James Whitelock

135

C H on 2nd March 2024

Old Bailey Online JAMES WHITELOCK. THOMAS JOHNSON. Theft; stealing from master. 11th May 1835 Text type Trial account Defendants JAMES WHITELOCK, THOMAS JOHNSON Offences Theft > Stealing from master Session Date 11th May 1835 Reference Number t18350511-1217 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Imprisonment 1217. JAMES WHITELOCK and THOMAS JOHNSON were indicted for stealing, on the 9th of April, 142lbs. weight of flour, value 1l. 4s.; and 1 sack, value 3s. 6d.; the goods of James Edmonds, the master of the said James Whitelock. MR. PHILLIPS conducted the Prosecution. JAMES EDMONDS . I live in Brick-lane. Bethnal-green, and am a baker. The prisoner Whitelock was in my employ, and I have occasion ally seen Johnsons—Mr. George gave me information—I went into Whitelock's room with Mr. George—he was in bed—I said to Mr. George, "I charge him with robbing me"—Mr. George said, "I will swear to him at the man I saw in the passage, who wanted to take some flour out"—I made Whitelock get up, and went with him to No. 4, Virginia-row—I found a sack with some flour in it there—Mrs. Couch said the prisoner had brought tome flour there—he said, "I know there has been some flour brought here; I came with it"—I know this sack by the mark—it is mine, and is worth 3s. 6d.—here are 1421bs. of flour in it, which is worth 1l. 4s. to me—I had flour of the same sort. JOHN GEORGE . I keep a cook-shop in St. John-street; Brick-lane. Last Thursday night, between eight and nine o'clock, I saw Johnson, the prisoner, close against my truck, in a passage about thirty yards from the prosecutor's; I went to him—he told me not to crack a weed—he said, "We want to get a bit of flour out"—I told him I would not allow him—I went in and bolted the door—soon afterwards I saw a man go out of the alleygate, with a sack half full—Whitelock then came to me, and told me not to say any thing; I said I would not see it done—I said, "You have broken my lock off"—he said, "I will make that good"—they were obliged to break that to get out—I went afterwards to Mr. Edmonds, and what he has stated is correct. Johnson. Q. Did you see me take any flour? A. I could not swear to the man that took it, but you two were iu the alley, and when the sack was gone, there was nobody but Whitelock there. HARRIET COUCH . I am the wife of Robert Couch: we keep a beer-shop in Virginia-row. About nine o'clock that night three young men came in together, and one of there brought this sack of flour on his back—the prisoners are two of the men—they staid drinking about an hour—I saw the sack in the room after they were gone—Mr. Edmonds and Whitelock, and the officer came afterwards and took away the sack—it was the same that the prisoners and the other person had left, they had had some ale, which they did not pay for—they went to the door, and I thought they were coming back—Johnson remained longer than the others. Johnson. She swore at the office that I did not go Into the house with the others, but I came in afterwards. Witness. No; I said you staid afterwards. JOHN BRUIFF . I was in the prosecutor's service. I know Whitelock, and have seen Johnson about the lane—I remember the day this flour was taken—Whitelock asked me to give it him over the wall, and I did—I have been allowed to turn King's evidence—Whitelock said a person named Tom was waiting over the wall—we took it out of the yard. Whitelock. He asked me to get the flour, if I had not been tipsy I should not have done it. Witness. He was not tipsy. ROBERT BACKHOUSE (police-constable H 92.) On this Thursday night I went to the prosecutor's, and he gave Whitelock into custody; he said if his master would forgive him he would tell all about it; but he said he would give him in charge—Whitelock said he would take me to the place where it was—in going along he said, he had long wished to go to sea, and now he should go at His Majesty's expense—I went to Mrs. Couch, and asked her if any flour had been brought there; she said, "No"—I said, "Are you sure of that?"—she said, "Yes"—Whitelock then said, "Yes, Mrs. Couch, there is"—she then said, "It is in the back room"—I got another officer and took Whitelock—I then found Johnson. Whitelock. I did not mention her name; I said, "Yes, there is". JOHN BROOKES (police-constable H 64.) I received the property, and have the sack. WILLIAM HERITAGE . I am clerk to the Magistrates at Worship-street. This is Mr. Broughton's signature to this deposition (read)—the prisoner Johnson says, "I was drinking in the Hare public-house—I went into the yard, and saw two men standing, one of them said, 'I have got a bit of flour that I want to get out'—I said, 'I know nothing about it'—while I was talking, Mr. George came to ask what we were doing there, and I said, 'This man wants to put some flour out.'" Johnson's Defence. I was in the Hare public-house, and went into the yard. I saw two men there; one of them they brought to the station-house, but let him go again—he carried the flour out—I asked him what they were going to do—he said, "To get some flour out"—I said, I had nothing to do with it"—I went into the house and sat there half an hour—I then went out and saw the same men; they asked me to have something to drink—they took me to the Loggerheads—they then took me into the beer-shop, but they said nothing about the robbery—they then went away—I sat there a bit, and was coming home, when Mr. George and some other people stopped me. WHITELOCK— GUILTY . Aged 19.— Transported for Seven Years. JOHNSON— GUILTY . Aged 24.— Confined Six Months.

16

Jeff Pratley on 10th November 2022

From record of trial at the Old Bailey - https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?id=t18350511-name-665&div=t18350511-1217#highlight