Henry Goucher

110

Ron Garbutt on 22nd September 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 22 September 2022), January 1811, trial of HENRY GOUCHER (t18110109-41). HENRY GOUCHER, Theft > animal theft, 9th January 1811. 241. HENRY GOUCHER was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 18th of December , a gelding, value 80 l. the property of Charles Baxter ; a saddle, value 10 s. two bridles, value 15 s. a Chaise harness, value 8 l. and two halters, value 1 s. the property of Phillip Dodsall , Charles Baxter , and Andrew Mackclew . THOMAS HARROWSMITH. I am a groom to Mr. Baxter. Q. Is Mr. Baxter one of the partners at Mr. Godsell's house - A. Yes. Q. You charge this man with stealing a gelding - A. Yes, this gelding was the sole property of Mr. Charles Baxter . This horse was lost from the stable in New-yard, Great Queen-street , in the parish of St. Giles's; it was stolen on the 17th of Decemberlast. I left the stable at half past seven in the evening; on the 17th of December last the stable door was locked with two locks, the gelding was safe in it. I went to the stable at half after seven on the 18th in the morning I found the stable had been broken open and the gelding was gone. Q. What was the worth of the gelding - A. Eighty pounds. Q. Do you know whether there was any saddle, bridle or chaise harness - A. Yes, there was a saddle gone, the saddle was safe the night before; it belonged to the partnership, it might be worth eight shillings; two bridles were missing which were safe the over night, the two bridles were worth fourteen shillings, and a chaise harness was gone that was safe when I left the stable, that was worth eight pound, the bridle and the chaise harness were the property of the partnership, and there were two halters taken away that the gelding was tied up with, they were worth a shilling. Q. Did you ever see the gelding again - A. On the 20th of December I found the gelding in a stable in Mr. Hornby's yard, in St. Martin's-lane, I knew it to be my master's. Q. Do you know the prisoner - A. Yes, I knew him by being at work in the yard of my employers. Q. These gentlemen are coachmakers in Long-acre, are they not - A. Yes. The prisoner knew where the horse was kept. Q. What are the partner's names - A. Phillip Godsell , Charles Baxter , Andrew Mackclew . Q. Did you find the harness with the horse - A. No. THOMAS HORNBY . I am a livery stable keeper. Q. Do you know the person of the prisoner - A. Yes; I let him a two stall stable, in the name of captain Smith, that he said was his master's name, he had possession of it on the 24th of November; he said he was the servant of Captain Smith. Q. Do you know whether he brought a horse to that stable - A. No, I never saw him after the 24th of November, till that day the horse was brought into the yard by somebody, that was the 18th day of December. Q. Did you see any horse brought into your yard on the 18th of December - A. No. On the 18th of December I saw him, I told the people of the yard if he came to let me see him; when I saw him I said, what makes you so long before you come to my yard, it is a month ago you took my stable; he said his master was taken ill at Woolwich, and he was going to him on the next day. He had the key in his possession, I did not see the horse in the stable. RICHARD SMITH. I am coachman to Mr. Nutting, King-street, Covent Garden; I saw the prisoner come in about a quarter before six in the morning of the 18th of December into Mr. Hornby's yard, in Bedford Bury, he brought a horse with him, he led him in the gateway; I heard him unlock the stable door. I did not see him; he came out in about five minutes afterwards without the horse. I am sure the prisoner is the man. Q. to Mr. Hornby. Was that the yard in Bedford Bury that the prisoner took the stable - A. Yes, it is detached from our yard. Prisoner. I was ten miles out of town at the time he swears that. Q. to Smith. At the time this man brought the horse it was not day light - A. No, it was not. I had a candle and lanthorn, he was the man, and no one else, he passed close by me twice. GEORGE DONALDSON . I am a constable of St. Martin's in the Fields. In consequence of information I went down to Mr. Hornby's stables, on Wednesday the 19th of December, about eleven o'clock at noon, we got a ladder and looked through the window, and saw the horse that was described in the hand-bills in Mr. Hornby's yard, Bedfordbury; Mr. Hornby was by at the time. When I looked in the stable and saw the horse, Clark broke open the stable door with a chisel that Mr. Hornby lent him, we found only one horse in that stable, that horse was claimed by Mr. Baxter himself, he came down and claimed the horse as his; the horse is now in Mr. Baxter's possession. Q. to Harrowsmith. Is the horse in Mr. Baxter's possession - A. It is. Q. to Donaldson. Did you see the prisoner - A. Not till night. In the stable I found this saddle and bridle, I have kept them ever since. Q. to Harrowsmith. Look at that saddle and bridle - A. They were taken from Mr. Baxter's stable, I am positive the bridle and saddle is the property of my employer, they were in the same stable out of which the horse was stolen. Q. to Donaldson. When did you see the prisoner after this - A. About ten minutes past five on the 19th we apprehended him coming towards the stable where the horse was in; he was about six yards from the stable; we were in another stable, we let him go past, I said I got you, and took him in custody; he was troublesome; we searched him in the public-house, we were obliged to make use of great force, we found the key of the stable upon him. Q. to Mr. Hornby. Is that the key of the stable that you let to him - A. I believe it is. Donaldson. After we had put him in the watch-house I and Clark went up to his lodgings, Clark told me it was his lodgings, I found his wife there. In searching his lodgings, in a pail under the dresser, I found this halter with the initials of C. B. marked upon it. Harrowsmith. I will take my oath this is the halter that I left the horse tied up with on the 17th; it is one out of the two. And the horse is a gelding. JOAN CLARK . Q. You were with Donaldson when this man was apprehended - A. Yes; in searching him I found in his left hand pocket this key, I tried it with the lock on the stable, it both locked and unlocked it; I understood by one of Mr. Baxter's men where the prisoner's lodgings were; I found a woman there that answered to his name; I afterwards saw them together at the watchhouse where they acknowledged each other as man and wife. Q. Did you find any thing in the room where this woman was - A. Donaldson found the halter, I saw him find it. Q. What part of the house was this room - A. Inthe kitchen down stairs. Prisoner's Defence. I am innocent of the business; I took the stable for my master; I lent the key to some person, and I had the key of him; I was going into this stable. Q. Who is that person - A. He is gone out of town. Q. to Harrowsmith. I understood you to say that this man worked for Mr. Godsell and Mr. Baxter - A. Yes, he has worked for them, he left on the 10th of November. The prisoner called one witness, who gave him a good character. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 35. First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/print.jsp?div=t18110109-41