John Brooks

Level 135

C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN BROOKS. Theft; pocketpicking. 14th May 1838. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN BROOKS Offences Theft > Pocketpicking Session Date 14th May 1838 Reference Number t18380514-1404 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1404. JOHN BROOKS was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of March, 1 purse, value 1s.; 15 sovereigns, 1 double—sovereign, and 1 guinea, the goods and monies of Aaron George Jones, from the person of Ellenor Jones. AARON GEORGE JONES . I had a double—sovereign two or three years ago, I made my wife a present of it—it had a mark under the nose of the head—I took the dirt away with a penknife, and by so doing I scratched it—I believe this (looking at it) to be the one. Cross-examined by MR. DOANE. Q. Have you seen it since you gave it her? A. Yes, frequently—Mrs. Jones has taken it out, and shown it as a curiosity—I am a Jew—I was married at the time this was lost. ELLENOR JONES . I am the wife of Aaron George Jones, he is a coffee-house keeper in St. George's-circus, Southwark. On the night of the 9th of March I went to the Surrey theatre—I had a purse, which contained fifteen sovereigns, a double—sovereign, and an old guinea—when I went in, the theatre was very much crowded—I went to the second tier of boxes, to see if I could see my friends, and a young man, who I believe was the prisoner, offered me a place to stand—I stood some time, and felt him, or some person, pressing against me—I do not know that it was him, but I turned and said to him, "Don't do that"—they were pressing on me very much—I stood some time, and when the lights were put out in the Gnome Fly, I felt a great pressure—I took my cloak round me, and when the lights came on I found my purse was gone—I should know my double—sovereign again—to the best of my belief I think I could swear that this is it—(looking at one)—I went down stairs, and saw Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Nash—they told me to look for an officer—the officer was found, and I went to the station-house—I could recognise no one there that I had seen by me—one man was taken up, but he was not the same—a week after went to Ipswich, and when I returned the prisoner was in custody. Cross-examined. Q. How long was it after that you returned from Ipswich? A. I do not exactly know—I was four or five days in London before I went to Ipswich—I staid there three days—I returned in about a week after—I had seen a man named Williams in custody, and there were a great many examinations—I was several times called up to see persons, out I did not know them—I had seen a person resembling the prisoner at she theatre—I did not take my oath positively at Union-hall that he was she man, but I think I can say so with safety—I had no more doubt of him then than I have now—they asked me if I would swear to the man—I said would not—I said, as I do now, that I believed it to be the prisoner—I will not venture w swear more positively—me man offered me a front place—I felt a great pressure—I will not swear that the prisoner was the man that was behind me when I turned round—I swear to the best of my belief—there were others there, but I took more notice of him, from his offering me the place, and putting his hands on my should, and leaning on me—this was private money of my own—I brought it out to pay away, put my friends urged me to go to the theatre—it was after I came from Ipswich that I saw Williams in custody—he was charged with having a double—sovereign in his custody and a gold watch, but he was discharged—I did not know him, and would not attempt to say any thing to him—I had no reason to believe he was at the theatre. EDWARD COOK (police-constable L 71.) There was a prisoner in custody at Union-hall on a charge of attempting to rob a lady of a gold watch, and the prisoner was in company with him—I was directed to go down to Whitechapel to make inquiry, and while I was in a shop there I saw mother party and this prisoner—I took the prisoner into custody, and after a heavy fight I got him to the station, and searched him—I found he had got something in his mouth, and after a struggle I succeeded in taking this double—sovereign from his mouth, which he was endeavouring to swallow—Mrs. Jones was then out of town, and when she came home she saw the prisoner in the office amongst all the people there—she was ordered to look round, and she picked out this prisoner and another as persons who were near her on the night when she was robbed—I had not told her that he was the person in whose mouth I had found the double—sovereign. Cross-examined. Q. Williams was the person in custody? A. Yes, and he had a watch—he stated he paid for that watch with a double—sovereign to Mr. Beaton, a silversmith, and I was directed to go to Mr. Beaton and ascertain that, and to obtain the double—sovereign if I could—I found it had been parted with—I saw the prisoner coming from Mr. Beaton's, as if he had been there—the prisoner had not been in the office—he kept out of the way, but there were a number of friends of Williams in the office who might have heard that I should go to Beaton's—I got to Beaton's before the prisoner, as far as I know—I was watching the front of the house—Beaton is a respectable silversmith, as far as I know. WILLIAM POUND . I was in company with the officer when the double—sovereign was found in the prisoner's mouth—he gurgled at' the time—whether it was through his attempting to swallow it or not I cannot say—I have seen the prisoner before—I had not frequently seen him at the Surrey theatre. Q. Look at this deposition, and see if yon have not sworn that you have? A.—(reading)—"I have frequently seen the prisoner at the theatre. " Q. Now which is true, you have sworn to-day you had not frequently seen him there? A. No, I had ant—I am an officer of the theatre. MR. DOANE called. THOMAS FOX . I am a carman, and have lived in the Kent-road upwards of twenty years. I remember an examination of a prisoner of the name of Williamson the 17th of March—I did not hear any directions of the Justice to go to Beaton's, to see if the double—sovereign could be found; but I was at the Dolphin, and saw the prisoner there and a number of Persons, all strangers to me—I heard them talk to the prisoner about a double—sovereign, and an old man said he had one at home—the prisoner said he should like to have one, and the old man sent his wife for it—she was gone half an hour—there was some conversation, and the prisoner received a double—sovereign from the old man, and then he went away—very soon afterwards he was taken into custody—it was the same day, I belive,—I was not near enough to see whether there was any mark on the double sovereign. COURT. Q. What brought you to the house? A. It is a house Which I generally use when I am up there. EDWARD COOK . Mr. Fox was there, on the first examination, to give the other prisoner a character; and on the last he was there to see how matters went on. GUILTY . † Aged 21.— Transported for Fourteen Years.