John Paradise

135

C H on 27th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JOHN PARADISE. ALEXANDER DUNCAN. SAMUEL BIRD. Theft; theft from a specified place. 15th June 1835 Text type Trial account Defendants JOHN PARADISE, ALEXANDER DUNCAN, SAMUEL BIRD Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 15th June 1835 Reference Number t18350615-1420 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Transportation, Imprisonment 1420. JOHN PARADISE, ALEXANDER DUNCAN , and SAMUEL BIRD , were indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the warehouse of Philip James Luntley, on the 17th of May, at St. Michael, Queenhithe, London, and stealing therein, 2 engraved coppcr-plates, value 1l.; 1 coat, value 3s,; 3 keys, value 3s.; 2 drawers, value 2s.; 1 pair of scissors, value 1s. 6d.; 1 cap, value 1s., his property; and that the said Samuel Bird had before been convicted of felony. PHILIP JAMES LUNTLEY . I am a refiner of castor oil—my warehouse is No. 16, Bread-street-hill—I do not live there—it is in the parish of St. Michael, Queenhithe—I closed my warehouse on the evening before the 16th of May—there is a house adjoining the warehouse, which Mr. Fox resides in, and it has a communication through the cellar—I missed two copper-plates, a coat, a cap, and a pair of scissors, on the Sunday morning when this was discovered—I was not the first person on the premises—I missed two card-plates, and a saw had been moved from its place—the card-plates cost more than 1l.—two drawers and two keys were moved. JOHN TYREMAN FOX . I am a chemist, and live at No. 16, Bread-street On Sunday morning the 16th, I went into Mr. Luntley's warehouse, from my house—I observed several articles displaced in the counting-house—I informed Mr. Luntley—Smith the officer afterwards accompanied me—I found a saw removed, and placed against the half-shutter of the window where they had entered—the window has two folding-shutters inside, and they were closed on the Saturday evening—I found they had been thrust open—a small boy might get in through the iron grating outside—I examined the cellar, there are iron bars outside the cellar window—the space between them is sufficient for a small boy to get through—I think the younger prisoner could get through them—they must come through the bars to get to the shutters—there was no other mode of access that I could perceive—the premises are called a warehouse—there are castor oils and drugs kept there—a coat was missing, and a cap; some card-plates, and scissors. WILLIAM SMITH . I am a ward-beadle of Queenhithe. I went with Fox to the premises, on Sunday morning, and kept watch, in consequence of information I had received, having discovered the premises open—I was on the watch until twelve o'clock at night, at the house opposite, and saw the prisoner Bird stop against St. Nicholas Olive's church-yard, and put his foot on a fire-cock—he was within sight of the premises—I passed him and went on; and a little before nine o'clock, I saw the other two prisoners go by the premises, but I did not see them do any thing, ELIZABETH CLASH . I live opposite Mr. Luntley's. On Sunday morning I saw Bird coming down the hill, and Duncan sitting on the steps of Mr. Luntley's warehouse-door—it was about half-past eleven o'clock, as near as I could guess—he sat there more than a quarter of an hour—I saw Bird passing up and down at nine o'clock in the evening, and after that I saw both Bird and Duncan coming down the hill together—I saw nothing of Paradise. WILLIAM CARTER . I lived at No. 2, Essex-street, Travers'-rents, Whitechapel, at the time in question—the prisoners lodged in the same house for a week before this happened—on Sunday-morning, the 16th of May, I saw Paradise with a velvet cap on—Bird had a dark-coloured close-bodied coat, and a pair of scissors—he offered them for sale to any body who thought proper to buy them—the coat was put into my hands—I was asked to buy it—I said I would have nothing to do with it, for I rather suspected how it was—Bird went and sold the coat—I afterwards saw a pair of copper card-plates in his hand—I am no scholar, and could not read what was on them—they were engraved—Paradise asked Bird to give him the plates; he gave them to him, and afterwards he said, "Well, I do not see what I is the use of them; what are you going to do with them?"—Paradise said, "I do not see what I can do better than heave them down the privy "—I was sitting at breakfast, and said, "It is nonsense to throw them away they will fetch 1d. or 2d, for old copper"—he said, "Will you give a penny for them? "which I did—a man who was sitting next to me read the engraving, and in consequence of what he read, I went and took the plates to Mr. Luntley—only Bird and Paradise were present when this passed—Bird said they would go down there again at night, at there was a pair of scales, a saw, and an iron chest, which he dare say had some money in it, and they could break it open; and if there was nothing in it, there was the scales and the saw—I took the plates to Mr. Luntley, as the man next to me said he would be bound to say the man who lost them, would not lose them for a trifle; and as I heard them talk of going there again, I thought it right to take them to Mr. Luntley, to let him know, that he might guard his premises; I took the plates to Mr. Luntley—when I came home, Bird asked me what I had done with the plates—I said I had sold them—he asked what I had got for them—I said, 1s.—Bird asked me if I would go with them in the afternoon, and they would put a good job in my way—the whole three were together then—he would not say what it was. Bird. Q. Was any body present when I said this? A. A man named Frank, as they call him, saw me buy the pistes—he is deputy—he acts for the landlord to keep the place in order. WILLIAM GILLETT (police-Constable N 19.) In consequence of information from Carter, I went and watched in Mr. Luntley's cellar, about half-past seven o'clock on Sunday evening, the 17th of May; and a little before nine o'clock I was sitting at some distance from the shutters, where the saw was placed, and heard the saw rattle, and at the same moment I saw a great glare of light come in from the shutters, but no entry was made—but previous to going into the cellar, I saw the back of a man going by, and said, "I think that is one of them"—I remained out all that night with my brother-officer, but did not find them that night; but on the following day (Monday,) I took Bird in Fenchurch-street—my brotherofficer took the others—they were all together—Bird denied all knowledge of it, and said he was not there at all—I received these plates from Mr. Luntley—I had not seen any of the prisoners myself that night—I think the saw made noise enough to give an alarm, and prevented their coming in. WILLIAM HOLLAND (police-constable N 146.) I was with Gillett, and took Duncan and Paradise—Paradise asked me what it was for—I said, "For breaking into a warehouse on Bread-street-hill"—he said he did not know any thing about it, nor where it was—Duncan said, "It is no use telling lies; we were there yesterday, you know, but we did not do any thing"—I was with Smith at the time he says, and saw Bird walk up towards the church. Duncan. I said it is no use saying that, we were there yesterday—we passed down Bread-street-hill to go to Blackfriars-bridge for a walk. Witness. He said what I have stated exactly. P. J. LUNTLEY re-examined, I received the card-plates from my father, who is not here—he lives in Shoreditch—Carter took them to him—the address on one of them is, "No. 63, Shoreditch"—I missed them from the warehouse. WILLIAM CHITTENDEN (Woolwich police-constable No, 1.) I produce a certificate, which I got from Mr. Clark's office—I was present when Bird was tried and convicted of felony—I took him into custody on the 10th of January, for stealing a pair of trowsers (read.) Paradise's Defence. I lodged in the same house, but I was not in it. Duncan's Defence. I lodge in the same house as Carter, but I deny all knowledge of the charge—I know nothing of the stolen property—nobody can swear I had the property, or ever entered the premises—I did go down Bread-street-hill to walk over Blackfriars-bridge, to see an uncle of mine. PARADISE— GUILTY . * Aged 14.— Transported for Seven Years. BIRD— GUILTY . * Aged 33.— Transported for Life. DUNCAN— GUILTY . Aged 17.— Confined One Year,