Isaac Isaacs

342

Maureen Withey on 11th November 2019

Old Bailey ISAAC ISAACS, Theft - pocketpicking, 15th July 1824. 1142. ISAAC ISAACS was indicted for stealing on the 10th of July two half-crowns, the monies of Mary Black , from her person . MARY BLACK . I live in Bird-street, Manchester-square. On Saturday, the 10th of July, about half-past twelve, I was in Hyde Park , at the review, and had two half-crowns stolen from my pocket - I had not been pressed by the crowd or hustled - I did not see the prisoner till Dorrington came up to me with him, and asked if I had been robbed - I had a sovereign, two half-crowns and a shilling loose in my pocket - I felt and thought I had lost all my money, but upon feeling again, I found the sovereign and the shilling - the two half-crowns were gone. The officer said he had taken two half-crowns from the prisoner, and showed them to me. FREDERICK DORRINGTON. I am a constable of Bow-street. I was on duty in the Park on the 10th of July. - I saw the prosecutrix with a child on her right arm - I saw the prisoner in company with two others bigger than himself - I watched them, and saw him open the prosecutrix's pocket with his left hand, and put his right hand under it, he then put in his left hand and took something out, but I could not tell what. The other two were standing between him and me, he went away about twelve or fourteen yards, when I followed him, and collared him - he was looking at the two half-crowns, and dropped them when I took hold of him. I took him back to where I left the prosecutrix, and asked if she had lost any money. She felt in her pocket, and said "Yes, all my money. I had a sovereign, two half-crowns and a shilling." I said "I know nothing about it, but I have found two half-crowns." She felt again, and said she had lost two half-crowns. Prisoner's Defence. I was standing by the soldiers among some other boys, when the officer laid hold of me; there were two half-crowns on the ground, he picked them up and said I stolen had them. GUILTY . Aged 12. Transported for Life . At the age of 12, after a brief spell in Newgate prison, Isaac Issacs was sent to the hulk Euryalus, , an ex-frigate of the Trafalgar fleet, moored at Chatham. Over the twenty years that these hulks serviced juveniles, about 2,500 boys of fourteen and under passed through them. There were also considerable numbers of older boys both in the juvenile hulk. From the Euryalus, boys were transported both to New South Wales and to Van Diemen’s Land, generally once they reached the age of 14. Euryalus Hulk Report. HO-9-2-3 page 42/43. One of six prisoners from Newgate. 31 July 1824. Isaac Isaacs, Hulk no 155. age 12, Offence, stealing from the person, at London, 15 July 1824, sentence, Life. How disposed of? NSW Asia 21 July 1827. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON31-1-23$init=CON31-1-23p18 Tasmanian Conduct Record. Asia 2 (1827) arr. Nov 1827 in VDL trial 15 July 1824 – Life, at London. Transported for stealing from the person. Gaolers report _ Here before. Hulk report, - Good gen…., Confessed this offence, pick pockets; once for an assault , acquitted again for pickg. Pockets. Acquitted. F. an old clothes man Goodman Yard alie Street?A few disciplinary items, including “ Jan 21 1832, Aiding abetting & comforting Thos. Rook & W, ? convicts who had absconded from the Hulk Chain Gang on his Master’s farm at Glenarchy. Imprisonment & hard labour 4 mos. Retd. To the Service of the Crown recommended to be assigned on the North of the Island. Conditional Pardon, No 2277, 18 Jan 1840. Later entry , 2 Sept 1843, Larceny fully committed? This is the case referred to in the conduct report above: QUARTER SESSIONS (Adjourned). THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21. Before his Honor J. Hone, Esq., G. Yeoland, and —Henslowe, Esqrs. Mr. Perry officiated as Clerk of the Peace, in consequence of Mr. Stonor's indisposition. Isaac Isaacs was charged with stealing, on the 19th of August, a jacket of the value of 7s., the property of William Ford. The prosecutor, who keeps a shop in Davey street, missed his jacket, on a Sunday morning (20th. August), which had previously been kept in his back parlour; on the Thursday following he saw the prisoner at work in the yard of an adjoining house where the prisoner resided ; suspecting that he had his jacket on, he went over to him, and taxing him with it, the prisoner said he had bought it of a man in Liverpool-street, for 4s. ; the prosecutor then told the prisoner he should go for a constable, and during his absence the prisoner left the jacket at his shop; he was subsequently given into custody, and taken to the Police-office. Mr. Richard Thomson, of Liverpool-street, was called by the prisoner, as to his character. He stated that he had known the prisoner " off and on" for two years, and that he had formerly been in his (witness's) service, when he used to take out meat, and collect accounts; he had always found him perfectly honest, and had hired him on his first arrival from the country. Dr. Bedford was also called, on the part of the prisoner, but did not answer ; the prisoner stated that he had picked up a large gold seal belonging to the doctor, to whom he returned it ; it was to state this fact that the prisoner had subpoenaed Dr. Bedford. His Honor, in summing up, left the ease, which was rather a singular one, to the consideration of the jury, and sharply reprehended the apprehending constable (Bedwell) for questioning the prisoner as to how he had become possessed of the jacket ; his Honor observed, and wished all constables to observe it likewise, that it was their duty to capture offenders, and not to elevate themselves into the office of examining magistrates. The prisoner was Acquitted. Colonial Times (Hobart), 26 Sept 1843.