Henry Yates

Level 349

Maureen Withey on 20th August 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 26 Oct 1814. 944. WILLIAM GARDNER and HENRY YATES were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 20th of October , one box, value 2 s. one barrow, value 2 l. and two hundred pounds weight of soap, value 5 l. 2 s. the property of Edward May Bercher , in his dwelling-house . And SOPHIA CROUCH and SARAH GARDNER for feloniously receiving the same goods, they knowing them to have been stolen . EDWARD MAY BERCHER. I am a tallow chandler : I lost this soap on Thursday evening, the 20th of October. it was in my private passage: the barrow was beyond the shop door, at the further end of the passage; it was placed there. In the course of the day I lost it, I believe between eight and nine o'clock. I went to Bow-street to give information, and to enquire about it, and while I was looking for an officer, the officers who are here, came to my house in my absence. I returned about ten o'clock, and found they had the property in their possession. WILLIAM GODFREY. I am a patrole of Bow-street. On Thursday, the 20th of October, I received private information that there was a barrow wheeling along Broad-street, and a large box upon it. I went to a place in Charles-street, where they supposed the property was; I proceeded along the passage to a back room on the ground floor; I knocked at the door, the door was locked. They asked me who was there; I told them a friend; it was full five minutes before they opened the door. I saw the four prisoners in the room, and a box containing soap, two men and two women. The box was there broken open, the cords cut. Gardner was sitting down on the box smoking his pipe, Yates was on the bed, Crouch was washing, and the other woman sitting by the side of her. I asked how the box came there; Crouch said, she and Gardner brought it in out of the passage, supposing it was left by some person. I searched the whole of the prisoners; on Crouch I found two pieces of soap in her pocket, which matched the soap in the box. The barrow was taken to the watchhouse by the watchman found in the street. WILLIAM NICHOLS . I am an officer. I was in company with Godfrey. I went into this room with him, where the four prisoner were. I searched the bed; between the bed and the sacking were these two pieces of soap, and under the bed was this cake of soap; this cord was hanging about the bed, it appeared the cord had been cut. Q. Whose room is it - A. Sophia Crouch 's, the stout woman. THOMAS ANDREWS . On the 20th of October, I was doing some business for Mr. Payne in Charles-street. I saw a wheelbarrow going by, with a corded box, a person of the name of John Green was wheeling it to where we stood talking together. I saw the prisoner Yates was one of the four men. Q. All you know is, you saw a box on the barrow, and Yates was one of the four persons with it - A. He is the person. THOMAS PAINE . I live at 38, Charles-street. I saw the box in the room. I did not see it go in. I I only saw the box in Sophia Crouch 's room. Q. What is Crouch - A. I do not know; I let her the room. Q. Do you let people lodgings without knowing who they are and what they are - A. Some times we do. Gardner's Defence. I know nothing of it. I was going past the door, I had a pipe just filled with tobacco; I went into this room to ask for a light. I had not been in the room two minutes when Godfrey knocked at the door; Sophia Crouch said, who is there. Yate's Defence. I was with Gardner when he picked up the box; I went into the room with him. Godfrey knocked at the door; Sophia Crouch asked who was there, and opened the door; they came in. Crouch's Defence. I had been out on an errand, and when I came in, this box stood in the passage; I fell over it. I asked the young woman to bring me a light; she brought me a light; I saw it was a box of soap. GARDNER, GUILTY, aged 20, YATES, GUILTY, aged 17, Of stealing to the value of 39 s. only . CROUCH, GUILTY, aged 22, Of receiving knowing it to be stolen . Transported for Seven Years . SARAH GARDNER , NOT GUILTY . Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.