Joseph Weeding

Level 135

C H on 29th February 2024

Old Bailey Online JOSEPH WEEDING. Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 12th May 1831 Text type Trial account Defendants JOSEPH WEEDING Offences Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 12th May 1831 Reference Number t18310512-107 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 1095. JOSEPH WEEDING was indicted for stealing, on the 17th of September , 1 piece of stamped paper, value 30s., and 3 pieces of stamped paper, value 6s. , the goods of Samuel Jacobs . SAMUEL JACOBS . I am a fruit-salesman , in Farringdon-market. I first saw the prisoner ten or eleven years ago, and have seen him in all about ten times since; he has called on me several times, and told me his mother-in-law was dead, and had left him something very handsome - that he had some money to put out, and did I know any body who wanted any; I said No, but on the fourth or fifth application he offered to lend me 100l. on my own warrant of attorney, and said if I would go and dine with him at the Belle Sauvage he would give me the money - this was on the 17th of September; I said I could not, but I would be there about four o'clock - he told me to bring a 30s. stamp for the warrant of attorney; I went, and he said, "We will go into the other room, and have a bottle of wine," which we did, and then he asked if I would pay for a bottle - I said, "With all my heart," and another was brought; I had taken a 30s. stamp and three 2s. ones- while this bottle was drinking he wrote something on the 30s. stamp, caught them all up, and went out - I said to a person there, "Why he has taken the stamps;" he said, "Oh, he is only gone to the water-closet;" I waited there three hours, but he never returned - he had left his bill unpaid; I did not see him again till the 23rd of April - I never saw his 100l., or the stamps either. Cross-examined by MR. BARRY. Q. Was it in 1817 that you first knew him? A.About that time - I had to receive 200l. from him, paid by his mother-in-law, about twelve years ago; I understood he was an attorney - I had orders from my agent to go to Colchester to receive the 200l. - I went, and was introduced to the person who was to give it to me; as soon as I had signed the document, he said, "Where do you dine?" I said at the Cups - he said he would bring me the money there in half an hour - he never came; I posted up to town, sued his mother-in-law, and got the money. Q.Was the name of Johnson mentioned as the person who was to lend this 100l.? A. No, not at the coffee-house; he mentioned some name to the Magistrate - the prisoner is the person who was to lend me the money; Mr. Carpenter, a confectioner, of Fleet-street, was in the room when I produced the stamps - I wanted the 100l. for a particular use; Carpenter was not to join in the security; I had got him to purchase the stamps and go with me as a witness - we had two bottles of wine between us three -I paid 14s. for what the prisoner drank; he did not say he was going to Peele's coffee-house, to Johnson, for the money - Mr. Halls, the Magistrate, offered to admit him to bail, if he could procure it; as he was going to the station he wanted me to go to a friend of his in Stanhope-street, to settle it, but I refused. Q. Did he not say "I am sorry I did not come back -I could not get the money, and was ashamed; it is true I used the stamps, but here is the money for them?" A. No - I never asked 5l. to settle this; I was tampered with by several persons, but would not accept any thing - the bill-stamps were not written on; I cannot say what he wrote on the 30s. one. COURT. Q.The prisoner knew well were to find you? A. Yes. WILLIAM CARPENTER . I am a confectioner, and live in Fleet-street. I know Jacobs - I never saw the prisoner till the 17th of September, when I called on Jacobs, and he was in the counting-house - Jacobs gave me two sovereigns, and asked me to buy the stamps; I bought a 30s. and three 2s. ones - the prisoner came out, and Jacobs introduced me to him; I afterwards went to the Belle Sauvage with Jacobs - the prisoner asked if we had taken dinner; we said Yes - he said, "Well, perhaps you will take a glass of wine;" we had a bottle in the drinking-room - Jacobs produced the 30s. stamp, and hauded it to the prisoner; I understood the prisoner was to lend him 100l., and I was to witness it - Jacobs took out the other three stamps, and laid them on the table, with his pocket-book; the prisoner talked to him about Essex, and he appeared to be writing on the 30s. stamp - he handed the wine round very fast, and then proposed that Jacobs should stand a bottle, which was brought in; I took my share of it, and when it was about half drank he said something to Jacobs - he had the 30s. stamp in his hand, and went out with that and the other three; we stopped there till eight o'clock at night - he did not return - we called in the waiter, who brought in a bill of 14s., including the dinner, which Jacobs paid; I never saw the prisoner again till he was at Bow-street, on the 27th of April - he said the stamps were to be produced - Mr. Halls gave him time to produce them, but he never did. Cross-examined. Q. Have you yourself been negociating in this way? A. No - I have borrowed hundreds and thousands in my life; I was not to join in the security - Jacobs did not tell me what was to be done with the billstamps - I only went to witness the warrant; I smoked a pipe - I can sometimes drink three bottles of wine when I go to cook a dinner, and be steady after it; I was perfectly sober. JOHN WEEKS . I am a Police-constable. I apprehended the prisoner on the 23rd of April, in Picket-street, Strand; Jacobs gave him in charge - they were standing talking together when I came by; Jacobs said he had robbed him of some stamps - I took him before Mr. Halls- on the road to the watch-house he wanted to go to a friend's house in Stanhope-street, to settle it, but Jacobs refused. Cross-examined. Q. Did he not say he had failed in getting the money, was ashamed to return without it, and unfortunately kept the stamps? A. He never said a word of the kind. Prisoner's Defence. I had seen the prosecutor three weeks or a fortnight before - he asked me to procure him the loan of 100l.; I said I would speak to a friend of mine, Johnson, of Stratford, who I expect here - he was at Bow-street, but Mr. Halls did not think it necessary to call him- I wrote to him last night, but do not see him about the Court; if he is here, I shall staisfy the Jury I am perfectly innocent - I asked what security he could give, and I solemnly declare Carpenter was the security; the warrant of attorney was filled up, and I read it over to them before I took it away; the stamp on it was allowed at the stampoffice. WILLIAM CARPENTER . I never was asked to become security, and never intended it - nothing of the sort was ever mentioned, neither by the prisoner nor Jacobs. SAMUEL JACOBS. The value of the stamps has never been returned to me by any body - the prisoner told Mr. Halls they were allowed to him at the office; Mr. Halls told me to make inquiry, but we could make nothing out- he never offered me any money as being allowed for them. Q.Where did you find the prisoner? A. I was passing in the Strand, and saw him - I said, "Mr. Weeding, you are the person I want, stop, for I have an officer;" he said, "Why, I owe you something, and will pay you;" I said, "No, you have robbed me - you owe me nothing." MR. BARRY. Q. Did you pay him any money for preparing the warrant of attorney? A. No - I have not seen the stamp since; it was a printed one - I do not know that it was ever filled up; the bill-stamps were provided in case he should require to draw bills on me for the amount. Prisoner. The bills were to be given at different dates, and the warrant was the security - if the deposition before Mr. Halls was brought forward, that is very different to what he has said to-day; Carpenter declared there that I took the stamps with the consent of Jacobs, for the purpose of going to read the warrant to the person who was to advance the money. WILLIAM CARPENTER . If the deposition is produced, it states what I have said here - I never said he took the stamps to show the person; I said he took up the stamps in a moment - Jacobs said "He is gone with the stamps;" I laughed at him, and said, "Well, you know him, an old friend of yours - he will not run away with them." GUILTY . Aged 40. - Transported for Seven Years .