John House

135

C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN HOUSE. Theft; burglary. 8th April 1839 Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN HOUSE Offences Theft > Burglary Session Date 8th April 1839 Reference Number t18390408-1288 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1288. JOHN HOUSE was indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Caleb Harvey Brook, at St. James, Clerken-well, about the hour of twelve, in the night of the 12th of March, with intent to steal, and stealing therein, 1 clock, value 5l. 10s.; I cruet stand, value 2l. 10s.; 7 cruets, value 2l. 10s.; 1 pair of snuffers, value 5s.; 1 chimney ornament, value 6d.; and 1 knife, value 6d.; his property: 2 seals, value 2l.; 1 ring, value 5s.; 1 watch, value 5l.; 1 pair of spectacles, value 1l.; 2 thimbles, value 4s.; 2 cloaks, value 1l. 5s.; 1 shawl, value 4s.; and 1 knife, value 1s.; the goods of Mary Lyons. SETH EASTWOOD . I am a policeman. On the 12th of March, about four o'clock in the morning, I met the prisoner in York-place, City-road, about two hundred yards from the prosecutor's house, carrying a large bundle on his shoulder—I asked him what he had got—he said, "A dock"—I asked him where he got it from—he said, "From a gentleman's in Tottenham Coart-road"—I asked him where he was going to take it to—he said, "To Mr. Beeche's, in Chiswell-street"—I asked him what Mr. Beeche was—he said, "A clock-maker," and he was going to take it to be repaired—I asked him what sort of a clock it was—he said, "A striking clock—I asked him to let me look at it—he took it off his shoulders, and put it on the pavement—I untied it, and there was a clock, a cloak, and a silk scarf—I told him to tie it up again, which he did—I said, "You must go with me to the station-house"—he took the clock, put it on his shoulder—we were going together—he said, "I shall not carry it any further"—he set it down on the pavement, made a plunge, and got away—I pursued, and took him again, after running about a hundred yards—I took him to the station-house, and found on him two knives, a house key, a China ornament, and part of a box of lucifer matches. Prisoner. Q. Did you find any house-breaking implements upon me? A. No. JOSEPH SEAMAN . I am a policeman. I heard the cry of "Stop thief"—I ran into the City-road—I did not see the prisoner—I saw the property lying on the pavement—I took it up while Eastwood went in pursuit. MARY LYONS . I am servant to Mr. Caleb Harvey Brook, who lives in the parish of St. James, Clerkenwell—it is his dwelling-house. On the night of the 12th of March I fastened the place up, and went to bed, at twenty minutes before eleven o'clock—every thing was then seem—I got up a little before seven o'clock in the morning—when I got up I mated the clock from a bracket on the staircase; a cruet-stand, and ehintney ornament, from the parlour; and the other articles stated from the kitchen—I found the kitchen window open, and the back door leading into the garden unbolted—some tiles and bricks were taken off the wash-house, and a hole made, but not sufficient to let a man in—he must have got in at the window, which I had shut the night before, and the shutter alio, in the regular way—(looking at the property)—this cloak and shawl are mine—the dock and other things belong to my master—I found a piece of wood in the wash-house, with which the shutter seemed to have been opened. CALEB HARVEY BROOKS . I am owner of this house—it is in the parish of St. James, Clerkenwell. THOMAS HOBBS KING . I am a policeman. In consequence of information, on the morning of the 13th of March, I went and examined the prosecutor's house—I found four rooms down stairs in great disorder—some tiles and bricks were removed from the back wash-house, and a hole made in the ceiling, but they had not succeeded in getting in there—some brick-work was also cut away from about the back kitchen door—they had then forced the shutter open, and got in—I found a large club stick standing by the kitchen door, a pipe on the table, and bread and cheese, and some cheese in the garden, and a number of foot-marks—more than one person had been there—I traced foot-marks at the back of the next house, and a lid was taken off the cistern at the top of the wash-house of that house—I examined the prisoner's shoes with some of the foot-marks, and they tallied. Prisoner's Defence. On the night in question a party came to my house about half-past one o'clock, and wanted me to take care of some think and to meet them by the Angel at a quarter past three o'clock—ther brought me the articles in question, which I was stopped with—the reason he gave why they did not take them himself, was that they were known to the police about there, and one was in the watch and clock line himself—I did not, I must conscientiously say, ask whether the property was honestly come by, but took it—at the last examination I gave a letter to the Magistrate, and told him the whole truth—he asked if I wished the letter to be brought to the Court, and I said I did wish it to be shown to the Judge—I told the policeman the name of the person who gave me the property. GUILTY . Aged 29.— Transported for Life.