John Mitchell Hall

135

C H on 2nd March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN MITCHELL HALL. Theft; theft from a specified place. 9th May 1836. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN MITCHELL HALL Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 9th May 1836 Reference Number t18360509-1357 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1357. JOHN MITCHELL HALL was indicted for stealing, on the 19th of April, at Putney, 9 sovereigns, 1 half-sovereign, 1 half-crown, 20 shilling, and 14 sixpences, the monies of Leonard Boyten, in his dwelling-house. LEONARD BOYTON . I keep a beer-shop at Roehampton, in the parish of Putney, in Surrey. On the 19th of April the prisoner came to my house about twelve o'clock in the day, and remained till about half-past four o'clock, and paid for it about five o'clock—he used to work at Squire Gordon's as a labourer, and then he used my house—he had not been to my house since he left "Squire Gordon's which was about Christmas time—I had nine sovereigns and a half-sovereign in gold, and 30s. in silver, in different coins, in a box in my bed-room—the gold was in a bag and the silver loose in the box—the box was locked, but the key left in the lock—I had been to it about five o'clock that evening—there was then eleven sovereigns in it—the prisoner at that time was in the top-room—I brought two sovereigns down into the tap-room, and took them into the parlour—I had them in my hand in the tap-room, but I cannot say whether any body could see them—I took them to a man in the parlour, who give me 30s. in silver and half-a-sovereign in change for them—he was a hawker, and was in the habit of giving me change—I immediately took it up-stairs, laid the 30s. in the corner of the box, and put the half-sovereign into the bag, where I had nine sovereigns—there was no silver in the box believe that—about nine o'clock that night I went up-stairs to my bed-room and missed the money—the prisoner had gone out about seven o'clock—I saw him go out of the tap-room into the street, and meet Richard Sawyer in the street—all my money was gone except one sixpence at the corner of the box—I found the key in the lock of the box, but the box-lid was open—the box was standing on the floor—there were some notes, my watch, and different things in it—none of those were gone—the money was not marked—the stair-case fronts the street as you come in at the door—a person coming in from the street could go right up-stairs—there are about eighteen stairs—there is a stair-case on the top of the first stairs, before you get to the room—the prisoner was sometimes at work for three or four months together, at Mr. Gordon's, at other times he was off work for a few weeks—while he was at work he used to come to my house to breakfast and dinner—he was never up-stairs to my knowledge—he was taken about ten o'clock that right, and I saw eight sovereigns and a half in gold, 24s. 6d. in silver, and 4 1/2d. in copper, taken from him. Cross-examined by MR. ALLEN. Q. You speak about his being at your house about five o'clock, how many people were there at that time? A. One person besides, names Johnson—no other person was in that room—I have a skittle-ground—there was nobody there—there in a passage between the room the prisoner was in and the other room—there was no one in the kitchen—Mr. Case was in the parlour—they were-the only three persons in the house—the prisoners was in the tap-room, which is on the left-hand side of the street door—the bar is behind the sap-room—I had the money in my hand about five o'clock—the hawker gave me change in the parlour, which is the right hand room—I took it up-stair, and the hawker went home—the prisoner paid me about five o'clock for the half-and-half—I have no means of knowing that the money found on the prisoner was mine—I have no recollection of telling the Magistrate I had no reason to suspect him, but that I heard he had money—the prisoner had been showing money about and I missed mine. JOHN EDGAR . I am a policeman. On the 19th of April I apprehended the prisoner, between ten and half-past ten o'clock, on the prosecutor's charge, in a hay-loft, over the stable belonging to Mr. Royal, of Rochampton—it is a public-house, and is between two and three hundred yards from the prosecutor's—I searched him, and found on him eight sovereigns, one half-sovereign, one half-crown, 17 shillings and nine sixpence in silver—they were in his left-hand jacker pocket—all in one pocket, the gold, silver and half-pence—I made him no threat or promise—he questioned me, to know where I was going to take him—I told him on suspicious of robbing Mr. Boyton's bed-room of nine sovereigns and some silver, and I was going to take him to the station-house at Wandsworth—he replied, "Take me where you like: do what you like with me, and send me out of this b—country, for I shall do no good in it"—I found on him a key, a knife and part of a comb. Cross-examined. Q. How did you know where to find him? A. By inquiry—I had no difficulty in finding him in the loft—he was locked up in the stable, and covered up in the third stall, but I found him in the loft over the stable—he had moved—he was drunk and al seep when I found him—he did not say he had taken that place for his bed for the night—while I was taking him to Wandsworth, he said the money was him own, and he had saved it by his industry. Q. Did not he say, "If you take me to prison, you may as well send me out of the country, for I shall do no good in it afterwards?" A. No; he said as I said before—he did not say he should lose him character by such a charge as this. WILLIAM CASE . I am a shoemaker. On the 19th of April I saw the prisoner about five o'clock in the afternoon—he came into the parlour at Boyton's, were I was, and said, "Care, lend me sixpence to pay for some beer; I have got plenty of sovereigns; I will pay you again"—I lent it him—he was very drunk. Cross-examined. Q. How long have you known him? A. From a baby—I expressed no surprise at his saying he had plenty of sovereigns, being drunk—I gave him the sixpence to get rid of him—I should have been surprised to see him with sovereigns at that time—year ago I have known him to have sovereigns—he has been out of a work a good deal lately—he has not been in a situation of late years to be possessed of sovereigns, but four of five years ago be might—I believe he is am hones man when sober. RICHARD SAWYER . I saw the prisoner on the 19th of April, about fifty yards from Mr. Boyton's house, coming from there towards, Roehampton village, about seven o'clock in the evening—he asked me to lend him sixpence—I told him I had not get one—he put his hand in his left-hand waistcoat pocket and pulled out a quantity of sovereigns—I did not see how many there were—he said, "I have just made good lab; don't say nothing about it"—he said he had not lobbed for nothing this time—I do not know what he meant by that—I asked him if it was his own money, or whether he was going to pay a bill with it—he told me he had just been and prigged it, and that the man did not know he had got it, and he should not give it him back without he stood some near—he appeared to be very drunk—that was all that passed that evening. GEORGE ROYAL . I keep a public-house at Rochampion. I saw the prisoner pass my house about seven o'clock, or a few minutes before—I did not see him again till about eight o'clock, when he returned to my house—he came to the bar, and flashed a lot of sovereigns in his hand—he took them out of his waistcoat pocket, and asked me what he owned me—I told him 18d.—he told me to take it—I told him, if that was him money he should pay me, I should not take it out of his hand—he paid me, and went away. Prisoner's Defence. It is money I have saved to many months past. GUILTY . Aged 28.— Transported for Life. Before Mr. Sergeant Arabin.