Morris Ready

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D Wong on 27th March 2016

MORRIS READY, JAMES GOSSIP, Theft > theft from a specified place, 18th February 1818. Reference Number: t18180218-68 Offence: Theft > theft from a specified place Verdict: Guilty; Guilty Punishment: Death; Death MORRIS READY and JAMES GOSSIP were indicted for stealing, on the 17th of February , at St. Marylebone , 22 silver spoons, value 12l., and 30 silver forks, value 20l., the goods of Jonathan Bullock , Esq. , in his dwelling-house . WILLIAM PICKETT . On the 17th of February, between ten and eleven o'clock in the morning, I was standing opposite the gateway of Mr. Bullock's house, in Cumberland-street, Portman-square, and saw the two prisoners go down the area - I am sure they are the persons - They were down there about three minutes. I saw the prisoner, Ready, come up first, and observed his hands in his pocket - He had a loose coat on. He came into the street, went to the corner of Berkeley-street, stopped there, and looked over the corner of the railing towards the house. In about a minute, or a minute and a half, I saw Gossip come out of the area, and go up to him-his hands were also in his pocket-he had the same kind of coat on. I went over to Mr. Bullock's, went down the area-steps, and met Johnson, the butler, and told him. I lost sight of them. We both went in pursuit of the prisoners, and overtook Ready at the corner of Duke-street, Oxford-street, which is between a quarter and half a mile off. I had seen Gossip run down Somerset-street with him. While we were pursuing, they parted - I overtook Ready, and took him to the watch-house. As we went along, I saw him drop eight table-spoons - I heard them fall close to him - They were silver; Johnson picked up seven of them. I saw Ready searched at the watch-house, and eighteen silver forks, and two gravy-spoons found on him. I also saw twelve silver desert-spoons, and twelve silver forks found on Gossip- they said nothing. JOSEPH JOHNSON. I am butler to Mr. Jonathan Bullock. Pickett gave me information- I looked in the cupboard, and missed the plate. I ran out, and pursued with him. I saw some person take Gossip- I then ran after Ready, and saw him taken also- we took him to the watch-house. I saw eight table-spoons drop from his person- I am sure they dropped from him; I picked up seven of them. I knew them to be my master's, by the crest. I went to the watch-house, and saw eighteen large forks, and two gravy-spoons, found on him, which were Mr. Bullock's, and had his crest on them. WILLIAM NEWITT . I am a constable. I searched Gossip, and found twelve desert-spoons in his left-hand pocket. WILLIAM SELLERS . I found twelve silver desert-spoons on Gossip. (Property produced and sworn to.) JOHN SYMONDS . I was at the corner of Pullen's Mews, heard the alarm, ran through the mews, and saw the prisoners in Somerset-street. I seized Gossip, took him to the watch-house, and saw the property found on him. ISAAC SEARCEY . I was coming out of a house in Duke-street, heard the cry of Stop thief! saw Ready running, and observed something in his pocket- I followed and took him. He said, "Don't take me, I have only broken a pane of glass"- I secured him. He got one of his hands from me, and tried to throw the eight table-spoons down an area- he threw them down. I picked one up, took him to the watch-house, and took eighteen silver forks and two gravy spoons from his pocket. I gave the one I picked up to Johnson. READY'S Defence. We saw a butcher down the area, he beckoned to us to come down, gave us the plate out of his apron, and told us to take it to Portman-square, and he would pay us. GOSSIP'S Defence. I went down with Ready. The butcher gave us the plate, and said he would pay us. WILLIAM PICKETT . I was opposite the gateway, and saw no butcher. JOSEPH JOHNSON. The butcher had been there, but had been gone sometime before I heard of the robbery. READY - GUILTY . - DEATH . Aged 16. GOSSIP - GUILTY . DEATH . Aged 15. James Gossip was also on board the General Stewart. Colonial Secretary Papers: READY, Maurice. Per "General Stuart", 1818 1819 Jan 13: On list of convicts disembarked from the "General Stuart" and forwarded to Liverpool for distribution; listed as Reddy (Reel 6006; 4/3499 p.261) 1820 Jul 31: Carpenter in the Lumber Yard. Evidence at inquest on Matthew Heyland (Reel 6021; 4/1819 p.316) 1821 Jun 11: On list of prisoners transported to Newcastle per "Governor Bligh" (Reel 6008; 4/3504 p.38) 2/8/1822 Sydney Gazette: Another Inquest was held at the Rising Sun on Monday last, on the body of Maurice Ready, who had died in the course of the previous night. It was proved that the deceased had been engaged in a pugilistic luctation, on the Sunday afternoon, with a man of the name of Walsh, a prisoner of the Crown, which lasted for an hour and upwards in Cockle-bay, in the presence of a great concourse of spectators, who had collected together to enjoy the afternoon's sport. In the act of fighting the deceased dislocated his neck by a fall, which ended in death, and hastened his soul into the presence of a sin-avenging GOD !--We are willing to exculpate the Police from the slightest knowledge of this wretched transaction ; but of what disposition must the "motley group" be formed, who thus evinced the total absence of every moral feeling, in not only disregarding the sacred day, but also in glutting themselves in the effusion of human blood. Now a precious life is lost, no doubt their minds are somewhat satiated. The savages around comport themselves with more susceptibility; and therefore reflect lasting disgrace upon those Europeans, whose highest glory is to exhibit such unmanly and cruel examples. The verdict returned upon this dismal occasion, was-Died in consequence of a fall in the act of fighting.