James Taylor

174

Iris Dunne on 24th January 2019

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey James Taylor, Thomas Bacon Theft: Burglary 16th September 1844 2257. JAMES TAYLOR and THOMAS BACON were indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of william Liversedge, about ten in the night of the 2nd of September, at Edmonton, with intent to steal, and stealing therein, 1 watch, value 15s.; 15 sovereigns, 4 half-sovereigns; 1 20l.; Bank note, and 1 10l.; note; his property. MR. CHARNOCK conducted the Prosecution. WILLIAM LIVERSEDGE . I am a smith, and live at Southgate, in the parish of Edmonton. About a fortnight before the 2nd of Sept., the prisoners came to the coach stables close to my shop—they came and asked me if there was any conveyance going a Potter's-bar—(I had never seen them berfore)—I said there would be none before five o'clock—they said that would be too long to wait, and asked if there was any public-house where they could get a pot of beer—I said, "Yes," and they said they would walk down the street with me—we went to my sister's who keeps a beer-shop—I remained there my dinner hour, and then went back—we went into the Cherry Tree, and had a quartern of gin—they then bid me good morning, and we parted—on the 2nd of Sept. I saw them again—I saw Taylor first, about half-past six o'clock in the evening, in a horse and cart, opposite my shop, with Mr. Collins, a rat-catcher, who lives at Enfield—I asked Collins about some bricks—they stopped—they afterwards went down the street—I did not see Taylor again till after eight, when he came into my sister's house, which is opposite my house—my shop is a quarter of a mile from my house—Bacon was not there—T ylor came in, called for half-a-pint of beer, and, seeing me there, he said he might as well make it a pint—we had a pint of beer, and, then crossed over to my house—there was a fair at Southgate on that day—my wife and I had before dinner arranged to go to the fair—she was not at home when Taylor and I went over—she was gone to the—I went down to clean myself—I fastened up the house when I left—the shutters were not up—I locked the door, and secured all the places—I quitted the house at a wuarter past eight o'clock—I and Taylor then went to the fair—my mother went with us from the beer—shop—I met Bacon at Consby's beer-shop, close to the fair—(I had seen him before at Consby's that same evening)—he proceeded to the fair with us, and there we joined my wife—we went into Pickard's booth—there was dancing going on there—I paid for the prisoners to go in—they said they would settle when we got in—I wanted Bacon to dance with my wife while I went to look after a friend—he wanted me to stop, and then said he would go with me—he did not dance—I heard no conversation between Bacon and Taylor—they left the booth between nine and ten—Taylor left first, and Bacon, I should say, half an hour after—Taylor said nothing to me when he went away—I saw nothing of them afterwards—when I left my house that night, I had in a little box within a trunk a 20l.; note, a 10l.; note, fifteen sovereigns, and four half-sovereigns—there were also four 10l.; notes in another part of the box, and a metal watch hanging by the fire-place in the parlour—we returned home at near twelve o'clock, and missed the property stated in the indictment—the watch had a paper or lining inside, by which I should know it—my watch-maker had given the watch to me between eight and nine that morning—it had been to be repaired—the lining has since been produced to me, and I am certain it is the same—we found everything up stairs all thrown about, and strewed all over the place—I found this screw, belonging to the parlour window, on the floor—it fastened the window from the inside, but the point of it just comes through, so that a person outside, by pressing it, could shove it in—the window was opened, so that anyone could get in—the lock of the door was not disturbed—the entry must have been made by the window. Cross-examined by MR. CLARKSON. Q. Are you the only tenant of the house? A. Yes—no one else lives in it—I know Southgate is in the parish of Edmonton—there is no parish of Southgate—I pay rates—they are levied by the parish of Edmonton—there is a church at Southgate, but no overseen for Southgate—I know the window was secure before I went out, for I looked at it—it is a window that slides on one side—I am sure the screw was in when I left, and the window closed—there are shutters, but they were not shut. MR. CHARNOCK. Q. How long have you lived in the parish of Edmonton? A. All my life—this is the paper, the lining of the watch. ELIZABETH LIVERSEDGE . I am the prosecutor's wife. On the 2nd of Sept. I left my house, about six o'clock, to go to the fair at Southgate—I left my husband's metal watch on a small brass bracket under the mantel-shelf—we had a large linen chest up stairs, by the bedside, in which was this little box, which contained a 20l.; note, a 10l.; note, fifteen sovereigns, and four halfsovereigns, a piece of paper, and a sixpence—that was all safe when I left the house—I fastened up the house, and gave the key to my husband—I left no one inside—I went out with my little boy—the prisoners and my husband afterwards joined me at the fair about seven o'clock—we went into a booth—my husband paid for the prisoners—they said they would pay us again—my husband wanted to come out of the booth to see some friends, and he said to Bacon, "Take charge of my wife, and stand up in the dance"—Bacon said, "Oh, no, you had better, as the dance is commencing, stand up with your wife yourself"—Bacon refused—the moment we got up to dance Bacon disappeared—Taylor left first—they had both left within half an hour after nine o'clock—before they went Bacon was sitting beside my husband—Taylor never sat down at all, but seemed fidgetty—Bacon got up, and whispered very close in Taylor's ear—Bacon, noticing me, looked rather hard, and said, "I merely asked him if he had been playing a trick with my snuff-box"—Taylor said, "Oh, no, it is all right, all right;" and a few minutes after that Taylor disappeared—I saw no more of them that evening—we left the booth at eleven o'clock—on going home. I found the parlour window drawn back, and the watch gone—I went up stairs, and missed from the chest this box, which had been in an old glove—I found the box on the bed, empty, except the sixpence—the notes, sovereigns, and half-sovereigns, were gone—the four 10l.; notes were left—they were in the same chest, but in another corner—they had been overlooked—this is the lining of the watch—(looking at it)—I am positive of it—I used to wear the watch—it had been my husband's mother's, and was in my possession eight or nine months—among the sovereigns I lost was one which had a mark, a sort of bruise, or piece cut from under the date of the year, on the head side—they were all of the present reign—on discovering the loss, I described that mark to the policeman, who afterwards produced me a sovereign answering that description—this is the sovereign—here is the mark a little below the 2—I had had it by me about three months, and had often noticed it—I have every reason to think this is the sovereign that was among the fifteen, by this mark. Cross-examined. Q. You do not swear positively to it? A. It was a mark the same as that—I took it in change—that is the only mark on it. SUSAN MUNSEY . I live at Southgate. On the 2nd of Sept. I was at Kettle's beer-shop, opposite the prosecutor's house, and saw Taylor there, about a quarter to ten at night by our clock, but that was a quarter too fast—he was inside the beer-shop—no one was in the house with him—I saw him leave, and join Bacon, who was standing across the road, close to Liversedge's house—I did not see which way Bacon had come—I saw the prisoners again about a quarter to eleven by my clock—they came down the road from the fair way, and went down towards Liversedge's house—Taylor asked me if they could have a lodging—I said, "No"—he said, "Then I suppose I must lie in the road all night." Cross-examined. Q. How far is the fair from Liversedge's house? A. About a quarter of a mile. GEORGE RUMSEY . I live at Southgate. On the evening of the 2nd of Sept. I was next door to Liversedge's house, about a quarter to ten o'clock at night, and heard a noise—I did not see any person or any light. WILLIAM JAMES . I am a boot and shoemaker, and live at Southgate. On the 3rd of Sept. I went to Taylor's lodging, in Crown-court, Horsleydown—I knocked at the door, and Taylor came himself—I asked if his name was Taylor—he said "Yes"—I said, "Do you recollect being at Southgate yesterday?"—he said, "No"—I said, "How can you say so, when you and I and Liversedge had some ale together"—he said, "Ah, I believe I was"—I called a constable, and gave him into custody. GEORGE GADD . I keep the Rummer public-house, at Enfield, about three miles from the prosecutor's house. On Monday, the 2nd of Sept., the prisoners came to my house in the middle of the day—about eleven o'clock at night they came again, and slept there—they left about a quarter-past eight in the morning—Taylor paid me for the lodging with half-a-sovereign. GEORGE WILDE (police-constable M 94.) On the 3rd of Sept. I was called by James to Taylor's house, No. 2, Crown-court, Horsleydown-lane—I went in and asked if his name was Taylor—he said, "Yes"—I said, "I am come to take you into custody on suspicion of a serious robbery at Southgate"—he said, "What the devil does all this mean?"—as I was looking to see if Mr. Liversedge was coming towards the window, I saw Taylor drop his hand into his left-hand pocket—I said, "Stop a bit, Taylor, I must see what you have got there"—I took him by the arm, and prevented him from taking anything out—I put my hand into his pocket, and there found five sovereigns and 18s. 6d. in silver—on the mantel-piece, in the same room, I found eighteen duplicates—b fore I showed Mrs. Liversedge the sovereigns she described one to me as having a mark on the edge under the Queen's head, near the figure 2—it corresponded with one I found on Taylor—this is it. RICHARD WATKINS (police-constable N 30.) On the 4th of Sept. I took Bacon into custody in Freeman's-lane, Horsleydown—it is not far off Crown-court—I told him I took him on suspicion of committing a robbery at Southgate on the 2nd of Sept.—he acknowledged that he was there, and said he knew nothing of the robbery—I searched him at Union-hall, and found on him a half-sovereign, a half-crown, a sixpence, and three halfpence, and a great number of papers in his right-hand trowsers' pocket—I found this watch-paper on him among other papers. (James Hutchins, licensed victualler, Tooley-street, Borough; William Woodward, boot and shoemaker, 62, Tooley-street; Thomas Matthew Peacock, boot and shoemaker, 37, Lower-marsh, Lambeth; and William Collins, hatter, Tooley-street; deposed to Bacon's good character.) TAYLOR— GUILTY . Aged 43. BACON— GUILTY . Aged 44. Transported for Ten Years. Before Mr. Justice Cresswell. https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?div=t18440916-2257 Criminal Register, aged 43, Offence: Burglary, Tried CCC 16 September 1844, cannot read or write, Sent to Norfolk Island 25th August 1845. Conduct Record: aged 28, Trade: Bricklayer, Tried 16 September 1844, Transported for Burglary, first conviction, Married with 5 children, Conditional Pardon 11 January 1853, Certificate of Freedom 5 October 1854. https://stors.tas.gov.au/CON33-1-80$init=CON33-1-80p188