Moses Solomon

221

D Wong on 26th June 2021

Old Bailey: MOSES SOLOMON. Violent Theft: robbery. 16th September 1824 Sentence Transportation MOSES SOLOMON was indicted for feloniously assaulting, Mathew Poyner, with intent to rob him and his goods and monies, from his person, violently and feloniously to steal. MATTHEW POYNER. I live in Bull-court, Tooley-street, and am a frame work knitter ; I work for Mr. Thompson, in Spitalfields . On the 15th of September, at two o'clock in the afternoon, I and my wife were in Petticoat-lane ; we were going to work, the prisoner and two others were on the opposite side, and the prisoner crossed to me with a stick in his hand, and put his stick across my head, saying he would cut my bl - y head off; I had not spoken to him; I told him to go along about his business, he then returned to his companions, and one of them said, "Go back and slog him;" I understood that to mean, ill use me; he was returning to me and I put my watch chain between my flap and my breeches, he then struck me with a stick across my neck, I was making a grasp at the stick, and he struck me under the ear, and knocked me down, and then made a snatch at my watch, one of his companions said, "Have you got it;" he said "It is stowed away;" I then received two violent kicks at the back of my head, there were two other persons near me, but it was the prisoner who felt for my watch; my wife came to my assistance, and I raised my body up; I should not think the attack lasted, more than five minutes; I am positive he is the person who attacked me; when I got up I saw both the parties assaulting my wife, I called for assistance but could not get it; when I saw my wife the prisoner had hold of her bundle, and one of the others was beating her, she cried murder, and they ran away; I should know one of the other two if I was to see him; I was following the prisoner when I was fetched back by a gentleman who said they would murder me. Cross-examined by MR. LAW. Q. Could you not get any assistance - A. No, I do not know how many people might be there. I did not take out a warrant for a common assault, upon my oath. I told the officer that the prisoner tried to rob me, but the officers told the Magistrates that if they would give them a warrant for a common assault, they would take them easier; I was by the side of the wall of the East India Warehouses, opposite the house of a man of the name of Mendoza. - HARRISON, the City officer was now sent with the prosecutor to ascertain whether the assault was committed within the City of London. ANTHONY HARRISON. I have been to the spot, and find that where the prosecutor was first assaulted, was in the City, but the spot where they attempted to rob him, was about four feet within the Country; I have known the City boundaries these thirty years. Cross-examined. Q. Is not the wall in the City - A. Yes, the spot which is close against the wall is in the City, but the place where he fell is the corner of Tripe's-yard. M. POYNER re-examined. I have described the place where I was knocked down - the second time I was assaulted, and the attempt made to take my watch. MR. LAW. Q. Did you not say this occurred against the wall of the East-India warehouse - A. I said the first assault was made, but the attempt to rob me was in the kennel. I did not even return a blow; he did not complain that I had pushed him, or assaulted him at all; he said, at Worship-street, that I had rubbed against him, but he was on one side the way and I on the other - several persons came out of their houses - I know one of them, but he is afraid of his name being known. No attempt was made at the watch till I was down on the ground; my wife's bundle contained a pair of trowsers - it was in a yellow handkerchief. I had no money - I did not strike any body. I told him at the time of the first attack to go about his business - I had not insulted him. MARY POYNER. I am the prosecutor's wife; a great many people came up, but none of them interfered till they were going away - my husband was going to follow the parties, but the people said, "Whatever you do, do not follow them." The prisoner first came up to us, on the side of the wall, but my husband was not down till he got on the opposite side; we were walking along, and the prisoner threw mud in my husband's face: he told him to go about his business - the prisoner put his stick across my husband's face, and said he would cut his head off as clean as a whistle, and make mince meat of it. Prisoner's Defence. I was passing the India warehouse wall, and the prosecutor pushed me off the footpath; I said, "Don't do that again;" he said he would if he liked - he slapped my face, and I held up my stick - he knocked me down first. GUILTY. Aged 20. Transported for Life. ________________ Moses Was listed as 23 years old, 5'10¼" tall, fair complexion, flaxen hair, blue eyes, upper eyelids swelled, very well. Assigned to Minto. 16/1/1829: Sydney Gen. Sessions: Incorrigible runaway from an Iron Gang and a notorious bad character. Sent to Moreton Bay for 2 years. 27/3/1831: Returned to Sydney. 24/8/1843: TOL Berrima 15/7/1845: TOL Passport, Berrima - Allowed to trael between Berrima and the Murrumbidgee with the team of Mr. George Merryman. 16/11/1846: TOL Passport, Berrima - Allowed to travel betgwseen Berrima and the Murrumbidgee in the service of Mr. Hyam Phillips for 12 months. 10/7/1848: CP - listed as 46 years old.