Joseph Ward

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 20th December 2023

Cambridge Assizes. Joseph Ward (18,) was indicted for having entered the dwelling house of Charles King, near New-square, in the afternoon of Sunday the 8tlh of May, while the prosecutor and his family were at church, and stealing various articles.—The prosecutor stated that he left his house at half-past two and locked the door; on his return, at 10 minutes before four, he found the door unlocked and bolted within, shortly after he saw two men, one of whom he identified as the prisoner, drop from the wall which separates his yard from the lane he then pursued them, crying stop thief! till they turned down a walk at the side of Mr. Humfrey's grounds. On his return, he found all his drawers had been had been broken open, and almost every portable thing of value taken therefrom. He was confident the prisoner was one of the men, not only from his dress, but from his stature.—Other witnesses deposed to seeing the prisoner and his companion pursued by Mr. King, and followed them through the grounds Mr. Humfrey, where they were observed to throw away great number of skeleton keys, some of properly the prosecutor, and instrument, called jemmy, used for forcing open drawers, which corresponded with the marks on those the prosecutor. witness also saw them at the door Mr. King some time before he discovered the robbery. A servant at the Blue Boar inn stated that the prisoner and another man slept that the prisoner and another man slept there on the night of the ? May, who, on going out the next morning, left a portmanteau and two great coats; and a constable, who fetched them away, deposed that Ward had stated one great coat to he his, and the port-manteau he the joint property of him and his companion. They were now produced: the latter contained a dark lantern, a phosphorus box and matches, and pistol.—Payne, the gaoler, produced broken skeleton  key, taken from the prisoner's companion, which corresponded with a part of one found fhe lock of fhe prosecutor's door. All the witnesses positively swore to the prisoner as one of the men pursued by Mr. King.—Nothing  of importance was elicited in the cross-examination of the witnesses by Mr. Kelly, and the jury immediately found the prisoner guilty. The prosecutor recommended the prisoner to mercy, and the learned Judge, a very affecting address the enormity of his crime, and on the certainty of vicious inclination leading those who indulged them ultimate ruin, begged him to return heartfelt thanks the God of all mercy, whom alone he was indebted that the law was not carried into full effect the sentence was that death be recorded against him, but must expect to leave this comparatively happy country and that—for ever. Cambridge Chronicle, 22 July 1831.