James Robertson

Level 135

C H on 5th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JAMES ROBERTSON. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 7th May 1849. Text type Trial account Defendants JAMES ROBERTSON Offences Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 7th May 1849 Reference Number t18490507-1150 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1150. JAMES ROBERTSON , stealing 1 envelope pattern-book, and 1 other, value 3l. 19s.; the goods of George Ackerman and others: and 29 pencil cases, 5l.; the goods of Nicholas Davy.—2d COUNT, for receiving I the same, having been before convicted. MR. BODKIN conducted the Prosecution. WILLIAM GEORGE RANGER In Aug. last I was town-traveller to George Ackerman and others. On 1st Aug. I had a variety of property that they deal in, in a bag at the bazaar in Baker-street, I put it on the counter, and my attention was called from it for a few minutes—I came back and missed it—I afterwards found it behind the counter, but the contents were gone—I heard I nothing of it till last month when the prisoner was taken. CHARLES BULL I live at 67, Baldwin-street, City-road. Last year the prisoner lived at 15, Brook-street, Holborn, and I used to live there—I bought this pencil-case of him for 5s.—I think it was the latter end of Aug.—he had four more, and asked if I could dispose of them for him—they were of different patterns—he did not keep a shop—he represented himself as a commission broker—I tried to do so, but did not. Prisoner. I was out for a week; you put a broker in my room for rent, I and this was given to you as part payment. Witness. Yes; I saw several other articles of plate beside this, but that was months before, in March or April—I knew you had a person there—he did not say anything to me about leaving his wife and coming to live with you—you told me of that—a foreigner named Schmidt came there just at the last. JOHN PARK (police-sergeant, E 14). On 12th March I took the prisoner coming from Mr. Role's house in Porter-street, Newport-market—I told him I took him for robbing Baker-street bazaar of pencil cases and other articles—he said, "Very well"—on the way to the station he said Mr. Cope might as well have kept him in Newgate when he had him there, for he knew all this against him—I asked what part of the house he lived in at Mr. Role's—he said, "The front attic"—I went there and found his wife—I found these 137 duplicates, a box containing lighters, a box that had contained marking-ink, this little paper case, two cards of binding pins, and some of Mr. Ackerman's cards—Schmidt was in Newgate then. Prisoner. Q. When I asked what I was taken for, did you not say Mr. Cope had sent a letter to your office? A. No; I never told you Mr. Cope had given me information that he had got from Schmidt—a letter was produced in this Court, I never had it—it was read—if I had seen you a week before I should have taken you—I was looking for you—Sergeant Wells did not tell me to let you have your Sunday's dinner and take you on the Monday morning. Prisoner. The man who wrote the letter is transported (see page 370); he said he would be revenged on me; I am sorry he is not here, he could be proved to have had all these things; he lodged with me. JOHN ROLES I am a milkman, of 1, Porter-street. The prisoner lodged there in March—I remember the officer coming and going into the garret which was occupied by the prisoner and his wife—the prisoner slept there the night before the officer searched. OCTAVIUS FOLKARD I am in the service of a pawnbroker in the Strand. I have fifty-one pencil-cases pawned on 2d Aug., 1848, in the name of Johnson—the duplicates of them have been produced by the officer—they were pawned in two lots on the same day. ROBERT WOODGATE I am in the employ of Mr. Debenham, a pawn-broker. I have a pencil-case pawned on 2d Aug., I do not know by whom—this is the duplicate of it (produced). WILLIAM MARTIN I am in the employ of Mr. Boyce, a pawnbroker. I have six pencil cases, two pawned on 10th Aug. and four on 1st Sept., by a female—the officer has the two duplicates. THOMAS WELLS (police-sergeant, C 1). I saw the prisoner at 1, Porter-street, I followed him from there to Villiers-street, Strand, he turned the corner of Duke-street, and I lost him—this was on the Saturday as he was taken on the Monday—on Wednesday morning I went to 16, Duke-street, and received these four trays from the person who keeps the house. Prisoner. He saw me on Friday morning. Witness. No, Saturday—I saw you on Sunday morning go to a chandler's-shop opposite—I did not tell you I would allow you to have your Sunday's dinner. RICHARD BORTHWICK I live at 16, Duke-street, Adelphi—the prisoner brought these trays to my shop about the 8th of March—I did not buy them—the officer came, and I gave them up to him. Prisoner. Q. I was at work for you? A. Yes; I have known you eighteen years. CHARLES HUBERT WHARTON My father is a pawnbroker. I have six gold pens pawned on 5th Aug., 1848; the officer has the duplicate of them. ALFRED HEATH I am in the employ of Mr. Young, a pawnbroker. I have a book pawned on 10th Aug.; the officer has the duplicate of it. WILLIAM GEORGE RANGER re-examined. These articles are Messrs. Ackerman's; they were all in my bag. NICHOLAS DAVY These pencil-cases belong to me—I entrusted them to Ranger to sell on 1st Aug.—he had a much larger quantity of them the week before, which he had disposed of; the value of these is about 5l. 10s. Prisoner. Q. Can you swear to these pencil-cases? A. Yes; I had the manufacturing of them; these are what we have had put aside, and we have had different heads put to them; there was not a sale in the Strand a week before where a number of my articles were sold—some of these have been cut from patterns we have had fourteen or fifteen years. Prisoner. The person I bought those duplicates of is named Schmidt; he has been convicted in this Court. CHARLES BULL re-examined. The prisoner had somebody lodging with him in Aug., 1848, and I understand Schmidt lodged with him after I gave the house up—the prisoner was lodging there on the 1st of Aug.—Schmidt used to come occasionally, but did not lodge there. Prisoner's Defence. A man named Gifford lodged with me at Bull's; he went away and left me in debt 3l. or 4l.; I afterwards met him and Schmidt in Holborn; I told him Mr. Bull had put the broker in; Gifford said, "I cannot give you any money, but Schmidt will lend you some to get the brokers out;" Schmidt came and brought these things to my house; I gave him an "I O U" for them; I gave Mr. Bull some to pay the debt; if they had been mine I would have sold them right out, but they were left there; Schmidt came and lodged with me—when he left I found these duplicates under his bed; he and I did not part friendly, and he sent me a letter saying he would do for me if he were hung for it; in Jan. this year, a man named Edwards was a witness against me, and your Lordship would not take his evidence; if the person who has been convicted was brought here, I am almost convinced that the pawnbrokers would have recognised him as the person who pawned these things. JOHN PARK re-examined. Some of these pawnings are in the name of Johnson; I have known the prisoner to go by that name. Prisoner to CHARLES BULL Q. Did I not keep my payments up till that man came to lodge with me? A. Yes; I believe I saw you and Schmidt together in August last; you were very intimate; I never saw Schmidt bring any thing to where you lodged. EDWARD WILLSON I produce a certificate of the prisoner's conviction at this Court—(read—Convicted Feb. 1847, confined six months)—I was present—he is the person. GUILTY on 2d Count. Aged 43.— Transported for Fourteen Years. (There were four other indictments against the prisoner.)