George Johnson

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C H on 2nd March 2024

Old Bailey Online GEORGE JOHNSON. Theft; theft from a specified place. 21st September 1835 Text type Trial account Defendants GEORGE JOHNSON Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 21st September 1835 Reference Number t18350921-2106 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 2106. GEORGE JOHNSON was indicted for stealing, on the 25th of August, 1 pair of stocking, value 2s.; 1 flannel shirt, value 6d.; 1 pair of trowsers, value 6d.; 3 shirts, value 6s.; 2 waistcoats, value 3s.; 1 jacket, value 1s.; 1 handkerchief, value 6d.; and 1 printed book, value 6s.; the goods of James Bentley, in a vessel on the navigable river Thames. JAMES BENTLEY . I was seaman on board the Gerorge and Eleantor, lying off Rotherithe. On the night of the 25th of August, I was called by Campion to a man who was said to be in the forecastele—I took hold of the prisoner—I missed from my chest some shirts, and my Bible—I found my Bible outside my chest, with these other articles—the prisoner was alonside of them—he had no business in the vessel—he told me he had been three hours in the forecastle, asleep—this was at eleven o'clock—some of the articles had been taken from my bag, and part from my chest—the prisoner told me that he was going to do nothing with the things, and that he had been asleep three hours in the foreccastle—he gave no further account of himself—my chest was in the forecastle. Prisoner. He said before the Magistrate that he did not know whether he had put the Bible in the chest or not. Witness. I had put it in my chest—I said I put it in overnight in the chest. THOMAS MOODY . I am a Thames police-surveyor. On the 25th of August, I went on board the George and Eleanor, and took charge of the prisoner—I found some clothes lying close to him—he was siting down in the forecastle, with neither hat nor shoes om—I asked him how he came on board—he said, "In a boat, from Union-stairs"—I asked what had become of his shoes—he said he did not know—I asked him if there was any body with him in the boat—he would not make any answer to that. Prisoner. I was sitting by the stairs, about nine o'clock—I asked a person for a passage—as I sat on the stairs as young man came up, and asked me if I had not got a ship—I said no; and that I belonged to Aberdeen—he said he belonged to Edinburgh—he said, "I have got a ship, you can come on board with me"—he took me down to Union-stairs, gave me two glasses of rum, and then took me on board the vessel—he told me to take off my shoes, for if the men found me in the ship, he might lose his berth—I was not to tell how I came on board—I took off my shoes, and went down—the Bible laid on the chest—I laid down to sleep, and the young man whispered to me to go behind, as he wanted to get something out of the chest, and then the prosecutor came—I was sitting on the chest when he took hold of me—I was not by the clothes, and had not touched them—when the prosecutor went on deck, he said her saw a young man. and one of the boats was gone. JAMES BENTLEY re-examined. I did not say I saw another person there—these are my trowsers—all these things were either in my bag or chest, all safe—all the ship's company were in bed—I asked him if there was any body else there, he said no—his cap was in amongst the clothes—the vessel was lying in Rotherhithe tier, on the Thames—the best of the things were put into the bag—they laid on the floor of the vessel as if they had been just taken out—nobody but him, could have taken them—he was a stranger—we were about two hundred yards from shore—I do not know how he got on board—he came on board in the night—he could not have come from one vessed to another, as there was a watch in the vessel alongside—I had been in bed about two hours. Prisoner. A young man took me on board—I did not know but he belonged to the ship—Bentley said he saw the man, and he said he found my cap on deck; now he says it was in a jacket. JAMES BENTLEY . I found the cap in a man's jacket—I did not say I knew there was another man who had got away in a boat. Prisoner. When he went on deck he called out police, and he said, "Oh! there is somebody with him, for the boat is gone. " Witness. I said there was a boat under our bow, but I found it was our own long-boat—I did not say it was gone. Prisoner's Defence. The young man who took there has got off, and I am left in the lurch—I was not found with any thing on me. GUILTY . Aged 19. Transported for Seven Years. First Jury, before Mr. Baron Gurney.

135

C H on 2nd March 2024

Description Born 1816. Place of birth Aberdeen. Gender male. Height 5' 0.25". Religion Protestant (unspecified). Has tattoo no. First recorded 1835.