John Jones

135

C H on 18th February 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN JONES. GEORGE COCKRAN. Theft; theft from a specified place, Theft; receiving. 2nd April 1800. Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN JONES, GEORGE COCKRAN Offences Theft > Theft from place, Theft > Receiving Session Date 2nd April 1800 Reference Number t18000402-21 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Transportation 264. JOHN JONES and GEORGE COCKRAN , were again indicted, the first for feloniously stealing, on the 1st of March, four iron bars, value 2s. belonging to John Nicholson , and fixed to his dwelling-house ; and the other for feloniously receiving the same knowing them to have been stolen . JOHN NICHOLSON sworn. - On the 3d of March, there were four iron bars stole from the back part of my house, they were fixed to the main beam of the house, in the area; they were wrenched off; I saw them on the 4th of March at Cockran's, Donaldson was with me; Jones told me he took them from the back part of my house, and sold them to Cockran. Q. Did you say any thing to induce him to confess? - A. No; he said he forced them up with a large iron bar. Q. Were there no threats, or promises, used, to induce him to confess? - A. No; as soon as he was taken he confessed it; I found the bars underneath the counter in Cockran's shop, among many other articles of iron bars and lead; Cockran owned that he bought the bars of the boy; I think he said he had given him a penny a pound for them. Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. Do you think a little boy like that, or two or three little boys, could have forced up these bars? - A. I should think not; he said there were others with him. Q. Little boys like himself? - A. Yes, some bigger and some less. Q. Do you mean to say, that he said there were some bigger than himself? - A. No; there were fifteen of them. Q. Do you mean to swear that he said there were fifteen? - A. No. GEORGE DONALDSON sworn. - In consequence of a search-warrant I went, on the 4th of March, along with Kendal, a constable, to search the house of Cockran, Mr. Nicholson was with us; among a parcel of leaden pipes, and iron, I found these four bars underneath the counter; as soon as I took them, and put them upon the counter, Jones said to Nicholson, directly, these are your bars; I took them to Bow-street, and Nicholson swore to them. (Produces the bars). Nicholson. I took one of the bars off the same area, and took it to Bow-street, it was exactly the very same. Q. Did you try the bars with the place from whence you supposed they were taken? - A. No; they were the same length, and the same size. Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. There is a piece broke off of one of them; if you had gone and fitted that to the place, you would have been able to ascertain whether it came from your place or not? - A. Yes. ISAAC KENDAL sworn. - I am constable of the night: I took this boy in charge, he was brought in by the patrol, or the watchman, I do not know which; there were no promises made him; he said there were fourteen or fifteen of them concerned; he mentioned several places where he had been taking iron from, I cannot say whether he mentioned Nicholson's or not; I went with him to Cockran's with Donaldson, Jones was present, and he said they had stole such and such iron from such a place, and such and such lead from such a place, and he pointed out this iron of Nicholson's; Cockran said, he had been in business but a little time, and it was an unfortunate circumstance, he hardly had been in that house three months. Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q.Cockran is a shoemaker? - A. A boot-closer. Q. This shop is kept by his wife? - A. I fancy it is. Jones did not say any thing in his defence. Cockran's defence. Jones brought the bars to me, and I asked him who he came from; he said his father had sent him with them; I asked him where he come from; he said from Round-court; then I weighed them, and paid him a penny a pound for them, and he went away; I knew nothing more of it till Donaldson came. The prisoner, Jones, called one, and Cockran four witnesses, who gave them a good character. Jones, GUILTY . (Aged 11.) Transported for seven years Cockran, GUILTY . (Aged 22.) Transported for fourteen years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron THOMPSON .