Henry Philp

343

Maureen Withey on 25th April 2026

Hulk Records. HO-9-1_3 page 14/44 Chatham Hulk- Dolphin Received from the Euryalus, 1 Aug 1826. Henry Philp, age 28, Stg a gold snuff box, Tried at Middlesex, 23 Oct 1824, 7 years, To NSW 1 Aug 1826.

343

Maureen Withey on 25th April 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 28 Oct 1824. 1341. HENRY PHILP was indicted for stealing, on the 11th of October , a snuff box, value 15 l. , the goods of Manuel Rodriguez . MANUEL RODRIGNEZ . (Through an interpreter.) I am a native of Cadiz, in Spain . I was a captain in the Constitutional Army ; I met the prisoner in London, and a conversation took place between us respecting selling a snuff box - he afterwards came to my house on the 10th of October, in Windmill-street, Haymarket; I said I wished to sell a gold snuff box, but did not wish to sell it too cheap; I should like to sell it to a private person, and as he was a native of London, he might know some one who would buy it - we appointed to meet again at eleven o'clock the next morning, at a public-house; I do not know the sign. He said he had made some enquiries, and would meet me there at seven o'clock that evening - I met him, and he asked if I had the box with me, I said No; he said "Come tomorrow at eleven o'clock, and there will be the valet of a French nobleman here, to whom I have spoken about it, and no doubt he will buy it." I went next day at eleven o'clock, and we waited till half-past twelve - the prisoner and a companion of his were there; as the valet did not come the prisoner said "Let us go to his house," and we all three went together - after passing several streets, we came to a street, the name of which I do not know, but the officers does. The prisoner said "This is the hotel," pointing to a large building about fifty paces off; a young man passed by well dressed, and without a hat - the prisoner and his companion called out "That is the servant" - the prisoner called him and spoke to him in English; the servant said "My master is at breakfast, but wait gentlemen in that public-house," pointing to one at the side of the hotel. After we had been in the public-house a few minutes the servant came to us, and after having something to drink and some cursory conversation; the servant asked to have the box to show to his master - I asked the prisoner whether he was a person who might be trusted; the prisoner assured me that he was. I told him I would not take less than 15 l. for it; I then gave the box to the servant, and thought he would return to tell us when his master had done breakfast; in a few minutes the prisoner's companion went out, and soon after the prisoner went away - saying that he had occasion to go out. I remained waiting for him an hour, walking about and looking for him in the street; I was engaged till seven in the evening, making enquiries for him, but he never returned to the public-house, nor his companion, nor the valet. I have seen the companion in the street since, but not the servant. I then went to Bow-street, and got an officer to apprehend the prisoner - he was taken at half-past nine o'clock that night. I desired him to tell me where the snuff-box was, or to give me the money for it, and I would forgive him; I have not seen it since. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. How long have you been in London - A. About eight months. I now live at a wine vaults in Windmill-street; I lived in King-street, Leicester-square for five weeks. I never desired the prisoner to write to a lady of the name of Thorpe; I left that house in King-street because my wife did not wish me to stay there, that was the only reason; there were many young ladies there, but no daughter of the lady of the house that I know of. I do not know the name of the lady of that house; I had been three days at an hotel, and eight days at another house - but I do not know the name of that landlady. I went from King-street to where I now live. The prisoner has written many letters for me at different times, to different ladies and gentlemen. I was not turned out of the house at King-street, on a charge of seducing a young woman; there was never such a charge brought against me. I had asked him to sell a watch; the box was only in his possession a few moments - I would not have trusted the box with the prisoner - I gave it to the servant because I had no reason for distrusting him, but clearly on the representation of the prisoner. I have shown the hotel to the officer. SAMUEL TAUNTON . I am an officer of Bow-street. The prosecutor has shown me a public-house, which is the tap of Molloy's hotel in Bond-street, which is the place where he understood the French gentleman lived. I took the prisoner the same evening at a public-house at the corner of Grafton-street, and found this direction on him: "John Somerset, valet to the Hon. Mr. Thompson, Molloy's hotel, Bond-street." I have made enquiries there and found it to be false. Prisoner's Defence. I have known the prosecutor seven or eight months, and he employed me to write some letters for him; one was to Mrs. Thorpe, and another to her son, to know the reason why he was desired not to visit that house - the answer was he had disturbed the peace of the family - he then walked with me to Mrs. Shorter, and made me tell her exultingly that he had seduced her daughter, and he had got a ring and a snuff-box in his possession, which she had given him, and he would keep them. I then went into the country, and when I returned, he employed me to sell a box; the people laughed at us, because he wanted too much for it - we met again in the evening accidentally, and conversed on the subject; we met again the next morning in Newman-street, near Bond-street, and I saw a person who appeared to be a valet, and he asked me if I had not been trying to sell a snuffbox, I said I had - he said perhaps his master would buy it, and next morning we went there; we saw the pretended valet coming across the road; he said to us, "My master is at breakfast, go into the tap and wait there" - we did so, and the prosecutor gave the valet the box to take to his master, and he went away with it. GUILTY Aged 28. Transported for Seven Years .