John Jones

135

C H on 4th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN JONES. Theft; theft from a specified place. 26th February 1849 Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN JONES Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 26th February 1849 Reference Number t18490226-777 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 777. JOHN JONES, alias Henry Francis , stealing on 10th Jan., 1848, at Woolwich, 2 bags, 1 snuff-box, 1 ring, and 1 cash-box, value 3l. 17s.;105 sovereigns, 32 half-sovereigns, 56 half-crowns, 120 shillings, 40 sixpences, 45l.-notes, and an order for 7l.7s.: the property of William James Covill, in his dwelling-house. MR. CLARKSON conducted the Prosecution. WILLIAM JAMES COVILL . I keep the Albion-hotel, opposite the Lower Dock-yard-gates, at Woolwich. On Monday, 10th Jan., 1848, my house was robbed of 165l., a silver snuff-box, and a mourning ring—there were four 5l. bank-notes, a government bill of 7l. 7s., 110l. in gold, and the I remainder in silver—the gold was kept in a wash-leather bag, in a small drawer of a chest of drawers, in my bed-room; and I put on it a large family Bible, and pressed it down with old books, and my shaving-tackle was on I the top; all the drawers had some money in them—the bed-room door was always locked—I was in the room at three o'clock on the afternoon of the day the money was lost—the 110l. and snuff-box were then safe—I locked the door, kept the key in my pocket, and never parted with it till I found the money was gone—I had information of the lots about eleven in the evening, and on going up to my room, found the door open; the lock had been picked, and all the drawers as well—I missed all the money—the prisoner was at my house that night, about half-past five or six—he came by himself—I had seen him once, about a fortnight before—he then asked me if I knew Mr. Davis, a builder, I said I did—he said he owed him a bill of 65l., and asked me if I thought there was any hopes of his getting it—I told him I thought his bill was not worth much, for I knew the man was in difficulties—he said, "Dear me, here is trouble for me, I dare not go home and tell my wife of it; the anxieties of mind that persons in business have no one knows but those who experience it; a man getting his 1l. or 24s. a week, has much less anxiety than a man in business, and is better off"—when be came on 10th Jan., he appeared to have his arm in a sling—he called for 3d.-worth of brandy, and a little cold water, and asked me how I had been this Christmas—he said he had been very unfortunate since he saw me last, that he went out on New-year's night to spend the evening with a few friends, and had drank too freely of wine, and driving home in his gig, he fell out and injured his arm—I think it was his right-arm that he had in a sling—he said, "By-the-bye, I hear Dennis is an insolvent; do you think I shall get 3s. in the pound?"—I said, "I really do not know the position of the man, whether he can pay 1s. or 3s.;" this conversation was at the bar—I went into the bar-parlour to get my tea—I am a widower, and have a little girl, who was out to tea that evening; I told my house-keeper that I would go and fetch her, and as I went out I saw a man named Lawrence, who has since been transported, in the act of coming in—he said, "Landlord, are you going out?" I said, "I am," on my return, about nine, the prisoner and Lawrence were both gone—I preferred a bill against Lawrence, and a man named Chappell; they were tried here, and transported for another offence, and his Lordship did not think it necessary to try my case (see Vol, 28, p. 659.)—when the prisoner was at my house a fortnight before the robbery, he came alone; but Lawrence and another man were at the bar at the time, though they did not appear to know each other, and Chappell was seen dodging in and out the door—Lawrence on that occasion asked me for change for a 5l.-note, as he did hot like to get it changed at a turnpike; the prisoner was there at the time—I asked Lawrence his address, and he said, "9, Borough-road"—I went up the stairs from the bar, and got change for the note from where my money was taken, and one of the notes afterwards taken was that note—I had to go up two flights of stairs—the policeman has since shown me a cash-box, which is mine, and was in one of my drawers—I did not see the prisoner from the 10th Jan., 1848, till I identified him at the police-court last Saturday fortnight, he was then standing among about forty persons in the Court, and I picked him out; the Magistrate would not allow him to be put in the box, but had him standing among the people in Court—I had previously identified Lawrence—on 10th Jan., there was another man with Lawrence at the bar, about two minutes before the pri-soner came in—I did not myself see Chappell—the prisoner came in about two minutes after them; he did not appear to know them. Cross-examined by MR. O'BRIEN. Q. The prisoner was in custody when you recognised him? A. He was; inspector Haynes told me a man was in custody, who he suspected was one of the men that had robbed me—you cannot, while standing at the bar of my house, see a man go into my bed-room—there are thirteen rooms in the house—the Dock people and others do not use the upper part of my house, only the ground-floor—there are rooms up-stairs for the reception of people respectably dressed—I keep three rooms locked, and one open—on this evening I was out from about six o'clock to nine—when I came the housekeeper and one of my sons was at the bar—there were no people drinking there—there were very few in the house that evening altogether; the house closes at eleven—I cannot say whether there were many in the house—from three to six I was not there—from three to five I went for a walk—I remained in from five to six—I went out from six to nine, and had the key of my room with me—Haynes brought the prisoner to Woolwich last Saturday fortnight—when he was at my house he had a brown coat on—I do not think it was the same he has on now—I did not take particular notice how he was dressed—I asked the inspector in going to the station how he was dressed, and he said, "I shall not tell you"—very few strangers come to my house—it is mostly people belonging to the Dock-yard—it is a public place, but it is entirely supported by the Government works—strangers sometimes come in, but not very frequently—I had no particular object in noticing the prisoner's features the first time he came, only he asked about Dennis—I had some doubt when I saw him come in the second time, just after the other two—I thought it looked suspicious, but I did not think I was going to be robbed, or I should not have gone out—I recollect the trial of three men some time after I was robbed, named Johnson, Mayhew, and Burlton (see Vol. 27, p. 847)—it was for an attempt to rob a public-house called the Powerful—I do not know whether there was a witness named Thomas James Duffield, an approver, examined; it was some rime in last March or April—Duffield was a witness—I was asked on that occasion if I had been robbed—I was not put upon oath—I did not prove that Duffield had communicated with me on that occasion—I gave an account of my robbery—I was only examined as to the amount of money I had lost, not about the identity of the men—Duffield came to me and said, "I think I could give you some information of your robbery," and when these men went down to the station, I looked at them, and said, "Neither of those parties were the parties that committed my robbery"—when you come into my house, the bar is on your right hand, and the parlour on the left (looking at a card with the front of the house engraved on it)—rooms Nos. 2, 3, and 4, are above the bar, on the next story—there is a flight of stairs above that, and there it my bed-room over No. 4. THOMAS DENNIS . Last Jan. I lived in the Albion-road, Woolwich—I was at that time in difficulties—I do not know the prisoner—I never owed him 65l., or any sum at all—he never asked me for one farthing. Cross-examined. Q. Were there any bills of yours out? A. No; not notes, or anything of the kind at that time—I got into difficulties in Dec, 1847—I had dealings with London tradesmen, but not to any consi-derable amount, and not by bills—I never saw the prisoner. ISAAC WESTON . I belong to Woolwich dockyard. On the evening of the 10th Jan., 1848, about ten minutes to six o'clock, I was at Mr. Covil's, with Mr. Milrose, and Mr. Marrow in room No. 2—there were two other persons in the room, strangers to me—one of them who had his back to me went out of the room, leaving the other there, and returned in a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, and made an observation to the other, in consequence of which they both went away together—I went in at about twenty minutes to six, and remained at the bar drinking a glass of whiskey—our business occupied a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, and we left about twenty minutes or half-past six—we went into No. 2, about six—I did not see the mens' faces sufficient to recognise them—Milrose and Marrow are not here—we are in the eapacity of leading men in the dockyard. Cross-examined. Q. Were you examined on the other trials? A. No—no one else came into the room while we were there. ELIZA BROOKS In Jan., 1848, I was servant to Mr. Covill—I remember the robbery—I remember the prisoner quite well, and Chappell and Lawrence who have been tried—the prisoner came in between half-past five and six o'clock—Chappell and Lawrence were at the bar then, and another person whom I have never seen since—Chappell went in and out several times—when I first saw the prisoner he was standing at the bar with his arm on the engine talking to Mr. Covill—I did not see him come in—in consequence of what Mrs. Graves said to me about six, I showed the prisoner into No. 2 room—I took up a light, and he ordered sixpenny worth of brandy and water—he took up with him pen and ink, and a sheet of paper—he did not at any time call for any wafers, or sealing-wax—when he first went in there I was no one there—I did not see him leave—I went up in about half or three quarters of an hour to put out the light, and he was then gone—Mr. Weston, Mr. Milrose, and Mr. Marrow, who are old customers, were there—when I took up the brandy and water the prisoner was not writing—he was sitting in a chair close by the fire—some time after this I went to the Lambeth police-court, saw Lawrence and Chappell there, and picked out Chappell from about forty or fifty people—they were two of the persons I had seen on the night of the robbery—I knew my master kept his money in the drawers in his room—I had been up-stairs about four that afternoon—I locked the door of Mr. Covill's room, and put the key into my pocket—there are two keys, Mr. Covill has one, and I the other—the drawers were then undisturbed, and as they should be—I first saw the prisoner after the robbery in the ante-room at the Greenwich police-court—he was just going through—I happened to look up and knew him directly—I found the bed-room door open about seven—I acquainted Mrs. Graves the housekeeper with it—the other rooms on the same floor as No. 2 are private, and were kept locked—I noticed that the three men had on each a shawl handkerchief alike. Cross-examined. Q. I suppose the Albion is a place of considerable re-sort, is it not? A. Yes—I am there still—there is a back entrance to the house communicating with the stairs—you can come up to the stairs, and go through the house—I did not lock the bed-room door when I found it open at seven—no money was missed till eleven o'clock—I told Mr. Covill at eleven about his door being found open—he went up, and found he had been robbed—he might have gone up before—I went into the room at seven, did what I had to do, and came out again—I did not observe anything unusual—I did not see anything disturbed—I did not try either of the drawers. MR. COVILL re-examined. When I went up, in consequence of what Brooks told me, I found the drawers shut, and not at all defaced, in fact I put my hand into my pocket to take out the keys to unlock them. ELIZA GRAVES I am housekeeper to Mr. Covill. I know the prisoner—he was there twice on the night of 10th Jan., 1848—he first came in alone, about half-past seven o'clock, shortly after the two others—he did not appear to recognise them; he was about three feet from them—that was about half-past five—he asked for threepennyworth of brandy and water—when he came in the second time, he asked for a pen and ink, which Mr. Covill's son gave him—I desired Brooks to get a light, and she went up-stairs with him to No. 2—I recognised Chappell and Lawrence, and was at their trial—after the prisoner called for a pen and paper, they stood at the bar in conversation with me—the prisoner went up-stairs, leaving them there without recognising them—they had some brandy and water, and it was either too hot or too cold—I had to go into the bar-parlour to get the hot water—I was engaged in attending to them, and altering the brandy and water, for some timethat would give them an opportunity of being out of my sight—they might have gone from the bar without my observing them—I should say they were about twenty minutes drinking the brandy and water—they went away about half-past six, or a little later, bidding me good night—I had seen them all three at the bar at the same time about a fortnight before—they did not appear to know or recognise each other then—I never saw Chappell and Lawrence except at our house—I saw them on a third occassion before the Magistrate—I remember Mr. Covill giving one of them change for a 5l. note, and the note was rather old—he went up-stairs for the change into his own room—that was the first time they were there—they were all standing at the bar at the time—that would not enable them to see the bed-room unless there was any one outside watching, then they could see, because the bed-room is in front of the house. COURT. Q. A person outside could watch the light going up, and could see into which room the light would go? A. Yes. MR. CLARKSON. Q. About what time did the men first come? A. About half-past five—they stood talking a little time at the bar to Mr. Covill—they went away and came back about ten minutes past six—they met Mr. Covill at the door as he went out—they would know that he was out—I saw then twice on 10th Jan., once a fortnight before, and afterwards at Woolwich police-court—I remember Weston, Milrose, and Marrow coming in that night—about seven or a little after, Brook called my attention to Mr. Covill's bed-room door—I thought he might have left it open, and did not go into the room to examine it. Cross-examined. Q. About how long did they remain at the bar the first time? A. About twenty minutes—the three stood at a short distance from each other; they did not appear to know each other—they came on both occasions at about half-past five—occasionally there were other people at the bar drinking; they were in and out—there is a back-entrance by which, if a person came in, he could go up-stairs without passing the bar at all—there are five bed-rooms on the second-floor—there are two or three on the same side as Mr. Covill's; his looks into the street. ALEXANDER SPENCE . I am landlord of the Earl of Chatham Arms, in Thomas-street, Woolwich, about half or three quarters of a mile farther from London than Mr. Covill's. In Dec. 1847, between five and six in the evening, four persons came to my house in a gig—the prisoner is one of them, I have no doubt about it, and Chappell and Lawrence were two of the others—one of them wanted change for a 5l.-note—they did not stay more than a quarter of an hour—they had 2s. 6d.-worth of brandy and water—on 10th Jan. 1848, about four o'clock, four men came to my house in a gig—they were Lawrence, Chappell, the prisoner, and another whom I do not know—by the direction of Lawrence the chaise was left in front of the house; the shafts turned up and the horse put into our stable—they came into the parlour for half an hour, and took two sixpenny worths of brandy and water—they went away on foot, and the chaise was left at my house—they were away about three hours, at the end of which time two of them came back; I believe Lawrence was one, and the other was the one who I do not know—they ordered me to put the horse too, which I did; they bid me good night and drove away—they came back twice, and finally left about eight o'clock, and I saw no more of them—neither of them had his arm in a sling—when I saw the prisoner at the police-court I knew him directly. Cross-examined. Q. How soon after did you see him at the police-court? A. Fourteen or fifteen months—I should say the first time they came was at the latter end of Dec.; I cannot tell the day of the week: it was not a Sunday—I had never seen any of them to my knowledge before—I was told before I went to the police-office that one of the men was in custody who robbed Mr. Covill—I do not think I should know the fourth man if I saw him—he was a good-looking chap—they were respectably dressed. MR. CLARKSON. Q. Look at the prisoner again, have you any doubt about his being one of the persons? A. Not the least, and he knows me as well as possible—I was told that the man who was taken up for the robbery at Mr. Covill's was in the police-court, and I went and saw him, and he took notice of me directly—he was not pointed out to me by anybody—he was among a lot that were in the Court—I recognised him' without his being pointed out—he did not bow to me, but he recognised me in this way (raising his eyebrows), as much as to say, "I remember you"—the second day I was in Court he asked me," Did you see me in Court yesterday? "and I said, "Yes, I did, Sir"—he said, "Where did I stand? "and I said, "Next the door, on the left," and he could not deny it. ALFRED JOTLING . I work for Mr. Cuttress, of Redcross-street, Borough. In Jan. 1848, I found this cash-box (produced) in my master's yard, Mint-square, Borough, and brought it to my master directly, sent for Fielding the policeman, and delivered it to him—it appeared to me to have been thrown over the fence—there was a heap of road dirt, one part lay high and the other low—there was a dent, as if it had made it, and it appeared as if it had pitched on one end—it was open and empty, and the lock off—I found the lock about an hour afterwards. JOHN FIELDING (policeman, M 241). I received this cash-box. HENRY GURNER . I live at 7, Rodney-street, Suffolk-street. The prisoner lodged in my house from April, 1847, till May, 1848—he went by the name of Francis—I do not know how far my house is from Mr. Cuttress'—I never ascertained what his business was—I frequently saw him, and frequently did not, but the money was very regularly paid. JONATHAN WHICHER (policeman, A 27). I apprehended the prisoner on 16th Feb.—I had been looking for him for twelve months—I was not searching for him, but looking out for him, and if I had met him I should have apprehended him on this charge—I knew his person—I took him in the Strand, and told him I apprehended him on suspicion of being concerned in a robbery at the Albion public-house at Woolwich, on 10th Jan., 1848—he said he knew nothing about it, and had been apprehended for it before—I said, "I do not think that"—he said, "Yes, I have, and the parties who saw me could not identify me"—I then took him to Bow-street station, and he again repeated that he had been apprehended for it twice, once by Goff, and next morning, when I was conveying him to Woolwich on board a steam-boat, he said, "I wonder you did not apprehend me for it before"—I said, "I have not seen you, or I should"—he said, "Yes, you did see me one day, down at Hungerford-pier"—I then recollected, and said, "Do you mean the day I saw you with young Chappell?"—he said, "Yes"—I said, "That was before the robbery took place"—he said, "No, it was after"—it was before—I know Mr. Cuttress' house in Redcross-street; it is 275 steps from where the prisoner lodged—I knew Chappell and Lawrence, who were convicted—I have seen the prisoner in Chappell's company before the robbery on several occasions—I knew them as companions—I had not heard of the robbery on the nightof 11th or 12th Jan., 1848—I saw the prisoner come out of his lodging in Rodney-street on the night of 11th—I should say I have seen Chappell in company with the prisoner about half-a-dozen times before the robbery—the last occasion was at Hungerford-pier, when Chappell was with him. cross-examined. Q. You say you saw him come out of Rodney-street on 11th Jan? A. On 11th or 12th I was watching the house upon other business for some time—I never went into the house—Goff says he has had him in custody, but not on this charge—I believe he apprehended the other two. JOHN HAYNES . I am inspector of the detective police force. I accom. panied the prisoner to the Bow-street station on his arrest—I asked him the usual questions, his name and address, occupation, and age, and whether he could read and write—he gave the name "John Jones, 6, Angel-court, Strand"—I knew he lived there, and he said he could read very well, but he could not write at all. Cross-examined. Q. You knew before that he lived there? A. Yes, about two hours before he was apprehended I watched him out of the place—I had no object in asking him whether he could read and write—I merely followed the usual course of duty—I generally ask it, but if I do not the sergeant on duty does—it is a question always asked—there is a column in the charge-sheet on purpose for it. GUILTY .* Aged 41.— Transported for Ten Years.