William King

135

C H on 20th February 2024

Old Bailey Online WILLIAM KING. Theft; shoplifting. 14th December 1846. Text type Trial account Defendants WILLIAM KING Offences Theft > Shoplifting Session Date 14th December 1846 Reference Number t18461214-264 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 264. WILLIAM KING was indicted for stealing 12 handkerchiefs, value 3l. 3s. 4d.; the goods of Richard Hampson; and that he had been before convicted of felony. WILLIAM RICHARD HAMPSON I am the son of Richard Hampson, who keeps a shop at No. 9, Holborn-hill. On the 27th of Nov. the prisoner came to the shop—he asked to be shown some coloured silk handkerchief for the neck—I looked out some—I cut one off, and he paid for it—he spoke to me as a German—he spoke very little English—I put those handkerchiefs away, and he asked to be shown some black ones—I opened a paper containing a number of black ones, but as they were not what I thought would suit, I laid them on one side, and opened another paper—he went away, and soon after he was gone I missed two pieces of black handkerchiefs, one piece contained seven handkerchiefs, and the other five—they have not been found since—no one else had been in the shop after I saw them safe—I opened them before the prisoner—there was one lady came to the door, but not near the counters—no one could have taken them but the prisoner. Cross-examined by MR. PAYNE Q. Where were these? A. In the front part of the shop—there was only myself in the shop when the prisoner came in—my father came down before the prisoner went out—I had not counted the handkerchiefs before I showed them, but we knew how many there were—I had counted them, but I cannot say exactly when—I saw the two pieces of handkerchiefs in the paper when I opened them to the prisoner—I missed them about a quarter of an hour afterwards—we have a youth in the shop, but he was not there at all from the time the prisoner came in till I had made the discovery—my father came down just before the prisoner left, but he was in a different part of the shop. THOMAS KELLY (police-constable H 119.) I received information from one of our constables—I went after the prisoner—I found him in the Hat and Plough, in Whitechapel—he is a German, and does not speak good English—I took him—he asked me what it was for—I said for stealing two pieces of silk handkerchiefs from a house in Holborn—when he came out he said he could not blame me for doing my duty, but he should like to see the man that saw him take them—I found on him a half-crown, a shilling, a sixpence, and a 4d. piece—he said he had no more, but on further search I found a sovereign and a half-sovereign in his fob—I have known him ever since he has been in England. WILLIAM RICHARD HAMPSON re-examined. Q. Does your father serve in the shop? A. Yes—on that occasion he came down stairs from dinner while the prisoner was in the shop—he remained only a few minutes in the middle of the shop and went up stairs again—I missed the things before he came back again. WILLIAM DAVISON DAY (police-constable K 74.) I produce a certificate of the prisoner's former conviction at Clerkenwell, by the name of William Mason—(read Convicted 6th Jan., 1846, and confined six months)—the prisoner is the person. GUILTY .— Transported for Seven Years. Before Edward Bullock , Esq.

135

C H on 20th February 2024

Description Born 1828. Place of birth frankfort. Gender male. Height 5' 6.25". Religion Protestant (unspecified). Has tattoo no. First recorded 1846.