Jeremiah Sullivan

135

C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JEREMIAH SULLIVAN. PETER HANDS COMBE. Theft; housebreaking. 27th February 1843 Text type Trial account Defendants JEREMIAH SULLIVAN, PETER HANDS COMBE Offences Theft > Housebreaking Session Date 27th February 1843 Reference Number t18430227-870 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation 870. JEREMIAH SULLIVAN and PETER HANDS COMBE were indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Thomas Litton, on the 7th of Feb., at the hamlet of Mile-end New-town, and stealing therein, 1 scarf, value 1s. 6d.; 2 aprons, 8d.; 2 towels, 8d.; 1 frock, 1s.; 3 shirts, 1s.; 4 pinafores, 1s. 4d.; 1 bed-gown, 4d.; 1 petticoat, 2d.; 2 dusters, 2d.; and 1 vice, 6d.; his goods: and 1 metal cock, 1s.; 20 inches of leaden pipe, 1s.; his goods, fixed to a certain building; against the Statute, &c. MARY ANN LITTON . I am the wife of Thomas Litton—we live at No. 81, Church-street, in the hamlet of Mile-end New-town—I occupy the lower room—the landlord does not live in the house—the lodgers have separate rooms—I take in mangling. On Friday night, the 17th of Feb., I fastened down the window of my room, which looks into the back yard—there is a cellar under my room, which has an entrance into the street, and another into the yard—the lodgers have the use of it—on leaving my room I locked the door, and took the key with me, at two o'clock, and went up to the first floor to Mrs. Napper, and remained with her about an hour—I came down, and found the room door fast, as I had left it—I opened it with the key, and saw the room in great confusion, the back window and back door open—I had left it shut—I called Mrs. Napper down—when I got into the room I saw two boys run out of the cellar—Sullivan I can swear was one of them, but cannot swear to the other—they ran under the fence into the next yard, and into the passage of the next house—I went to the door, and saw them run across the road—a policeman ran after them—Sullivan was afterwards brought in by a policeman—I missed the water-pipe and tap from the wash-house, which is in the cellar—I missed from my room a scarf, some halfpence, towels, shirts, and pinafores and other things—my back door opens into the wash-house—the policeman and Mrs. Napper searched the cellar under my room, from which the boys had run, and found a bag of things. Combe. I was at home at the time it was done. ELIZABETH NAPPEE . The prosecutrix came to my room to do some needlework—after she went down she called me—I found her room in confusion—the back window and door open—she called the policeman—I did not see the boys run out of the cellar, but I ran to the street-door, and saw them run out of the next house, which they could get through by passing into the yard—I am quite certain of Sullivan, and have every reason to believe Combe is the other—I ran after him, calling "Stop thief "—he turned round twice, and looked at me—I have every reason to believe be is the one—he was running with Sullivan. ELIZABETH ROGERS . I am the wife of John Rogers, a weaver, of Church-street, Mile-end, next door to the prosecutrix. At the time of this occurrence I was going into the yard, and saw two boys come out of Mrs. Little's cellar—it was the prisoners—they both spoke to me, and both said, "Oh, pray ma'am, let us pass, for there is a man in there after us"—I am certain of them both—they opened my door, and ran into the street. CHARLES TIBBY (police-constable K 144.) I was passing Mrs. Little's house on the 17th, and heard an alarm in the street—Mrs. Little called me into the house—I saw Sullivan in the yard getting under the fence—I only saw one then—when I was called into the street, I saw Sullivan and one answering the description of Combe—Sullivan was stopped by a milkman—I took him back to the prosecutrix's house—when I stopped him he said it was not him that was in the house—I observed the pipe cut, and in searching in the cellar under her room I found a bag containing the articles produced—I said, "Here is the leaden pipe "—he said, "It was not me cut it, it was the other one." MICHAEL CONVEY . I am a policeman. I received information, and took Combe on the 18th of February, at his father's house, No. 30, Duke-street, Spitalfields—he said he knew nothing of the charge, he was innocent, and that Sullivan was a rogue—I had told him I wanted him for being concerned with Sullivan in breaking into Mrs. Little's place. MRS. LITTON. All these articles are my husband's—all except the pipe was taken from the room. Combe's Defence. I was at home at the time it was done. JOHN LANE . I live in King's Head-court, Shoreditch, and am out of place at present—my last place was at a hair-dresser's—my mother works in White Lion-court—I saw the prisoner Combe this day fortnight, about half-past two o'clock—it was on a Friday—I cannot read, and do not know the day of the month—I saw him by the City of London Theatre, coming down by the side of the theatre—he was standing still—I know it was half-put two, because some boys had gone in from their dinner—I had not left them half an hour—one worked at Brooks's, in Norton Falgate—they go to dinner at half-past one, and all go into Brooks's at half-past two from dinner—Brooks keeps an oil-shop—I had my dinner about the same time—I dined at home—I saw him about the time the boys were going to dinner, at half-past one. Q. Why say you saw him at half-past two? A. They all go in at half-past two—one boy lives in King's Head-square—I live near there—I am sure of the time, for I had not left the clock five minutes—it was twenty-five minutes past two by the clock at the corner of King's Head-court—I do not know where the prisoner had been to dinner—it was just at the time the boys went into Brooks's—he was between five and ten minutes' walk from his house. MRS. LITTON. My house is a quarter of an hour or ten minutes' walk from the City Theatre. MICHAEL CANNING . It is about ten minutes' walk. SULLIVAN— GUILTY . COMBE— GUILTY . ** Transported for Ten Years.—Parkhurst.