George Freeman

342

Maureen Withey on 11th October 2022

List of 80 male convicts (originally sent on Guildford 1812) be embarked per Ruby of Calcutta to Hobart Town, with the indents from Guildford, master Johnson, in 1812. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON13-1-1$init=CON13-1-1P23 Geo. Freeman, tried Middx G.D., 11 Jan 1810, Life.

110

Ron Garbutt on 22nd September 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 22 September 2022), July 1810, trial of GEORGE FREEMAN (t18100718-4). GEORGE FREEMAN, Theft > housebreaking, 18th July 1810. 542. GEORGE FREEMAN was indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of George Bruniges , about the hour of three in the morning, on the 25th of June , the said George Bruniges and others of his family being therein, and stealing therein, three pounds nine ounces weight of soap, value 3 s. 6 d and three hundred and thirty-seven halfpence, the property of George Bruniges . GEORGE BRUNIGES . I am a publican ; I live in Wentworth-street, Whitechapel . On the 25th of June, between three and four o'clock in the morning, I was in bed in my one pair of stairs front room, I heard the watchman say, landlord, come to the window; I went to the window and opened it; the watchman told me there was something the matter with the windows, he came past at two o'clock, it was all safe then. I went down stairs directly, I found my bar door broken open, and the till containing the money was gone, the street door was open, and one of the shutters was broke and taken down. I informed Mr. Griffiths the officer. Q. Was any thing taken away - A. The till was gone, and the house was broken open. I saw the till the last thing at night, it was full of halfpence and penny-pieces, and one bar of soap was taken away. Q. Did you see any thing of the prisoner, or know any thing of the prisoner - A. Not till he was brought to my house about three hours after by a police officer, and the soap was also brought. Q. You said you were in bed, what others of your family were there too - A. I had my three children in bed. SARAH BRUNIGES . I am the daughter of the last witness. Q. What time were you called up - A. My father was called up first. I only know that I was the person that bought the soap, it weighed three pounds nine ounces good weight; I bought it on Sunday evening and put it on the tap tub in the passage; it cost three shillings and sixpence; that was gone when I got up in the morning. Q. Did you ever see it again - A. Yes; I suppose it was the same soap, it was cut in pieces. SAMUEL MILLER . I am a police officer. About five o'clock on Monday morning, the 25th of June, Griffiths, my fellow officer, came to my house and called me up, and said there had been a public house broken open in Wentworth-street; we went and found the head of the shutter cut enough to take the shutter down; we then went and searched the persons of bad character; I found the prisoner in bed with a girl in a court in Wentworth-street, about a quarter past six in the morning; I then went to a closet in the room and found these halfpence; he was in bed with a girl, undressed; they were in this handkerchief, I found a pistol in the closet, a center bit, and this small chisel, and under the pillar I found these bits of soap; I then took them to the house that was broken open and tried this chisel to two places where the lead had been cut away under the shutter; there were two places that fitted it; we then took him to the office and went and weighted the soap, it weighed three pounds nine ounces. In taking him to the office I asked where he got the halfpence; he at first hesitated, and I asked him again; he then said he had them from his father on Saturday night; he said he knew nothing about the soap. Q. Was the prisoner in the room when you found the things - A. No; not exactly then. Mr. Alley. His father keeps a shop, does not he - A. Yes, a cork-cutters shop. Q. The girl is an unfortunate creature that sees other men - A. She is; I have seen him with her a number of times; it is my opinion he entirely keeps her. JOHN GRIFFITHS . I was with the other officer, Miller; I know no more than him; I was with him when he fitted the chisel with the place, and it fitted exactly. Q. to Sarah Bruniges . You say that you had bought the soap on the Sunday night - A. Yes; that is the same sort of soap; it was in one piece, it is in seven pieces now; it is yellow soap. Q. to Prosecutor. You do not know so much of the soap as your daughter perhaps - A. No; I only saw it when it lay in the passage. I cannot swear to any of the halfpence; there were four pounds worth of halfpence and penny pieces in my till, not two shillings more or less, and all was gone. I did not count the quantity that the officer brought back. Q. to Miller. When you found the soap under the pillow, how many pieces were there - A. Seven. I brought them all away. Q. The halfpence that you found in the closet, what quantity were they - A. Fourteen shillings and a halfpenny, that is the quantity that is here now. GUILTY - DEATH . aged 19. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. justice Le Blanc. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18100718-4