Lazarus Greaves

342

Maureen Withey on 1st April 2024

Digitised Indent of ship Albemarle Michael Dunn, James Molee, Edward Price, Robert Tapley, Lazarus Greaves, Thomas Haley, and Thomas Scrivener, were tried at Justice Hall, Old Bailey, Middlesex, 10 Jan 1787, seven years. -------------------------------------------------------------- Trial at the old Bailey, 10 Jan 1787. 198. LAZARUS GRAVES and CATHERINE SMITH were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 27th of December last, one silver watch, value 30 s. one silver seal, value 3 s. the property of John Young . JOHN YOUNG sworn. I am round house keeper of St. Giles's ; I lost my watch on the 27th of December, but I do not know how I lost it; I was informed the prisoner had it; I had it the morning of that day; I lost it at twelve at noon; I did not miss it till I heard it was gone the next morning; I put it under my bolster in my bed room, at St. Giles's round-house ; the prisoner Graves was a prisoner of mine; Mr. Reynolds told me that a soldier had stole my watch: the soldier was brought in that evening; there was two rooms; the prisoner was in the kitchen; the other room was not locked; the woman Smith had been there to the soldier, a corporal was there also who came to visit the soldier; the corporal went into the bedchamber with me to speak about Graves; I did not leave him there, but somebody came and knocked at the door, and I went out, and he went down with me; I believe I was down stairs about half an hour. JANE AKENHEAD sworn. I went with the corporal and another young woman; her name is Sarah Sleep ; we staid there for some time, and the master of the round-house took the corporal into his bed room to talk about the soldier ; he came out again, and Mr. Young went down stairs, and the corporal said to the other soldier, "he is easy to be done," I saw the prisoner Smith take the watch, and put it in her pocket; we all went away together in about half an hour, and then they went before the Justice, and I went home. Was there no conversation in that half hour about it? - No. Did the corporal say much about it? - No. Had not you all a curiosity to look at this watch? - No. What sort of a watch was it? - I cannot say; I saw it put on the table; it was a white one; it looked like silver. What did the prisoner Smith do with it after she took it out? - I do not know. Did she lay it down again? - I do not know. Who did you tell first of it? - The landlord of the house where I lodge; I went first to the Turk's-head, the corner of Plumbtree-street with the other young woman which was in the round house, and was there near an hour; I told nobody there; then I went home and told my landlord, and he informed the prosecutor; the landlord and me went that night, and the prosecutor was in bed. What became of the corporal? - I do not know. Do you know his name? - No; I went to the round house to Smith with Sarah Sleep ; Smith had lodged at our house two or three months, and Sarah Sleep had lived there two years. SARAH SLEEP sworn. I went in company with Catherine Smith and the last witness, and the corporal, to see the soldier. What is his name? - I do not know. What regiment does he belong to? - I have heard say he belonged to the first; we went up stairs and set half an hour in Mr. Young's room, and Mr. Young took the corporal into his bed room; after that Mr. Young was called down stairs, and he stopped the value of half an hour; while he was down stairs the corporal said, he was easy to be done; he mentioned it several times, and the soldier went in and took the watch and brought it out and laid it upon the table; Catherine Smith took it up and put it in her pocket, as far as I saw; nothing was said; the corporal took no notice; we stopped there a good bit; we went out altogether; I went to the public house first with the last witness, and left her there; Sleep went up to Litchfield-street; I did not tell any body; but when I came out, I heard the last witness had mentioned it. When you was at Litchfield-street did you tell the Justice or any body that you had seen this watch stolen? - No. Why did not you? - The other young woman said she would mention it. WILLIAM PICKERING sworn. I am an officer; I took the prisoners into custody on Monday the 29th; he was discharged that night; they fetched him from the Savoy; he was in custody there; I searched him and found nothing upon him; we had information of the woman, and told us the watch was taken from Graves's brother; the watch is here; I took Graves's sister into custody, and on the Sunday morning a duplicate was sent in a letter to Mr. Barnfather; I went to the pawnbroker's, and found the watch; the pawnbroker has it now. ROBERT PAIN sworn. Produces a watch pledged on the 28th of December, by a man who said his name was Thomas Williams . Pain. It was pledged with me; it was not the prisoner. (Deposed to.) CHARLES YOUNG sworn. I apprehended Graves on Wednesday the 27th of December, on suspicion of stealing half a crown of Mr. Reynolds, where this young woman lodged; and I took him to the round house; I saw the watch on the bed then; at six in the evening he was discharged; the next day I heard my father's watch was stolen by the soldier; at night I went and apprehended the woman and Sarah Sleep at the Turk's-head; the next day I took them to the Justice's, and they told this story going to the round house; they fell out, one said, you are as bad as me; Smith said before the Magistrate, he did not take the watch; on the Friday morning she said, that the corporal said, the owner was easy to be done, two or three times before that the soldier went in to take the watch. Did you ever learn who the corporal was? - Yes, he was taken into custody, and bound over to give evidence against the soldier; he was given up to the military law, and is to receive the punishment. Prisoner Graves. I never pawned the watch, nor never saw any. Prisoner Smith. I was at my own door, and the corporal asked me to shew him the round house; he went up stairs; I never saw any thing of the watch. The prisoner Graves called one witness to his character. BOTH GUILTY . Each transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. RECORDER.