Sarah Michael

135

C H on 21st February 2024

Old Bailey Online EDWARD CASELTINE. Sarah Michael. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827), Theft; receiving. 22nd April 1789. Text type Trial account Defendants EDWARD CASELTINE, Sarah Michael Offences Theft > Grand larceny, Theft > Receiving Session Date 22nd April 1789 Reference Number t17890422-82 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Transportation 367. EDWARD CASELTINE was indicted for stealing, on the 21st of April , six bushels of coals, value 5 s. the property of Thomas Lancaster ; and Sarah Michael was indicted for feloniously receiving the same on the said 21st day of April, knowing them to be stolen , against the statute. The indictment opened by Mr. Silvester. THOMAS GODSELL , jun. sworn. My father is a wharfinger at Wapping; on the 21st of this month one of our carts was loaded with coals for Mr. Lancaster; his warehouse was in Lime-street; we loaded the last load about a quarter after six; there were 26 sacks in the waggon; the prisoner Caseltine drove the waggon; they left our wharf at half past six. Mr. Knowlys, prisoner Caseltine's Counsel. Was you present, Sir, or your servants? - I was present. Does your father deal in coals? - Yes. These were your father's? - No, Sir, they were for Mr. Lancaster; they were Mr. Lancaster's property. WILLIAM PARTRIDGE sworn. I keep a chandler's shop in Church-lane, Whitechapel; the prisoner Sarah Michael lives next door to me, and is a greengrocer; on the 21st, about eight o'clock, I saw the prisoner Caseltine take a sack of coals, which was in a waggon standing by Mrs. Michael's window, and shoot them down into her cellar-window; then he shot another down; Mrs. Michael was present out of doors at the time, about three or four yards from the waggon, in the street; I had the curiosity to follow the waggon; he then drove up Whitechapel, and stopped with another man to drink, and then went to Lime-street; I saw a man take the middle part of the sacks, and draw them up to the top; I informed Mr. Lancaster; I am sure as to the prisoners. Mr. Knowlys. It was dark when you saw this? - No, it was not. Not at eight o'clock? - It was not eight o'clock. How came you to say eight o'clock? - It was eight o'clock when it was unloaded at Mr. Lancaster's; it was unloaded, and all by half past eight. Who was with the waggon at that time? - The waggoner himself. Who was with him? - Nobody. Where was you then? - As near as I am to you. What are you? - I deal in coals and wood. So does Mrs. Michael, does not she? - I don't know, she sells greens, I believe, and buys old iron. Don't you know she sells coals? - No, I do not, I am not master of her shop. How long has she been your next door neighbour? - I believe two years. You did not go up to the man, and ask how this happened? - I never spoke to him at all. Was you not upon a regular plan of watching Mrs. Michael? - No. Had you or had you not before this day formed a determination to watch Mrs. Michael? - No, I had not. Mr. Peatt, Prisoner Michael's Counsel. I believe you did not like Mrs. Michael's coming there? - I did not dislike a good neighbour. Had not you a dislike to Mrs. Michael's coming there? - One does not like a person to take the bread out of one's mouth. Court. What became of the sacks they shot the coals out? - They were put into the middle part of the waggon; and when they came to Mr. Lancaster's they drew them quite forward. ANN DEER sworn. I was standing at my brother's door, on the 21st, about half past seven, I saw a waggon of coals, which was drove by the prisoner, stop at Mrs. Michael's door; he asked for a halfpenny-worth of tobacco; I then went into my brother's shop; and when I came out I saw some coals shot out, I don't know how many, and the sacks were put at the top of the waggon. Mr. Knowlys. You board with your brother? - Yes. And are you paid by him? - Yes. Mrs. Michael deals in the same things as your brother? - Yes, I believe. Has he never complained of Mrs. Michael taking the bread out of his mouth? - No, never. Mr. Peatt. What hour was it when you saw this transaction? - About half past seven. JOHN KNOX sworn. I keep a green grocer's shop in Cullum-street, and am constable of Lime-street Ward; I was passing by Mr. Lancaster's door on the 21st, about twenty minutes past eight; I saw a waggon of coals standing at the door, and three men about it; the men seemed much confused, one of them said d - n your eyes, get up and pull down the empty sacks; the prisoner at the bar jumped up, and put them behind the hind wheel of the waggon; Mr. Lancaster came out with a candle and lanthorn, he appeared in confusion, and got on the shafts, and looked for the empty sacks; Lancaster could not find them, then one of the men took a sack of coals, and went up the passage that leads to the warehouse, and made a stumble; he then came back, and took the two empty sacks, and laid at the tail of the cart, and put the one he had shot in the warehouse with them. Mr. Knowlys. Did you inform Mr. Lancaster of this then? - Not that evening. THOMAS LANCASTER sworn. I have a wharf at Wapping; my warehouse is a mile and three quarters from it. Is Church-street in the way for them to have come with the waggon? - No, a quarter of a mile out of the way; the witness Partridge came, and informed me of the transaction; and that if I would look into the waggon I should find the empty sacks; I bid them stop unloading, but they would not; I endeavoured to get up, but could not; I then went to get a light and a chair, and by that time they had laid the sacks even at the tail of the cart; I asked them, what made them come the way they did? and they said the pavement was up in White-lion-street, and therefore they came the other way; I went to see, and found it was no such thing; there were 26 sacks in all: the woman was taken into custody, and she denied having any from this man; and said, she had in her house a bushel, or a bushel and a half. Partridge. Upon the woman saying to the Justice, she had but a bushel, or half a bushel in her house; says he, I am a pretty good judge of a bushel, I will go with you myself; I went with the Justice to this woman's house, and we looked and found the als under the window; the Justice asked her, what she had to say in her behalf? and she said, she was very sure that she had no such quantity of coals in the house, for she was obliged to send for a bushel on Saturday night at Mr. Hands's; then says the Justice, I can judge of a bushel, and I'll go and see myself. Mr. Knowlys. Was what you are talking of taken down in writing? - I believe it was; then I saw the coals measured, first in the cellar, there were about four bushels and a peck, and there was another parcel measured two bushels within about a quarter of a peck, in this hole; afterwards the Justice sent one of the men to fetch two parcels of coal, some out of this cellar, and some out of a room. JOHN RIDLEY sworn. I am the coal-merchant who sold these coals originally; I was at the Justice's when the coals were brought, I believe they are the same; nobody in their senses would attempt to swear they were. The prisoner Caseltine called three witnesses, who gave him a good character. The prisoner Michael called seven witnesses, who all gave her a very good character. EDWARD CASELTINE , GUILTY . Transported for seven years . SARAH MICHAEL , GUILTY . Transported for fourteen years . Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron HOTHAM .

106

Carol Axton-Thompson on 20th December 2013

Sarah Michael was convicted at the Old Bailey on 02/04/1789 for receiving stolen coal. (Edward Castletine was charged with stealing the same. Also found guilty.) Sarah called 7 witnesses, who gave her good character. In the trial transcript she is referred to as Mrs. Michael's, a shop dealer. 14 yr sentence. Transported to New South Wales, Australia on the 'Lady Juliana' (2nd Fleet). 11/10/1790: Married William Davis, Sydney. Apparently left Davis and co habited with a James Wilson and they had a son. Died in Sydney.