James Ford

Level 221

D Wong on 24th November 2015

Old Bailey: JAMES FORD, Theft > simple larceny, 8th September 1831. Reference Number: t18310908-237 Offence: Theft > simple larceny Verdict: Guilty Punishment: Transportation JAMES FORD was indicted for stealing, on the 14th of August , 30 penny-pieces, and 60 half-pence , the monies of Henry Pye . HENRY PYE . I keep the sign of the St. Luke's Church, Wenlock-street, St. Luke's ; the prisoner has lodged with me for the last ten or twelve months. On the 19th of August I remember he went out about eleven o'clock in the evening, to get a little money owing to him - I expected him back that evening, but he had no key to let himself in - he used to get over the wall sometimes, and get in at his own bed-room window; the Police-officer called me up about two o'clock, and said somebody was in the house - I was going down stairs, and saw the prisoner on the stairs; I said, "Jem, how can you be so foolish, why did you not call me up, without knocking at the door, and making a bother with the Policemen?" I let the Policemen in at the back door - they said somebody had been in the bar - I opened the bar, and missed a 5s. paper of halfpence; it was safe about half an hour before I went to bed - I was in the tap-room when the prisoner was searched, but I cannot say, from the fright I was in, whether I saw the Police-officers take a bundle from him, but I heard it smack down on the table; I have no doubt it came out of the prisoner's pocket - I believe it is what I had taken for 5s.; I had locked the hat, but there is a sort of half-door, which a person might lift up and unbolt one holt, and any little thing would unbolt the other; the Policemen found this wire in the tap-room, it had come from a window of the stairs, where we keep empty cans; we found a candle in a gin measure; it was not there when I went to bed. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. I believe the prisoner apprised you of his going out that night? A. Yes; he went to a person who owes both him and me some money, and he was to receive my money as well as his own; I will not venture to swear to the money or this paper - this money was outside the till - the prisoner did not appear confused; this was on Sunday morning, at two o'clock - workmen are frequently paid in copper on Saturday - there was only 1d. more found on him. COURT. Q. Do you believe that to be your money? A. I do not know what to say about it - I think it is, but I cannot swear to it - the paper is a good deal like the one I had - there was but one paper of copper in my bag - I had two others that evening, but emptied them; I said before the Magistrate that I could not swear to the property. JOHN MORLEY . I am a Police-officer; I was passing the house - I heard a kind of bolt or lock move backwards and forwards - I then heard a door open, and what I thought, was somebody in the bar; I stood, and then heard some person come towards the window - I then heard money rattle, as if a person was opening a till - I called my serjeant - we knocked at the next house, and asked them to let us go in the yard; the serjeant placed some men round the house - I got over the wall - I knocked at the back floor, the landlord came down - I heard the prisoner say to him. "It is only me, tell the Policeman it is all right;" I told the landlord I heard somebody in the bar - he would hardly believe me; I said to the prisoner, "You have been in the bar" - he said, "Me been in the bar?" - I said Yes; the bar-door was open, and the top part fell down - I saw this piece of candle in a measure, the cotton of it was quite warm; Mr. Pye said, "5s. worth of copper is gone;" I looked at the till, and saw marks of violence on it, and a piece broken off it; I searched the prisoner, and found this paper of halfpence in his pocket, and dashed them on the counter. Cross-examined. Q.Did not the landlord say that he was in the habit of coming in that way, and that it was all right? A. Yes, he did; there is no mark on the paper - the landlord and the prisoner appeared excellent friends; we had thrown stones at the landlord's window before we knocked, as we did not wish the person in the bar to hear. WILLIAM STANNARD . I am a Police-serjeant; Morley called me - I heard a rattling inside the bar - we alarmed the landlord - I went in, and saw the prisoner in the taproom, without his shoes; Mr. Pye said, "He is my lodger, it is all right;" I said, "We must search the bar;" before his unlocking the half door of the bar, the shutter dropped down, the bolts having been drawn; we secured the prisoner - he pulled out this copper - Mr. Pye said, "These are my coppers, I can swear, by their being tied with one string;" I asked the prisoner how he came by them; he said he should not satisfy me. Cross-examined. Q.Did he not say, "Here are 5s. worth of coppers," and put them on the table? A. Yes; I found some keys in the prisoner's room - one of the landlord's door, and one of the cellar; a person could enter the bar by getting down the shutters, without opening the door; I found eight gilt farthings on the prisoner; I gave them back by the Magistrate's desire. Prisoner's Defence. I got in in the usual manner, and the noise which I think the Policeman heard, was occasioned by some cans rolling down stairs, when I pushed the window open. GUILTY . Aged 35. - Transported for Seven Years . 1838: TOL Yass 11/1/1840: COF 1844: Bank Warrant – Condition: Free. 27/4/1857: Convict Death Register: James Ford died at the Parramatta Lunatic Establishment aged 47.. A big discrepancy in the ages here, according to the Old Bailey trial he would have been born in 1796 – and according to the Convict Death Register he would have been born in 1810.