Edward Smith

342

Maureen Withey on 27th September 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE. THE following Prisoners having absconded from Public Labour, all Persons are hereby warned thereof, and forbidden to employ or in any wise to harbour or maintain them, on pain of prosecution ; and all Constables and others are required to aid in apprehending the said Fugitives ; viz. Henry Joyce (per the Gambier),- from Newcastle Edward Cook, carpenter (Indian) from Dock yard. John Clotworthy, sawyer (ditto) Lumber-yard. William Bradley, labourer (ditto) Town Gang. By Command of His Excellency the Governor, T. Nichols, Principal Superintendant. Sydney Gazette, 26 Oct 1811.

342

Maureen Withey on 30th April 2022

(Laurel) Hulk Records. HO-9-9-1. Received from Newgate, 14 June 1808. Edw. Smith alias Cook, age 30, Felony, tried at London 16 Sept 1807, 7 years, B.S. to NSW 27 June 1810. -------------------------------------------------- Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 30 April 2022), September 1807, trial of EDWARD COOK JOHN SQUEERS (t18070916-27). EDWARD COOK, JOHN SQUEERS, Theft > grand larceny, 16th September 1807. 569. EDWARD COOK and JOHN SQUEERS were indicted for feloniously stealing on the 10th of May a silver wine taster, value 10 s. an order for the payment of money, value 120 l. and a bill of exchange , value 20 l. the property of Thomas Barry , and William Wilkinson . junior. THOMAS BARRY . I am a wine merchant , I live at Stratford in Essex; my accompting house is in Mincing-lane . On the 11th of May, about ten o'clock in the morning, as I was coming to the accompting house I met Mr. Levit, who is a gentlemen in my accompting house, who informed me that my accompting house had been broken open. When I reached my accompting house I saw that the door and the desk in my accompting house, were open; I observed on the face of the desk several bills which had been taken out of my desk on examining my bill book I found that a check of a hundred and twenty pound, and a bill of exchange for twenty pound, were missing. I sent the clerk to the bankers to stop payment of the check; he presently returned and told me the check had been presented and paid; the bill of exchange had never been presented; the check was upon Messrs. Were, Bruce and Co. HENRY LEVIT . Q. Are you in the accompting house of Messrs. Barry and Wilkinson. - A. I am. On Sunday night the 20th of May, about eleven o'clock, I was returning home to my lodgings I went down Mincing-lane to the accompting house door, I tried the accompting house door; I found the staple of the door had been forced; the door opened to my pushing. I immediately called the watchman and went into the accompting house; I found Mr. Barry's desk broken open; a black leather case on the desk and several bills were strewed on the desk. I opened the case, took out the bill book, examined it, and found there was a twenty pound bill missing. I made the entry myself when I received the bill; I gave the bill to Mr. Barry and it was put into the desk that was broken open; I did not know of the hundred and twenty pound check, we do not put the cash into the bill book. On Monday morning I went to the banker to stop payment and there I found it had been paid. THOMAS WILLIAMS . I am porter to Messrs Skipper and Bull, Great Tower-street. On the 10th of May I was standing at the gate, just before six o'clock. I saw the prisoner Cook standing at No, 9. Mincing-lane facing the house of Barry and Wilkinson; I saw no other person in the lane at the time. I was looking at him for the course of a minute; I cast my eyes on the other side of the way, I saw a man standing with his back towards Mr Barry's door; they were both coming down Mincing-lane I went down St. Dunstan's-hill into St. Dunstan's-alley into Idol-lane; when I came to the top I was stopped by Cook, he asked me who I was looking after; I made him no answer he said d - n your eyes are you looking after us. I told him I lived in the neighbourhood, I had a right to walk where I liked: then Squeers came up, he says this is the bl - y b - r that is looking after us, do not stay let us go; they went a few yards distance, I was going to follow them towards my home; Squeers turned round and said you bl - y b - r if you follow me I will stick a knife in your bl - y guts and let them out, and tie them round your neck. With that I slopped; the prisoners went up Mincing lane. I then went to our own gate again The prisoner Cook saw me, he turned round and turned the tail of his coat over his back, signifying I mightkiss his backside. Q. Are you sure that Cook was the man that you saw on one side of the street, opposite to Mr. Barry and Wilkinson's door. - A. Yes, I am sure he is the man. Q. Are you sure that Squeers is the man that stood with his back against Mr. Barry's door. - A. Yes. I gave over watching them and went in doors. Cross-examined by Mr. Pooley. This was on a Sunday afternoon. - A. It was Sunday morning, just before six o'clock. Q. You had never seen this man before. - A. Not to my knowledge. Q. Nor you never saw him from that time till you saw him at the House of Correction. - A. No. Q. When was it that you saw him at the House of Correction. - A. I do not know; it might be a month or six weeks. I went with Mr. Nalder. Q. Was it not in the month of August. - A. I do not know. Q. When you went there you saw several people. - A. I saw three men. Q. At that time you could not tell which of the three men were the prisoners. - A. I was not positive at the first sight; I stood at one end of them; I did not see their faces. I knew them in the course of a minute. Q. You never having seen them before you saw them in Mincing-lane, and not being certain of their persons when you first saw them in the prison, will you venture to say they are the men. - A. Yes. Court. When you first saw them you did not see their faces. - A. No. Q. And when you saw their faces you knew them. - A. There were three brought out; I looked at them; I stood at one end of them, I did not see their faces. Mr. Aris took two away; I said the one that was left, Squeers, was one of them, and then they brought the other two, I said Cook was the other; when they first brought in the three men I said no, when they asked me if I knew the three men; when they were separated I was asked if I knew them, I said yes; I am certain they are the men. JOHN WALKER . I am a porter at the Saracen's Head, Aldgate. On Monday morning, between eight and nine o'clock, after the robbery, I was coming up Whitechapel, I saw Cook; he asked me if I was busy, I said no; he said he had got a job for me, if I would do it, I said I would; I asked him if I should take my knot, he said no, it was only to go and see a gentleman upon Cornhill; we walked together till we came to Cornhill; he went into Bartholomow-lane, when he gave to me a hundred and twenty pound check; he asked me to go into Were, Bruce, and co. bankers in Bartholomow-lane. I looked at the check and read it, I did not like to go in; he said I had no occasion to be afraid, the check was good; he had got it to discount for some gentleman in the country; he was to have twenty guineas, and if I went in I was to have ten guineas; I said I did not like to go in with it; he said I had no occasion to be afraid, the check was good, and the parties would not be in town before eleven o'clock. I gave him the check and wished him good morning; he went away; I did not see any more of him. I knew the man before. I am sure he is the man. Jury. Should you know the check. - A. I should if I was to see it. Q. When he offered you the check, was any body i company with him. - A. Squeers was in company with him when I returned the check: I knew both of them. Court. Young man, you have described that Cook asked you to go to Cornhill, did not you see Squeers in Petticoat-lane. - A. He was in the public house at the corner; I saw Cook at the door, he came out of the public house to me. I had seen them together in the Saracen's Head tap; that is the way I became acquainted with them. MR. ABERNETHY. I am a merchant. All that I know, that check which I had issued was returned to me paid, by the bankers, Messrs. Were, Bruce, and co. I produce it; I paid it to Mr. Barry; it is my hand writing. Q. to Barry. Look at that check, do you know it. - A. I do, it is the same check I lost out of my desk. - LEVITT. I saw Mr. Abernethy write it; the moment I saw it at the bankers I knew it to be the same. I have no doubt whatever but that is the check that was taken out of my master's desk. JOHN RAY . I am an officer. On Wednesday the 15th of July, about half after eleven o'clock at night, in company with James Kennedy , I met the two prisoners and another man, that is not here, he is in custody; I laid hold of Cook and the other man in each hand; that moment I got hold of them two men Kennedy got fast hold of Squeers; I observed a handkerchief drop from Cook, it fell on my toes; this is the handkerchief. In this handkerchief is a crow (producing it); Kennedy said hold tight, here is something else. That moment we were no great distance from a watch box, I called the watch, being rather dark, it was close to a gentleman's house; that gentleman came out with a light; I had no opportunity of searching them. I saw things go out of Cook's hands, and the other man's hand that I had got hold of, over in a field; I begged of the gentleman to be careful and look in that field, to see if he could find something that I suspected had been thrown away. The gentleman is in court, and I have been ill since. This is the crow that fell from Cook's hand. JAMES KENNEDY . On the 15th of July Ray and I were in company together at half past eleven at night near the two mile stone on the Bow road, we were coming to town; we met the prisoners at the bar, and another in their company. I came up to Squeers, I asked him who he was, he told me he was a master and worked at Bow; I then said we were officers, and we must see what they had got about them. I proceeded to search Squeers; in his right hand coat pocket I found this bag, and in his left hand inside coat pocket I found this iron crow; I then called out to Ray who was standing with the other two, to hold them fast, for I had found something not right. I then seized fast hold of Squeers, and I joined Ray with the other two; we brought them to a watch box, and secured them all three together. I saw the handkerchief drop from Cook between his legs as Ray was securing him, and a man who is now in the house of correction. When the handkerchief was picked up this small crow was in the handkerchief at the time. He gave his name to me John Smith . I likewise saw him drop two small paper parcels at the same time. One appears to be a bundle of matches, and the other a candle. There was a gentleman of the name of Adams that lived next door to the watchhouse; he assisted in giving me a light; he gave me a bundle of picklock keys that he picked up wherethey stood in the presence of the prisoners. Here is a bottle of phosphorus he found, or was likewise found, just upon the spot; we brought them to town and put them in the watchhouse for that night. The next day we took them before the magistrate. Vickrey took the crow to Mincing-lane; it fitted the marks on the desk. JOHN VICKREY . Q. You went with that crow with Kennedy. - A. I did, in company with Mr. Nalder, to the house No. 30, Mincing-lane, on the 6th of August last. I saw Mr. Barry there. I fitted the crow to the marks on the desk that was broken open; it corresponded exactly. Q. to Walker. Look at that note. - A. It is the same date, the same sum, and the same bankers. Cook's Defence. I am entirely ignorant of what I am charged with. Squeers' Defence. I am quite innocent of the offence I am charged with. COOK, GUILTY , aged 30. SQUEERS, GUILTY, aged 29. Transported for Seven Years . London jury, before Mr. Recorder.