William Green

135

C H on 31st March 2024

Old Bailey Online WILLIAM GREEN. EDWIN BARTLETT. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 9th May 1842 Text type Trial account Defendants WILLIAM GREEN, EDWIN BARTLETT Offences Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 9th May 1842 Reference Number t18420509-1625 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation 1625. WILLIAM GREEN and EDWIN BARTLETT were indicted for stealing, on the 6th of May, 2 pairs of boots, value 2l.; 1 shoe, value 6s.; and 1 slipper, value 4s.; the goods of Andrew Ward. ANDREW WARD . On Friday morning, the 6th of May, I went from home—I locked my shop—I returned about nine, and missed two pairs of boots, a slipper, and a shoe—the following morning I went with a warrant with an officer to a house in Peacock-court, Gray's Inn-lane, and found the boots in the first-floor room—these now produced are them—I do not know whose premises they are. Green. There is no Peacock-court, in Gray's Inn-lane. Witness, I believe it is Pheasant-court, but it has two or three names. CHARLES HENRY BAGNALL (police-constable 31 S). On the morning of the 7th of May I examined the lock of the prosecutor's door, and found it forced—I then went to No. 1, Pheasant-court, Gray's Inn-lane, and met the two prisoners coming out from the passage—I and another constable took them into custody, and took them to the back room first-floor—I knew by the search-warrant where they lived—they both lived there—I found one boot on Green, one boot under the bed, and one on the bed—and on the top of the ceiling I found ten skeleton keys—the house is not on my beat. Green. This is a house of ill fame; a young man named Driscoll and a girl lodge on the third floor; he sent this girl round for me the night before and said he had some boots; I went there next day, he gave me one boot to try on; it would not fit me; I said I thought I could sell it for him; he said he was a plasterer, and sometimes sold things for young men—did not I say you ought to take Driscoll into custody? Witness. You said I ought to take him because he knew something about a timepiece—you did not say anything about the boot. Bartlett. It was not our room. LOUISA OSBORNE . I have the care of this house—I do not know who the landlady is—I have known her some years but she only comes to the house once a week—a young man named Driscoll and a girl named Eliza Welstead lodge in the first-floor room, according to the statement of my charwoman, who does business in the house in my absence—Driscoll did lodge there—I believe the policeman took him and the young woman away on the day this occurred, for I have never seen him since—my charwoman let two rooms to Driscoll and Isabella—I do not know her other name—I understood that Bartlett was a tenant of the house, but I understand since that he was not a lodger—he only came there occasionally—I never saw Green—I do not remember their coming on the morning of the 7th of May—I never saw them till the policeman brought them into the house that morning—I think I should have seen them if they had come because my room is in the front, but I might perhaps be out of the way—they might pass into the house without my observing them, but I should scarcely think it possible—I am an unfortunate woman—the house belongs to a man named Jones, who generally comes once a week—it is a brothel—I did not swear before the Magistrate that any one took the room—I considered Bartlett was an inhabitant of the room by his going in and out. Q. Did you not say before the Magistrate "that room was taken by the prisoner Bartlett and a female, a week previous and had it then in occupation?" A. The mistake must have originated where they wrote it down—I was never in a place of that description before—I may have seen Bartlett two or three, or three or four times passing through the passage to the upper rooms—a person named Jane Brown generally let rooms during my absence. CHARLES HENRY BAGNALL re-examined. I was present when the examination was taken—I heard Osborne give her evidence—it was taken down, she signed it, and it was read over to her—this is the Magistrate's signature. (The deposition being read stated, "I remember the two last witnesses and the prosecutor coming to my house; they went into the first-floor room back; that room was taken by the prisoner Bartlett and a female a week previous, and had it then in occupation.") Witness. I was sent with the search-warrant from the station, with information which was received from a person who has absconded—Driscoll lived at the top of the house—I took the prisoners back to the first-floor room after taking them into custody—there was a girl in bed there apparently very ill—Green said to me, "Bagnall, she knows nothing at all about it, she is very bad, don't take her "—I should consider from their language that both the prisoners cohabited with that girl—I consider they knew one another—I am satisfied that Bartlett cohabited with her—I do not know that I ever saw Bartlett before—I have never seen them go into that court—there are five or six houses in the court—Green had the boot under his coat, and the fellow one to it was on the bed in the back room first-floor, with the two slippers. Green's Defence. It is all a planned thing of Driscoll's and the girl; I used to live in White Horse-court when he went away from his mother to live with this prostitute; I did not live at this house; I only came out of the hospital the Sunday before. Bartlett's Defence. It is clear I had nothing to do with the room; Driscoll occupies the two rooms, one for himself and the other for company. JANE BROWN . I am servant at this house in Pheasant-court—I do not know the name of the landlady; she comes once a week to receive the rent—Louisa Osborne takes care of the house—I do not know who lives at the top of the house now—a man named Driscoll did lodge there on the 6th of May, and a woman named Bell with him—two females lodge below them—I do not know their names—there is no man there—Driscoll and Bell lodge in the first-floor back-room—I do not know Bartktt's room—he has no room in the house to my knowledge—I do not know the name of the woman who is ill—she is not in the house constantly—she was in Driscoll's room when the officers came—Driscoll took those two rooms—I let them to him and Bell the week before—Bartlett did not take them to my knowledge—I have seen Green pass several times—I do not know which room he went into—I have seen Bartlett come several times, not twenty or fifteen times a week—I have not seen him every day—I have seen him pass through the passage up stairs—I did not see him go into any room—no other men live in the house but Driscoll and the two prisoners. CHARLES HENRY BAGNALL re-examined. I never charged Driscoll with this robbery—he lodges at the top of the house—I have no reason to think he is in any way connected with this room—I have not tried the skeleton keys to the prosecutor's door—as it was burst open they would not fit. GREEN— GUILTY . BARTLETT— GUILTY . Transported for Seven Years.