William Vincent

338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 25th June 2020

William Vincent Estimated birth year: abt 1810 Date of Death: 27/07/1840. Port Macquarie. Accidently Drowned ------------------------------------- New South Wales, Australia, Convict Indents, 1788-1842 Age: 21. Date of conviction: 30 Jun 1831 Place of Conviction: Middlesex Vessel: Asia (9) Port of Arrival: New South Wales Date of Arrival: 13 Feb 1832. Ticket of Leave: No Pardon: No. Certificate of Freedom: No Reads & Write. Protestant. Single. Trade or Calling: Turner (one arm feeble, Book binder, clerk (Left hand. Offence: Privately Stealing. 5 Ft 5 1/2 inches. Sallow much pockpitted. Dark Brown; Hair, Grey; Eyes ---------------------------------- Old Bailey online Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 25 June 2020), June 1831, trial of WILLIAM VINCENT WILLIAM RICHMOND (t18310630-9). WILLIAM VINCENT, WILLIAM RICHMOND, Theft > theft from a specified place, 30th June 1831. Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Gaselee. 1198. WILLIAM VINCENT and WILLIAM RICHMOND were indicted for stealing, on the 27th of May , at St. Mary, Islington, 5 table-cloths, value 12s.; 6 knives, value 6s.; 8 forks, value 8s.; 6 silver spoons, value 2l. 10s.; 1 pair of sugar-tongs, value 15s.; 1 umbrella, value 3s.; 1 book, value 5s.; 1 basket, value 1s., and 1 piece of flannel, value 1s., the goods of Cornelius Pugh ; 1 bonnet, value 10s.; 1 pair of boots, value 5s., and 1 handkerchief, value 2s., the goods of Ann Price , in the dwelling-house of the said Cornelius Pugh . SAMUEL RICHARD EATON . I live in Chapel-street, Pentonville, and am a Police-constable. I was on duty in the Lower-road, Islington, on the 27th of May, about a quarter before three o'clock in the morning - I saw three men cross the road in a direction from Tuffnelplace towards Green Man's-lane; I followed them, suspecting them - they saw me, and ran away; I sprung my rattle, and called Stop thief! in my pursuit I picked up a hat, with a piece of flannel in it - I lost sight of them for about a minute at the bottom of the lane, and then saw some constables in pursuit of them; I did not see them taken, for I went in another direction, thinking to meet them - they were taken before I came up; I found the prisoners in custody of Canty and Meadows - when I came up Vincent said, "That is my hat, but you have put something into it;" we took them to the watch-house,then went to Tuffnel-place, and found Mr. Pugh's garden-gate ajar - I went in, and found some things scattered about on the lawn; the kitchen window was up, and the shutter was bored with a centre-bit - the bar was bent; the shutter was lined with iron, but the centre-bit was used as far as it could be - I went into the dining-room, found the drawers open, the things in confusion, and thrown about; I have brought what I found on the lawn here. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. You lost sight of the persons for three or four minutes? A. No - I lost sight of one of them; I never said I could not swear to them, I said I had not the least doubt of them - they were out of my sight for a minute; I do not swear to them certainly. JOHN CANTY . I am a Police-constable. On the 27th of May I heard a rattle spring in the Lower-road - I stood where I was in Tibberton-square; I heard a foot advancing to me, and three men ran right abreast of me - I sprang my rattle, crying Stop thief! I was immediately assisted by other officers, and stopped them; they took two roads - I stopped Richmond, and Meadows stopped Vincent, who had no hat on - Richmond did not get out of my sight; I found on him three table and three desert spoons, one tea and one caddy spoon, one pair of sugar-tongs, and one shift; they were in his body coat - also a pair of woman's lace boots, a pair of child's shoes, and he had an umbrella in his hand; he said I had a prize, nothing more - I gave the things up to the inspector of our division, and got them from him this morning; I know they are the same as I gave him. Cross-examined. Q. How do you know that? A. I marked them all, except the umbrella, and that mark is worn off by the heat of my hand to-day - I marked the shoes J. C. on the soles. WILLIAM MEADOWS . I am a constable. I heard the rattle spring, and stopped Vincent - I saw him drop a bundle, which I now produce; he held up his hands, and told me not to stop him for he had been ill-used, and the moment he said so he struck me; I took him by the collar, and struck him - I picked up the bundle, and opened it at the watch-house; it contained five table cloths, eight forks, and five knives, tied up in a black silk handkerchief - I searched him, and found a small memorandumbook on his person; I marked them, and delivered them to Mr. Bronkhurst, the inspector, who gave them to me this morning. WILLIAM HORNSBY . I am a Police-constable. I was on duty, and saw Vincent drop the bundle - I went to assist Canty to take care of Richmond, and saw something white drop from him; it was this cap - I took it up, marked it, and delivered it to the inspector. CORNELIUS PUGH. I live at No. 2, Tuffnel-place, Lower-road, in the parish of St. Mary, Islington - I rent the house; it was broken open on the night in question I lost several articles - the value of what has been found is about 5l.; I lost other things, which have not been found; I value these produced at 5l.; they are mine - here are five-table cloths, worth 12s.; six knives, worth 6s.; six forks, 6s., I lost eight - six silver table-spoons, worth 2l. 10s.; they have been worn; a pair of sugar-tongs, 15s.; a Walker's dictionary, 5s.; and one umbrella, 3s. - I rent the house, and live in it; I have not weighed the spoons. ANN PRICE . I live in the prosecutor's house, and am his servant. I lost a pair of boots; here they are, they are worth 4s. - this bonnet is mine, and worth 2s.; I am single. Richmond's Defence. I was at a party on the night previous to the robbery, and as I came along the Lower-road I heard a rattle spring - I ran to see what was the matter, and saw some things lay in the road; I picked them up - I had not got far before the Policemen came, and said I was the man they wanted; they took me to the station, and produced the property - the Policeman went back to where the robbery was done - he came back, looked at my shoes, and said he was perfectly satisfied about the marks; the marks in the garden had nails in them, and my shoes had not. Vincent's Defence. I had been beyond Ball's-pond - I was returning home, and saw some things lay in the road; I looked at them, another man came, and said he thought they had dropped from a cart, and there would be a reward for them - we picked them up, came on, and saw two men in the road; he then said, Run; I became alarmed, and ran - this man struck me, and in warding off the blow I struck him, and he fell down; he took a memorandumbook from me at the station, which was my own - I had nothing but that. CORNELIUS PUGH . I slept in the house that night, and know all the property was safe - I heard nothing till the Policeman alarmed me, between three and four o'clock - I then found the house broken open. One witness gave Vincent a good character. VINCENT - GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 21. RICHMOND - GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 22. [July 1.] Sentence respited - 17 August 1831. Sentenced to 21 years.