Robert Fossett

342

Maureen Withey on 1st April 2024

Digitised Indent of ship Salamander. Robert Fossett, tried Old Bailey, Middlesex, 9 Sept 1789, 7 years. -------------------------------------------------------------- Old Bailey, 9 Sept 1789. The following capital convicts were offered his Majesty's pardon, on condition of Transportation to the Coast of New South Wales, for seven years , which they accepted, viz. … Robert Fawcett  ... -------------------------------------------------------------- His original trial was at the Old Bailey, 9 Jan 1788. 110. ROBERT FOSSET was indicted, for burglariously and feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling house of John Cock , about the hour of eight in the night, on the 16th day of December last, and burglariously stealing therein, two looking glasses, in wooden frames, value 10 s. a man's hat, value 4 s. a printed bound book, in octavo, called the Holy Bible, value 12 d. one yard of flowered gauze, value 2 d. a hair comb, value 1 d. his property . JOHN COCK sworn. I live at No. 19, Shadwell : on the 16th of December last, I left my house between five and six; I had bolted my back door, and locked the fore door, and secured the house; I went over the way to have my leg dressed, being lame; my wife was out at nursing; I returned at ten o'clock, and I went to strike a light, and the table was moved from the place where I left it; I found the door locked when I returned; I unlocked the door, and went in; I struck a light, and found the candle on the table, and the candlestick gone, then I missed some part of the other things that were gone; I missed a looking-glass; soon after I missed another; I missed my hat, the next morning I missed the Bible; I found a part of the pane of glass of the casement window broke against the catch of the window, and I found the window part open, that is, the catch was not fastened again, it was a little way upon the jar. Was that casement large enough for a person to get in? - Yes. Can you be perfectly sure that that casement was shut when you went out? - Yes. Did you try it? - I fastened it that same afternoon; I left it fast, and when I went out it was fast; I examined it, and I laid my Bible on the window fill; I had been reading in the Bible before I went out, and I laid it in the window; there was another book with it, but that was not taken away; my wife did not come home at all that night; I was by myself in the house; I have never got my things again; I swore to them at the Justices; I do not know who took the things. ROBERT DAWSON sworn. I belong to the Publick Office: on Sunday, the 16th of December, I, in company with Mr. Orange, apprehended the prisoner, about nine at night, in the back lane, Cable-street; he ran into a house, and on his head, over his own hat, he had this hat, and under his arm he had this looking-glass, but he put the looking-glass on the counter of the shop, before I could lay hold of him; I saw him put it on the counter of the shop; the doors are always open to receive such people as those; and in his pocket I found this bit of gauze; Mr. Orange searched him further, and found something else; this bit of gauze was hanging out of his pocket, and I laid hold of it; it was my night to attend the watch-house; I had been walking round the parish; I do not know the prisoner. JOHN ORANGE sworn. I was with Robert Dawson on the 16th, between eight and nine; we saw the prisoner go into a house, and we pursued him, and in searching him I found this Bible, we secured him, and took him to the watch-house, and he was committed the next day; the next morning finding the prosecutor's name, Mr. Cock, on the Bible, I went to him, and desired him to come down, he said he had been robbed, and lost some things; I told him to come down to the Public Office, in East Smithfield; he came there, and swore to the property; here are his wife's name, and children's name in the Bible. Prosecutor. This is my Bible; I know it; I bought it; it has my name on it, and my brothe'rs name, and children's name, in my own writing; this is the Bible I left in the window that night, and this glass over the mantle-shelf; there is a piece out of the corner, and there is a piece out of this; this is my hat; here is the man's name where I bought it, and tallow-grease upon it, as I mentioned before I saw it, and this laid on the drawers. PRISONER's DEFENCE. I was going along, and saw these things lay; I picked them up; seeing this man's house open I went in, and asked him if they belonged to him? and he said no; and before I could say any thing else this man came in and took me. Jury. Are the two officers that gave evidence regular constables. Dawson. I am a constable of St. Botolph, Aldgate; it was my night on duty. Prisoner. I have no witnesses; they waited so long they could not wait any longer. Had the pane of glass that was opposite to the handle of the casement, been broke before? - No, it was not; it was whole when I went out. And you can positively swear that you fastened the window yourself before you went out? - I can. Jury to prisoner. How old are you? - Going of thirteen. GUILTY , Death . Jury. We recommend him to mercy on account of his youth. Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice WILSON. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Yesterday the sessions began at the Old-Bailey, when James Belbin, aged 16, and Robert Fossett, aged only 13, for burglaries, were both capitally convicted, but were recommended mercy on account of their years. Stamford Mercury, 11 Jan 1788.