Samuel Chapman

Level 36

Edward Holmes on 1st January 2016

NEWCASTLE COURANT FRIDAY MARCH 17 1843 ISSUE 8780 Samuel Chapman charged with five distinct felonies escaped from the Borough gaol some time since, and has not been retaken. George Chapman a boy of 12 years of age is charged with four felonies in conjunction with his father, and Thomas Chapman and another son with one felony. nEWCASTLE cOURANT FRIDAY MARCH 24 1843 ISSUE 8781 Thos Chapman (16) and Geo Chapman (12)charged with stealing shirts, the property of John Lawther, ship and insurance broker. Mr Foote stated the case. Jane Lawther wife of the prosecutor, de- posed that on the 22nd of October she sent a quantity of articles to the laundry, a list of which was handed in. They consisted of shirts and other articles. Ann Lawther, which she put into the carrier's cart to be taken to her residence at Whickham. Wm Thompson, the carrier, stated that he saw the bundle when Mrs Cook brought it, and soon after, when he came to look for it it was gone. Isabella Thompson daughter of Wm Thompson Landlord of the Victoria Hotel, where the Whickham carrier put up, deposed that she saw the bundle put into the carrier's cart. Samuel chapman (the man who has escaped from custody) was in the house during the day. Witness went to the front door and saw a boy taking a bundle out of the cart. Samuel Chapman was standing by and witness asked if he knew the boy? Chapman said, No; But that a young woman with a checked handerchief had told the boy to take the bundle away. Witness did no see the boy's face, and could not say that either of the prisoners was the boy. Mrs Maxwell, Pawnbroker, deposed that the prisoner, Geo Chapman, came at various times to her shop, and pawned shirts and other articles of wearing apparel in the name of Geo Jones, for his father Sameul Jones and said that his father lived at St Peter's. Harriet Davison Pawnbroker, and her assistant, both deposed to the prisoner Thomas Chapman coming at various time to her shop, and pawning a pillow- slip and other articles, in the name of Thos. Jones for his father Samuel Jones. Inspector Crake on the 10th of December, went to Carville, to the house of Samuel Chapman; and searched the pocket of Chapman's Wife. He Found in it 58 pawn tickets, with which he obtaine a great number of articles, from the two pawnbrokers' shops above mentioned. The articles being produced were identified by Mrs Lawther as her husband's property, and as being some of the articles contained in the bundle which was sent to the washing. Other articles from the same bundle were found in Samuel Chapman house. The prisoners, in their defence, said that they took the goods to pawn by the order of their father, and they did not know that the goods were not his own. The jury found both prisoners-Not Guilty. George Chapman, who had previously pleaded guilty to two indictments, charging him with stealing goods from Mark Gardner, and another was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. NEWCASTLE COURANT FRIDAY JUNE 13 1845 ISSUE 8897 Samuel Chapman, the prisoner who succeeded in making his escape in February 1844 from the Newcastle gaol, having undergone a period ofimprisonment at Bury St Edmonds, has been brought to this town, and was on Wednesday committed for trial-true bills for felony having been found against him at the last summer assizes. authors note: although there is no reference to Samuel being sentenced in these reports, it is undoubtedly the same man who was transported as his record on the Joseph Somes states he broke out of jail and lived in Bury St Edmonds.