James Hopwood

135

C H on 8th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JAMES HOPWOOD. Theft; theft from a specified place. 13th January 1796. Text type Trial account Defendants JAMES HOPWOOD Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 13th January 1796 Reference Number t17960113-52 Verdicts Guilty > Lesser offence Punishments Transportation 109. JAMES HOPWOOD was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 11th of January , nineteen yards of carpet, value 5l. the property of Robert Chipchase the elder, and Robert Chipchase the younger, in their dwelling-house . ROBERT CHIPCHASE , junior, sworn. Q. Do you and your partner occupy one house? - A. Yes; I and my father; we are cabinet-makers and upholsterers : I only prove the property. Q. You both live in the house? - A. Yes; we do. ANN LAURIE sworn. I am shop-woman to Mr. Chipchase: On Monday last, about half after ten in the morning, the prisoner came in to the shop; there was nobody there but myself; I had just left the counting-house, and seeing a back door open, as I was coming back to my seat, I went to shut it, and saw the prisoner come in from the street, and take a carpet. Q. Was it the prosecutor's property? - A. Yes; he put it on his shoulder and left the shop; he was about a dozen yards from me; I believe, he did not see me. Q. What was there between you, to conceal you? - A. Nothing; the carpet stood very near the door. Q. How long was he in the shop? - A. Not a minute; only while he put it on his shoulder; I followed him immediately. Q. Did he go leisurely, or fast, or how? - A. Very leisurely, till he was out of sight of the shop; he then began to hasten his pace; he went up a street opposite the shop. Q. Did you raise a cry against him? - A. I did not suspect him to be a thief, till he mended his pace; I saw a chairman, at a house adjoining; I desired him to call stop thief, for he had stole a carpet; he called after him, and he began to run he threw it down, and I staid with the carpet while he was pursued. Q. Did you see the man taken? - A. No; he was brought back again in about five minutes. Q. Are you sure he was the man? - A. Yes. Prisoner. Q. Where were you when you saw me come into the shop? - A. I was shutting the back door. Q. Why did not you ask me what I wanted? - A. I did not suspect him to be a thief; we have a number of men at work in our house; and there had been a man in, just before, with just such a coloured coat. THOMAS HOBBS sworn. I was sent for to the office, and apprehended the prisoner; he said, it was his first offence; he said, he should be very happy to go for a sailor or soldier. Prisoner. I have nothing to say in my defence. Court. Gentlemen of the Jury, the prisoner was taken in the fact, and he does not deny it, there can be no doubt about it. Jury. My Lord, he has been laughing, and behaving very ill, during the trial. GUILTY, Of stealing goods, but not in the dwelling-house ;(Aged 19.)