John Seldon

342

Maureen Withey on 30th March 2026

Possible Death? Death Reg: 4706/1858. John Seldon, age 52 years. Died Orange, Orange district. ORANGE. SERIOUS ACClDENT.---On Saturday se'night, as John Seldon, carpenter and joiner, was proceeding on a horse dray, laden with flour,- &c, to Mr. Kite’s station, near Orange, the driver accidentally brought one of the wheels in contact with a stump, when the sudden shock threw him (Seldon, who was sober), violently to the ground, immediately followed by a bag of flour, which unfortunately fell upon his abdomen, the effects from which rendered him insensible for some time. On help arriving, it was found that the lower part of the spine was injured so seriously that he had no use of his lower limbs, and he had to be carried to a dwelling in the vicinity of Ploughman's Creek. On Sunday evening he was conveyed to his house in a cart, and has since been under medical treatment, with but slight hopes of his recovery.- It is here proper to state that many of his fellow tradesmen in Orange would willingly have volunteered aid in carrying the unfortunate sufferer home, had the accident been known in town on Sunday, instead of submitting him to the excruciating torture of dray conveyance. Bathurst Free Press, 3 Nov 1858. ORANGE. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ACCIDENTS.— Since my last communication reports of serious accidents have poured upon us in such unwelcome profusion, that I am compelled to summarise.  … whilst poor Seldon died last Thursday, from the effects of injuries sustained in the fall I lately mentioned. Bathurst Free Press, 17 Nov 1858

342

Maureen Withey on 30th March 2026

Convict Permission to Marry. John Seldon, per Albion (2), age 39; Life; T of L; and Catherine Connors, Per Elizabeth (4), age 42; 7 years; Free. Date of application: 9 Dec 1845, Bathurst. Marriage not found on NSW BMD.

342

Maureen Withey on 25th March 2026

Tried at the Old Bailey, 21 February 1828. Before Mr. Recorder, 549. EDWARD JOHN NICHOLS and JOHN SELDON were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Joseph Smith , about seven o'clock in the night of the 11th of January , at St. George, with intent to steal therein . JOSEPH SMITH. I live at No. 9, James-street, Cannon-street-road, in the parish of St. George, in the East . I rent the whole house, and am a carpenter , and repair furniture - my house door is generally kept open in the daytime, while I am at work, because the house smokes. On Friday, the 11th of January, my wife and I had occasion to go into the Commercial-road. The house only consists of two rooms - we have no servant - I locked the street door myself, between six and seven o'clock and we went out - it was dark then; in about five minutes, when we got to Grove-street, my wife wanted to return for a sixpence, which she had left behind; we returned - I put the key into the door to unlock it, and it was fastened inside - I said there were thieves in the house, and gave an alarm immediately; I held the handle of the door, and the door was pulled inside, to open it - I still held it, and heard persons going up stairs; the window up stairs was thrown open, and out jumped one person - I laid hold of him; that was Nichols; and then the other prisoner dropped down - I laid hold of him - it was the two prisoners; I am quite certain of them - I held them for about a minute, then both broke away from my hold; but I did not loose sight of Nichols - I can safely swear they are both the men who dropped from the window; there were two gas-lights; I could see them plainly, and am certain of them both - I lost sight of Seldon; we went down to the watch-house to give charge of Nichols, and then Seldon was brought in; that was in about ten minutes - I spoke to him with certainly. I went back to my house; found the up-stairs window open, and the table moved into the middle of the room - I did not perceive any thing else - I never saw either of the prisoners before to my knowledge. Q. Was all day-light gone at the time the matter happened? A. It was between six and seven o'clock - it was very foggy - day-light had gone; it could not be daylight; but I could see them by the gas-light, as clear as I can see your Lordship. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. How do you know it was between six and seven o'clock? A. It was just as the watchman came on - he comes on at six. Q. Supposing the lamps were away, was there not a glimmering of day-light? A. It is a very dark street. Q. If a man was in a wide open place, was there not sufficient light to distinguish his face? A. Quite sufficient. I caught hold of both the men; the second jumped out in about a minute after the other, and he got away in about a minute; they were twisting and struggling with me - I was not frightened; for I had been robbed twelve months before, and wanted to know who the thieves were; I am fifty-five years old - it might be nearly a quarter of an hour before Seldon was brought to the watch-house. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Do you speak of the time you were robbed; or when you went out with your wife? A. When we went out. Nichols struggled and got away, but I never lost sight of him; he was taken in the same street, about one hundred yards off - I pursued him, and a man, who is not here, stopped him; he delivered him to the watchman, who is here; my street is about three hundred yards long - there were a good many people about; it is a populous little street - three or four persons pursued with me. COURT. Q. Are you quite sure it was after six o'clock? A. Yes: I went out after six, and returned in five minutes - I did not go into any street or place where there were no lamps lighted. HESTHER SMITH . I am the prosecutor's wife. I left the house with him between six and seven o'clock, leaving every thing safe and fast - the street door was locked; we returned in five or six minutes, and found the door fastened inside - my husband called out, and I saw the two men come from the up-stairs window; the gas-light nearly opposite gave a good light; I could see them perfectly well; the prisoners are the persons; the watchman was on his beat at the time; Seldon got out of my sight, but I ran in the road and kept Nichols in sight till he was stopped. When we were at the watch-house, Seldon was brought in, in five or ten minutes - I could not be certain of him, but my husband swore to him - I saw his face, and was certain they were the two men; I recollected his features, and was certain of him - I found our window wide open, and the table moved into the middle of the room. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Did you not at first say you could not be certain of them; but your husband swore to them? A. If I did it was a mistake; for I knew them both to be the men; it is not my husband's swearing to them that makes me certain - I could not say so much of one as the other, as he was close by me. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Did you run with your husband? A. I ran by myself - I was about four yards from Nichols - there were people about, but I saw him stopped; there are but two windows to our house; one up-stairs, and one down - there are none behind; there is a back door which I bolted myself before I went out, about five o'clock; there are two back doors, one is up stairs; they were both bolted - the one up stairs had not been unfastened for three or four days - I swear I bolted the one down stairs; there is no other way out behind - my husband shut the shutters - I shut the up stairs window myself; but it was not fastened; it had not been open since the morning; I saw it shut about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour before; when I went up to put on my bonnet - I saw the lower window just before I went out, and saw my husband fasten the shutter. MICHAEL JAMES . I am a watchman. The prosecutor's house adjoins my beat - I come on my beat about six o'clock, or a few minutes before, and in about twenty minutes or half an hour I heard an alarm - it was between six and seven o'clock; I ran up immediately, and saw a crowd of people; there was a cry of "Murder! Watch! and Thieves!" a great many people were collected, and Nichols was in hold of somebody - I cannot exactly say who, for there was a great crowd - the prosecutor and his wife were there, and desired me to take him to the watch-house; saying their house had been broken into - they gave him in charge - Seldon was brought in in a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes charged with being one of the party who broke into the house - Mrs. Smith was there; I am not certain whether her husband was - Nichols wished very much for his hat; I had taken him without a hat; it was found afterwards; but not in my presence - he wished me very much to let him go, saying that he was a coppersmith and brazier, and out of work - he said nothing to the charge; I did not wait to hear what passed about Seldon - Smith and his wife gave charge of him. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. I thought you did not see Mr. Smith at the watch-house? A. Not at first, from the number of people - they both gave charge; I heard Nichols given in charge; but paid no attention to what passed about Seldon - Smith was there to give him in charge; but I did not hear him do it; he was detained at the watch-house on the charge - charge was given; but I paid little attention to it. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Do you know where Nichols was apprehended? A. It might be sixty or seventy yards from the house - it was in the same street, near a chandler's-shop, nearly opposite the shop; I took him from a person who held him; I do not suppose Smith was a yard from him; Mrs. Smith came to the watch-house five or six minutes before her husband - the watch-house is not a quarter of a mile from the spot; Mr. Smith followed us to the watch-house; I do not know who the man was who stopped Nichols, there was such a crowd; Smith's wife ordered me to take him: whether the man who stopped him followed us to the watch-house, I cannot say. GEORGE PITMAN . I am a watchman of St. George's in the East. My beat is in Cable-street, about three hundred yards from James-street. On the 11th of January, between six and seven o'clock in the evening, I was at the corner of Grove-street, and heard a call of Stop thief! and saw Seldon running up, without his hat; Thomas, the watchman, was running behind him, springing his rattle - he ran into my arms; I delivered him up to Thomas, who took him - I went away, and did not see Smith or his wife. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. You did not go to the watch-house? A. No, I stopped him about two hundred yards from the watch-house - we go on our beats at six o'clock - it was soon after I went on my beat, but not immediately; it might be half an hour or twenty minutes past six; we do not call the hour till ten, but patrol. JACOB THOMAS . I am a watchman. On the 11th of January I heard a call of Stop thief! I saw Pitman, and saw the prisoner, Seldon - I pursued him; I first saw him just coming out of Upper Grove-street - he had no hat on; as I heard a call of Stop thief! I pursued him, and saw Pitman stop him - he delivered him to me; I brought him back to where I heard the cry, and took him to the watch-house; Smith and his wife were there, and said he was the other man who had been in the house; he said nothing to the charge; Nichols was in custody before. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Did you stay there all the time? A. I came away after giving charge; I cannot say what he might have said afterwards; Smith did not appear frightened - both he and his wife said Seldon was the man; there were not many people in the watch-house - a good many who had followed us were outside - I had been on my beat about a quarter of an hour. COURT. Q. Are you certain it was after six o'clock? A. I am; I came on my beat at six - it was a quarter of an hour after that. WILLIAM SUMMERS . I was constable of the night. I found the prisoners at the watch-house, and searched them, but found nothing on them; two hats were brought in by Mrs. Smith, and the prisoners claimed them. HESTHER SMITH . These hats were picked up by a man, and delivered to me, close at my own door; I did not see them picked up. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Is that man here? A. No, he was a stranger; I was standing at my door, and he gave them to me. NICHOLS' Defence. I was turning down James-street, heard a cry of Stop thief! saw persons running, and ran myself; the watchman took hold of me - I said I did not know what was the matter - I was never in my fellow-prisoner's company. SELDON'S Defence. I had been to my friends, near James-street, to spend the evening, and about six o'clock, being inclined for a pot of beer, I went out to fetch it; a young man threw a snow-ball at me - I turned round, and he struck me; several other persons came up and ill used me - I ran from them, and passed the watchman, at the bottom of the street - he took me - as to owning the hat, I could not do it; it was not mine; I had left mine at the house in Malden-street, where I spent the evening. WILLIAM SUMMERS . The two hats laid on the table when I came in; it being a cold night, I took them in to the prisoners, and said, "Young men, are these your hats?" they separated them, and each took one - I said,"Why did you jump out of the window?" they said,"Why we were glad to do it to get out of trouble." Prisoner SELDON. He put the hats on the bench, and said, "It being a cold night, you had better put them on, and deny it when you come to the office." WILLIAM SUMMERS. They each took one hat. Two witnesses gave Nichols a good character. NICHOLS - GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 18. SELDON - GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 18.