William Johnston

135

C H on 25th March 2024

Old Bailey Online WILLIAM JOHNSTON. Theft; theft from a specified place. 2nd January Text type Trial account Defendants WILLIAM JOHNSTON Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 2nd January 1834 Reference Number t18340102-11 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 192. WILLIAM JOHNSTON was indicted for stealing, on the 21st of December , at St. Dunstan-in-the-West, 50 books in sheets, value 20l., the goods of William Cobbett , in his dwelling-house . 2nd COUNT, calling the goods 1,075 sheets of printed paper. SAMUEL RIDDLE . I am porter to Mr. William Cobbett , of Bolt-court, Fleet-street , a bookseller - On the 21st of December I saw a person come out of Mr. Cobbett's hall, in Bolt-court - he came out as I stood in the passage - he had a parcel of books with him - I walked out after him - it was printed paper in sheets - the prisoner was the person - he walked straight up Bolt-court into Gough-square - I followed him, and met Gutsell, a clerk, and we both took him with the parcel - I never lost sight of him - he was brought back to the shop and given in charge. JAMES GUTSELL . I am clerk to Mr. Cobbett, and live at 11, Bolt-court - I stopped the prisoner, and when I got the parcel from him I found it was Mr. Cobbett's - it is fifty copies of "The Woodlands" - there are fifty copies complete - I know them by the mark on the outside wrapper, which is in the bookbinder's handwriting - I had seen the parcel before in the premises - the house is in the parish of St. Dunstan-in-the-West - Mr. Cobbett occupies the whole house - he has no partner - he lives there occasionally, and keeps servants there. THOMAS QUENNELL . I took the prisoner into custody on the 21st of December, at seven o'clock in the evening - I am a patrol of Farringdon-ward. Prisoner's defence (written)."My Lord and Gentlemen, in answer to the charge laid against me by the prosecutor, for wilfully and feloniously taking from his premises goods to the amount of 25l., I have briefly to state that, on Saturday, the 19th day of December, between the hours of seven and eight o'clock, I was on my direct road to Walworth, where I had employment in view, I met a gentleman, whom I supposed to be a merchant in Bolt-court, who asked if I would go and bring a parcel with him from his office - that he would give me a shilling for my trouble; I accordingly followed the gentleman up Bolt-court till I arrived at the prosecutor's house, which the supposed merchant had described to be his office. On approaching the house I was desired by my employer to step inside and bring a parcel, which was at the bottom of the stairs, and meet him at the end of the street. Accordingly I innocently obeyed the order, and found the parcel as described by the gentlemen, at the bottom of the stairs; I was proceeding with the said parcel on my shoulder in the public street, leisurely walking towards my employer, when I was suddenly stopped by a man who accused me of stealing the said parcel, there being a gentleman with or near him who then and there identified the parcel as his property, immediately charging me with this robbery, and gave me in custody of patrol. I momentary informed the prosecutor by whom I was hired, where I was going, where the gentleman was waiting for the parcel who hired me; I also begged and entreated of the prosecutor to accompany the few steps with the patrole to apprehend the guilty party who hired me, and was then waiting at the bottom of the aforesaid court; whereas he, the prosecutor, unfeelingly and unjustly refused, allowing an officer going with me to apprehend the very man who laid the plot of robbery for his own advantage, and wilfully exposing the innocent to the severity of the law. It is therefore, my Lord and Gentlemen, under this important consideration that I humbly beg you may be satisfied of my entire ignorance of violating the laws, or having a wilful intent to defraud the prosecutor of the said property. JAMES GUTSELL re-examined. The prisoner said he was carrying them to a man at the bottom of Bolt-court, but I met him in Gough-square going quite in a contrary direction - he was about thirty yards from the door when I met him - he then said he was going to take them to a gentleman named Spiven, who was waiting for them, and a few minutes after he said he did not know who he was, and afterwards that it was a gentleman named Spinks in Fleet-street - the door is usually on the latch - there is an inner door that can be opened - the work is sold at 14s. a copy to the public - the difference between that and the published price is not 50 per cent. - they are worth more than 5l. - 25 per cent. is the difference between the two prices - the copies are perfect - the printer looked them over, and found fifty perfect copies - I did not see him count them. JURY. Q. Are you sure the titles are there? A. Yes: they are here - they were packed up as complete, having come from the printer's - there is written on the paper "50 Woodlands." GUILTY . Aged 29.* - Transported for Life .