William Hunt

342

Maureen Withey on 14th August 2025

Old Bailey Trial. SECOND DAY. FRIDAY, JANUARY 13. Middlesex Cases, Second Jury. Before Mr. Sergeant Arabin. 194. WILLIAM HUNT was indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of William Cox , about nine o'clock in the night of the 4th of January , at St. Leonard, Shoreditch , with intent to steal, and burglariously stealing therein 1 pair of shoes, value 6s., his property . WILLIAM COX. I am a boot and shoe-maker , and live in Swan-yard , in the parish of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, and rent the house. On the 4th of January, about nine o'clock in the evening, I was sitting in the room behind my shop, and heard a rattle against the window, and in about two minutes I saw a shoe moving from a shew-board - I immediately ran out, and caught the prisoner with this shoe in his hand - one half out of the broken window, and the other half in; I had seen it a quarter of an hour before - he had entirely removed it from where it laid before; quite so - he had lifted it up, and got it half out of the window - he was pulling it out when I seized him; he said, "I have done nothing - I have just come from work - you are mistaken." I immediately took him to the watch-house, and found a knife on him, which he must have used to break the window; the glass was not broken at all before- his hand must have been inside the window to get the shoe. I sent for his father, and from what he said I was induced to bring him here. There was another boy with him, who ran out of the yard, with the fellow shoe. I found a rule on him, which he said he had found. I produce the shoe which he had in his hand. Prisoner's Defence. I was coming by, and saw two boys whom I knew - they told me they had broken a window; I said, "I will get away, or I shall be taken with you." The gentleman came and caught hold of me, and said, "I have caught you with a shoe in your hand;" I had not touched the window. I picked that rule up in Old-street. Several people said I was not the boy who had been seen about there. I never touched the shoe - I could find the boy who broke the window. GUILTY - DEATH. Aged 14. --------------------------------------------------------------- The National Archives. Hulk Records. HO-9-2_4 Hulks at Chatham. Euryalus Received: Nine from Newgate, 18 Mar 1826. William Hunt (2), age 14, Burglary, Tried Middlesex, 12 Jan 1826, Life. How disposed of: NSW, per Florentia, 9 Aug 1827.