Thomas Miller

135

C H on 31st March 2024

Old Bailey Online THOMAS MILLER. Violent Theft; robbery. 3rd January 1842 Text type Trial account Defendants THOMAS MILLER Offences Violent Theft > Robbery Session Date 3rd January 1842 Reference Number t18420103-496 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 496. THOMAS MILLER was indicted , (together with a certain person, whose name is unknown,) for feloniously assaulting William Cannon, on the 17th of December, putting him in fear and danger of his life, and stealing from his person, and against his will, 1 knife, value 6d.; 3 sixpences, and 2 halfpence; his property; and immediately before, at the time of, and after the said robbery, feloniously beating and striking him. WILLIAM CANNON . I am a labourer, and live at No. 2, Gray's-buildings, Kingsland-road. On Friday, the 17th of December, about a quarter past twelve o'clock at night, I was at the top of Wentworth-street, White-chapel, walking down the street, towards my home—two young men met me, and one of them put his hand into my pocket—I asked what they wanted—they said my money—I said they should not have it—they threatened to kill me if they did not have it—they ill-used me, and knocked me about dreadfully, got me down, kicked me, ill-used me very much, and left me in the road—they took from my pocket a knife, three sixpences, and one or two halfpence—I saw the prisoner on Saturday at Worship-street—I could not swear to his being one of the persons who robbed me, for I was smothered with mud and blood at the time—I believe he is one of the persons, but I was so ill-used I could not say—I was not sober, but I knew what I was about. SARAH WARD . I am a boot-binder, and live at No. 1, Old Nicol-street. On Friday night, the 17th of December, I was coming home rather late, and passing by Wentworth-street, I heard a great scuffle down the street—I turned down to see what it was, and saw two men shaking the prosecutor several times—after they shook him, they knocked him down three times—he got up, and asked them what they wanted—they said, "Your money, or your life"—he said he should not give it to them—they then knocked him down again, dragged him across the road, and told him, if he offered to halloo, they would have his life—I saw a policeman at the top of the street, and told him there was a man knocked down, and went with him to see—the two men were then gone—the prosecutor was standing on the edge of the curb—I had not known either of the two men before—the policeman went to two houses to look for them, he came back again, and, a few yards from the top of the street, I saw the prisoner and another man striking another man, near to where they were before—I showed them to the policeman—I am quite sure the prisoner is one of the men that had been striking the prosecutor—I told the policemen so, and they took him to the station—I was on the other side of the way when the two men were ill using the prosecutor, right opposite to them—it is not a very narrow street—a woman was standing at a door, with a candle in her hand, at the time they knocked him down—I saw the faces of the men, and am quite sure of the prisoner. Cross-examined by MR. PAYNE. Q. Do you mean to swear that you live at No. 1, Old Nicol-street? A. Yes—I live with my father and mother there—my father has been a dyer, but does nothing now—my mother is a boot-binder and closer, and I work at the same trade, at home, with her—that is the only way in which I get my living—I have never helped to get it in any other way—I had been to my sister-in-law's house, in the Commercial-road, on the night in question, and was rather late going home—I went there by myself, and came home by myself—I was coming by the top of Brick-lane when I saw this happen—I did not know the girl who was standing at the door with the candle—I never saw her before, and did not notice her—she was not above a yard from me—I did not speak to her—I never pick up men in the street, or go with them anywhere—I do not get my living in that way—I swear that positively—I do not walk about the streets of a night—I have never been up at any police-office—I know Toomey, the officer, by seeing him in the streets several times—Old Nicol-street is a good distance from Wentworth-street—I have not seen Toomey in Wentworth-street, but in different places, when I have been going along—he has never had me in custody—I never saw him at any police-office, only about Shoreditch, going along with the police—I do not know Staple-court, Ropemaker-street—I never lived there—I am single—I do not live with any one but my mother, nor anywhere but No. 1, Old Nicol-street—I always sleep there—my mother works for Mr. Bradley, in Shoreditch, and has done so for nine years—I earn 7s. or 7s. 6d. a week—I know Shepherd's-court—that is where I live—we always call it Old Nicol-street—some persons call it Shepherd's-court—I slept there last night—I never lived in Wentworth-street—I was never in any house there—I do not know a Mary Ann White, by sight or name. TIMOTHY TOOMEY (police-constable H 89.) On Wednesday, the 17th of December, I was on duty, and heard a noise in Wentworth-street—I went towards it, and met Sarah Ward, who gave me some information, in consequence of which I went on with her, and met with the prosecutor—his face was all over blood and mud, and he was rising from the ground—I saw two women sitting on the right hand side of the street, in a door-way, not six yards from where I found the prosecutor—they had a lighted candle with them—I went in search of the persons—I returned in about twenty minutes to Brick-lane and saw the prisoner engaged in a scuffle at the top of Wentworth-street—Ward, who was along with me, pointed him out, and said in his hearing, that he was the person who knocked the man down, and helped to rob him—I went and took him—he said he was innocent—his side was all over mud, and on examining him at the station I found the left wristband of his shirt stained with blood and mod, quite fresh—I tore it off, and now produce it—I found 6 1/2 d. on him, this handkerchief. Cross-examined. Q. Did it not strike you as extraordinary to see two women sitting in a door-way with a candle at half-past twelve o'clock at night? A. No—it is a usual thing in that neighbourhood, and till two or three o'clock in the morning—there were two women—whether they were old or young I cannot say—I will swear there were two—I have always said so—(looking at his deposition)—this is my signature—(the witnesses deposition being read stated,"I saw a young woman standing at the door of a lodging-house with a candle in her hand, close by where the prosecutor stood")—I said I saw a woman—I know there were two there, but I said there and then there was a woman with a candle in her hand at the door—one was sitting down with the candle in her hand, (and another with her,) and she got up with it in her hand—which way you take it I do not know, but I know at the time I came up there were two women, and they both stood up at the door at the time of the scuffle—the prisoner had a cut on his hand, and he showed it before the Magistrate—it was on his right hand, and the cuff which was bloody and dirty was the left cuff—I do not know how old the wound was, but the Magistrate said it did not appear like a fresh wound then—I have known Sarah Ward about four years—my beat is in various parts in the district of the division—I do not think I ever served a month in Old Nicol-street, but about Hackney-road, Wentworth-street, and Monmouth-street—I never saw Ward in Wentworth-street—I have often seen her in other streets just the same as any other person, walking the streets casually as any other person, not more—I had not seen her on the night in question before this happened—I had not seen her, perhaps, for a fortnight before—I took no notice of the girl—I might have met her in the street—I first knew her by her being a sweetheart of one of our men—that is between two and three years ago—I know the street she lives in, but not where she lives—I have often seen her out of a night, sometimes late and sometimes early—not so late as one or two o'clock, except on this night—I have seen her out as late as one o'clock before, alone, going along as any other person would—I have seen her walking along with other persons—whether accompanied by them or no I cannot say—I have not seen her walking with different men—I swear that positively—I never thought she was one of the sort you mean—I never said that I had known her for four years as a prostitute. THOMAS BURCHAM (police-constable H 33.) I was on duty on the night in question in Wentworth-street, and met the witness Ward—after passing her about twenty yards I heard a scuffle—I turned round, and was going towards the end of the street when I met Toomey, Ward, and the prosecutor, who was bleeding from his face—I and Toomey went and examined two houses, I then returned to the end of the street, past the spot where the robbery happened, and found the prisoner and another man attacking two young men—I took hold of the prisoner, drove him across the street, and said, "What do you mean by fighting at this time in the morning?"—I was about letting him go when Ward crossed with Toomey, and said he was the man that robbed the prosecutor—the prisoner denied it, said he knew nothing about it, he was quite innocent—he was taken to the station. Cross-examined. Q. Did you know Ward before? A. Yes, for about three years—I have seen her in different parts of the streets in our division—I have repeatedly seen her out at twelve and half-past twelve o'clock at night, alone—and about a year and a half ago there was another young girl, who used to go about with her—I have never seen any thing disrespectful in her character—I only saw her going along the streets as other persons did—I never saw her walking up and down the streets, plying for men—I am not acquainted with her, only by seeing her pass up and down my beat, the same as other people—the place where I found the prisoner scuffling was about twenty yards from where the prosecutor was—it was, I should say, about a quarter of an hour after the robbery, or it might be a little more—I never saw Ward in custody at any police-court—I know Rowland, a constable in our division—he sometimes gives out warrants at Worship-street—he is constantly there—he was here yesterday, but is not now. GUILTY . Aged 20.— Transported for Fifteen Years.