John Mills

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D Wong on 27th June 2015

Old Bailey: JOHN MILLS, Theft > mail theft, 23rd October 1848. Reference Number: t18481023-2272 Offence: Theft > mail theft Verdict: Guilty > with recommendation Punishment: Transportation JOHN MILLS , stealing a sovereign from a post-letter, the property of the Postmaster-General. MESSRS. CLARKSON and BODKIN conducted the Prosecution. JOHN PLAYLE . I am an inspector of letter-carriers to the General Post-office. The prisoner has been a letter-carrier there two year—his was the Paragon district, New Kent-road. In consequence of complaints, I received instructions to enclose some money in a letter—I saw a sovereign enclosed in an envelope with a letter—I marked it, and saw it marked and sealed up securely by Mr. Russell, and addressed, "Mr. C. Dyer, 6, Wey-mouth-street, New Kent-road, London"—this is it—(produced)—I posted It at the public place at the General Post-office—Gardner took it from my hand at five minutes past five o'clock in the morning—I did not see the prisoner in the office till eleven—he had then been out, and returned—it was his duty to go out with letters about eight—this address is not within his district—I received the letter from Mr. Bell, of the London district department about nine the same morning—it would go to that office in due course—it then had no coin in it—the seal was not broken, but there was a fracture on the upper right corner of the envelope in the crease, large enough for the sovereign to be taken out; the raw edge of the note came to the aperture, it could be shaken out—eleven was the time the prisoner would receive his weekly wages, but he was desired to go into Mr. Kelly's private room—Peak, who was there, searched him, and produced 19s. in silver in one end of a purse—there were two crowns—I do not know what was in the other—he was asked if he bad seen that letter that morning—he said, "No"—he was asked if he had changed a sovereign—he said he had not—he was asked if he had been into any public-house—he said, "No "—he was detained—I was in the same room about four in the afternoon, when he was again asked if he had been into any public-house and changed a sovereign—he said, "No"—he was asked if he had not been to the Rockingham Arms that day—he said be bad, to get a pot of porter, which he paid for with a fourpenny piece, receiving 1d. change—he was asked if he was sure he had not paid for it with a sovereign—he said he had not—Duncan was then brought in, and said in the prisoner's hearing that he had given him change for a sovereign that morning—the prisoner said, "I did change a sovereign—I did not like to confess that I had done so, after having said repeatedly that I had not; I found it on my seat"—Mr. Kelly said, "Why did not you give it up, you knew it was your duty to give it up to one of the Inspectors "—I do not remember his answer—this is the sovereign—here is my mark—it was given me for the purpose, from the public funds of the Post-office. "The trial continued for some length – it can be read in full at the Old Bailey Website" The Rev. Robert Eden, of Lee, Essex, and John M. Nowland, surgeon, of Newington, gave the prisoner a good character. GUILTY. Aged 25.—Recommended to mercy — Transported for Seven Years. John was 27 years old on arrival. 28/6/1851: TOL 23/4/1853: CP

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Melody Avila on 27th June 2015

John Mills was 5'10 3/4" tall, with dark brown hair, brown eyes and a long face. He was married with one child at the time of his conviction. He received a conditional pardon in 1853, in Western Australia.