William James

341

Maureen Withey on 17th April 2026

1206. WILLIAM JAMES , WILLIAM JONES , and WILLIAM SINGLETON , were indicted for stealing, on the 27th of June , 279 lbs. of lead, value 2 l. 5 s., belonging to Arthur Smith , and fixed to a house of his, and two trunks, value 10 s.; a lamp, value 10 s.; a night stool, value 5 s.; a box, value 2 s.; two chisels, value 1 s.; a mallet, value 1 s., and a toy cradle, value 1 d. , his property. JAMES and JONES pleaded Guilty . Transported for Seven Years . ARTHUR SMITH. I am a merchant . I had purchased a house, No. 5, Old Fish-street - it was not occupied. On the 25th of June I discovered that some lead was gone; I had been there about a week before, and found the lamp, and the other things safe, but did not go on to the roof. On Saturday, the 25th, I found the trunks which had been in the counting house, packed up, and standing in the hall, and a copper boiler, a square box, and a strap, all lying by it, ready to be removed; I saw a string fastened to the latch of the door, and the other end of it in a place where there could be some boards moved, and the door opened: I found a pane of glass cut out, by which they could open the latch of the window: I found a door open leading to the roof of the house, and a counting-house stool removed to near the trap door, with foot marks on it; I went down stairs again, and opened the trunks, in which I found the lead; I went to the attics again, and the lead had been stripped from the dormer: I sent for Smith, the officer - shewed him the state of the premises, and gave him charge of them from that day till the Monday - when I came down again, about half-past twelve at noon, and found a cart standing at the door, with the two trunks, the square box, and the night stool in it, which I knew to be the same that had been in the hall. I had the lead taken out, and saw it fitted to the dormer, and found it corresponded exactly in all the cuttings and indentations of it - it weighed 279 lbs - I marked it with my initials. Cross-examined by MR. LAW. Q. Would it have required more than one person to move this lead and pack it up? A. Yes, I think it would. WILLIAM SMITH . I am an officer. I was engaged by the last witness: I staid in the house all Saturday night; I put a watchman in on Sunday: I took my station at the bottom of Thames-street, on Monday morning, a little after seven o'clock; I saw James and Jones go up the street to the house; I saw James put his hand into the hole, and door; in about ten minutes James went out, and shortly afterwards he came back a little before the cart, which the prisoner Singleton was driving; the prisoner never got out of the cart; James and Jones then brought out the hair trunk, and put it into the cart: they then brought out another trunk, the lamp, and night stool - we then rushed out of a house, and took them. Cross-examined. Q. Was not Singleton's name on the cart? A. Yes. GEORGE WALL . I am a licensed victualler. I was assisting Smith on this occasion; what he has said is quite correct: he took the prisoners to the Compter, and left me in the care of the cart. THOMAS PHILLIPS . I assisted in taking the carman into custody - he said he knew nothing of the matter, and was quite surprised; he had been hired that morning to go and take some goods. SINGLETON'S Defence. They applied to me to come and take the goods to Paddington - they came first on Saturday night, and again on Monday. CHARLES THOMPSON . I am a coal-dealer. The prisoner works for me occasionally: he had been doing some work for me on Saturday last; two men came that evening about eight o'clock, and said they wanted him to move some luggage; he said he could not do it that night, but he would on Monday. I saw one of them on Monday morning take him with the cart to the premises. NOT GUILTY .