Joseph Burgess

Level 135

C H on 16th February 2024

Old Bailey Online THOMAS BROWN. JOSEPH BURGESS. Theft; pocketpicking. 24th October 1836. Text type Trial account Defendants THOMAS BROWN, JOSEPH BURGESS Offences Theft > Pocketpicking Session Date 24th October 1836 Reference Number t18361024-2382 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation 2382. THOMAS BROWN and JOSEPH BURGESS were indicts for stealing, on the 23rd of October, 1 handkerchief, value 1s. 6d., the good of Samuel Wraith, from his person. SAMUEL WRAITH . I am a medical student at St. Bartholomew Hospital and live in Whitmore-cottages, Old Hoxton, On the night of the 22nd of October, I was going up the City-road, and saw an unusually large telescope in the street—I staid a few moments to took at it, and thought I felt something—I put my hand to my pocket, and at that moment a person said, "You have lost your handkerchief, Sir"—on looking round, I saw the prisoner Brown secured by the witness, and the officer, and saw my handkerchief on the ground—this is it. JAMES COCKLIN . I am a shoe-marker, and live in Palace-court, Hackney-road. On the evening of the 23rd of October, about half-past eight o'clock I was in a crowd, near the telescope, in the City-road—I saw the two prisoners come into the mob together, arm-in-arm—the prosecutor stood by the side of me—I heard Burgess say to Brown, "Make way, let this gentleman have room"—Brown then put his hand into the gentleman pocket, and drew a white handkerchief out—I immediately seized him by the collar, and informed the prosecutor—Brown said he knew nothing about it—the handkerchief was picked up a boy, and given to me—I gave it to the policeman—in going to the station-house Kemp the officer asked me if Burgess was coming—I said, "Yes"—he was near enough to hear—I turned round, and he was out of sight immediately—I saw no more of him till next morning, at the police-office, when the officer asked me if I could recognise him—he showed him to me, and I know him to be the man who with Brown. Burgess. I know nothing of it—I was not in the City-road at the time—he must have mistaken my person. Witness. I am certain of him, and when the gentleman was taking the depositions at Worship-street, Brown said they were in company together—I cannot be mistaken in his person. GEORGE KEMP (police-constable, N 82.) I was on duty, in plain clothes, in the City-road, on the evening of the 23rd of October, about eight o'clock—I saw the two prisoners together, walking after a lady and gentleman towards Finsbury-square—I knew them before—they then followed an old gentleman some time, then left him, and went through the turnpike, to the telescope, and stopped behind this gentleman; and all of a sudden I saw a person lay hold of Brown by the collar, and instantly dropped the handkerchief from his hand—I lost sight of the other prisoner—I asked Cocklin to look round and see if he could see the other man—it was said loud—I saw him at Worship-street next morning, and sent Cocklin out to see if he saw any body he knew—he went out, and said that man was in company with prisoner when he took the handkerchief—I then took him. (property produced and sworn to.) Brown's Defence. I never touched the gentleman's pocket at all. BROWN— GUILTY .† Aged 18. BURGESS— GUILTY .† Aged 18. Transported for Seven Years.

Level 218

Dianne Jones on 13th August 2020

1868, 19 October: Joseph BURGESS per Charles Kerr 1837, crime not stated, 7 years, is on a list of so-called "British Lunatics" in the "Parramatta Lunatic Asylum" (see New South Wales, Australia, Convict Records, 1810-1891).