John Atkins

Level 352

Maureen Withey on 25th October 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey. 17 May 1820. 610. JOHN ATKINS was indicted for stealing, on the 11th of April , at St. Leonard, Shoreditch, 160 lbs. of annatto, value 14 l., the goods of Matthew Fulwood , the elder , in his dwelling-house . MATTHEW FULWOOD , SEN. I am a manufacturer of annatto , and live in Old-street-road - I have a son of my name; the business is entirely my own. I rent the house, the prisoner had been four years in my service. On Monday, the 10th of April, about seven o'clock in the evening, about an hour after the men had left work, the prisoner returned to the house, and rang the bell, my son went down to ask him what he wanted - I was sitting at the parlour window, and my son asked me if he might let him in? I gave him leave; he went into the warehouse, remained there about two minutes, and was then let out. On the following morning, the 11th of April, my man gave me information, in consequence of which I went to the upper floor of the house, and missed a quantity of annatto - I was there the day before, and saw it there then. I made a calculation, and missed about 1 1/4 cwt., more or less. It was worth 14 l. Q. Who had access to the floor where it was kept - A. Four of my men. I have not seen it since; the prisoner did not come to work on the Tuesday or afterwards - he was apprehended on the 14th. Cross-examined by MR. NORRIS. Q. were you present when he confessed it - A. No. I made him no threat or promise. I believe I said I would be as lenient towards him as I could. I had no reason to suspect his dishonesty before. JAMES BAKER. I was foreman to Mr. Fulwood. On Monday, the 10th of April, the annatto was spread on the floor to dry; I left the warehouse about six o'clock, and made it secure - we all went out together, and left nobody there. I went about seven o'clock in the morning to the warehouse, but was the first person that was there - the prisoner was not there. I went up to the floor of the warehouse, and directly missed some annatto. I went down, saw the door open, and traces of the feet of persons having conveyed something through - it being a rainy night there were marks of wet feet. I informed Mr. Fulwood, who went up and examined it, it appeared that about 1 1/4 cwt. was missing - some was taken off the floor, and more from the cask. We expected the prisoner on Tuesday, but he did not come - he was apprehended on the 14th. Cross-examined. Q. Other men had access to the place - A. Yes, but not after the warehouse was locked up. HARRIET GREGORY . I live at No. 18, Old-street-road, with my parents, directly opposite the prosecutor's manufactory - I knew the prisoner was employed there. I saw him throw a sack down from the hay-loft into a man's hands, and the man went away with it - I saw this three different days, but do not know what date; one time was before Good Friday; the last time was between six and seven o'clock - one time was about one o'clock in the afternoon; I mentioned it to my father every time that I saw him do it. The transaction between six and seven o'clock was after Good Friday. Cross-examined. Q. What distance is your father's house - A. About the length of this Court - it is opposite; I was up stairs at the window. The second time I saw it I was at the top of the house - the window was closed. JAMES BAKER re-examined. We missed nothing before this time. The men go to dinner at twelve o'clock, and return at one. THOMAS SMITH . I live next door to Gregory, on the same side of the way; I knew the prisoner by his working at Fulwood's manufactory. On Easter Monday, about five minutes after one o'clock, when the workmen had left, I was looking out of the window, and saw the prisoner throw a bag out of the hay-loft on to a man's shoulder. Soon after I saw the prisoner come down the regular way, and follow the man with the sack. MATTHEW FULWOOD , JUN. On Monday, the 10th of April, I was at home; the men left work about six o'clock; after that the prisoner came, and asked me if I would let him go and fetch a letter out of the warehouse - I let him go alone, went away, and do not know how long he stopped; he could let himself out, as there is a latch inside the gate. He could get to the hay-loft door. MATTHEW FULWOOD , SEN. re-examined. Q. Is the loft part of your dwelling-house, or a detached building - A. They are joined together. I go from my house into the yard, then a door opens into the warehouse. The men go from the street into the warehouse without going through the private house - no person can go to it from the street without going through the yard. Down to this time I always found the prisoner to be an industrious, civil, and well-behaved young man. GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 17. Strongly Recommended to Mercy. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron Garrow . --------------------------------------------------------- Colonial Secretary Index. ATKINS, John. Per "Dick", 1821 1822 Mar 6 On list of men on clearing party at Mr Terry's estate from James Johnston's road party (Reel 6022; 4/7014 p.109) 1822 Oct 31; 1823 Mar 14 On list of prisoners assigned (Fiche 3290; 4/4570D p.2) -----------------------------