgeway and Co. Liverpool; there are seventeen chests of that entry, marked with a crow-soot, but only one 95; it was delivered to Mr. Pickford, one of the proprietors of the waggon. ( John Trotman confirmed the evidence of Alcock and Culler, and deposed that he was with Field about fifteen minutes, that be knew him again immediately, at Bow-street: that he had on a white Bath great-coat, with a white velvet collar, which was produced at Bow-street, and that be is sure of his person.) GEORGE OFFTIE sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I keep the turnpike-gate, Back-lane, Islington: On the 27th of February, Hickman went through the gate on horseback, between four and five in the afternoon, towards St. Alban's; there were two people in a chaise-cart went through just before him; there is a cart in the yard like it, but I cannot swear that it is the same. Mr. Bevil. Q. A great many carts of the same sort go through your gate? - A. Yes. THOMAS MORRIS sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am a soldier in the first regiment of Tower-Hamlet militia; On the 27th of February, I saw the two prisoners between six and seven o'clock; Field had a Bath great-coat, with a white velvet collar, at the White-lion, Finchley-common; Field and another man came in a chaise-cart, Hickman rode upon a saddle-horse, the cart was about a minute before him, they stopped there about three quarters of an hour; I did not see any name upon the cart, it had a remarkable high front board, I saw it within these two minutes in the yard, I am certain it is the same; I had never seen the prisoners before; but what made me take particular notice of them was, that Field was flashing about the house with a whip in his hand, whipping the landlord's dogs; Field drove the cart. - RUTHVEN sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I apprehended Field on the 9th of March, at the Bleeding Heart, in Parker's-lane, Drury-lane, I knew him before; he asked what we wanted him for; says he, I suppose it is about that b-y horse and cart; he had this great coat on at the time, which being a particular one, we took off from him. (Produces it.) Morris. I believe this to be the same coat. Trotman. I have no doubt it is the same. RICHARD LIMBRICK sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I have the possession of the horse and cart, I received it from the country people; I have known Field about nine years; I know it to be his cart. WILLIAM CLARKE sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knapp. I am book-keeper at the Castle Inn. Q. Who was the person employed to drive the waggon ? - A. John King ; the proprietor s are, Thomas Pickford , James Pickford , Matthew Pickford , Jonathan Higginson , John Vaux , James Vaux , and Thomas Vaux . (the chests produced). Drinkwater. This is the chest that I marked. the cart in the lane; I put my mark upon it. The prisoner Hickman left his defence to his Counsel. Field's defence. I had fold my cart to one John Rhodes, in Smithfield market. Hickman, GUILTY , aged 28. Field, GUILTY , aged 30. Transported for seven years .[The prisoner Hickman was afterwards convicted of sheep-stealing, and received sentence of death.] Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Heath.