Joseph Wilkins

343

Maureen Withey on 19th October 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 19 October 2023), October 1829, trial of JOSEPH WILKINS (t18291029-244). Theft > pocketpicking, 29th October 1829. 2087. JOSEPH WILKINS was indicted for stealing, on the 28th of October , 1 watch, value 4l.; 1 seal, value 5s.; 1 watch-chain, value 1s., and 1 watch-key, value 1d. the goods of John Ingram , from his person . JOHN INGRAM. I am a camp equipage maker . I was at the Ship public-house at Charing-cross, on the 28th of October; I was not very sober - I left there at five minutes past eight o'clock: when I left, two soldier s came to me and offered to walk with me, and did walk with me to the end of Parliament-street, on my way home to Lambeth - I said I was much obliged to them, and if they chose to take any thing they should have it; we went into the Horse Shoe and Magpie in Bridge-street, and had some rum; I then went on, and soon after I saw the same two soldiers behind me - they came up, looked very hard in my face, and one of them took my watch; it was gone in a moment - I pursued them down the steps into Palace yard, but I slipped down, sprained my ancle, and could not pursue further; I believe the prisoner is the man who took my watch. JOHN WHARTON. I am a shopman to Mr. Page, a pawnbroker in Vauxhall-bridge-road. The prisoner pawned this watch with me on Friday last; I gave him this duplicate. JAMES ROGERS . I am a servant at the Horse Shoe and Magpie. I saw the prosecutor at our house last Wednesday night rather tipsy; the prisoner and another soldier were with him, and they drank together. FERDINAND JOHNS. I am a constable. On Friday night last I saw the prisoner intoxicated in the street - I took him into custody, and found this duplicate on him; the prosecutor had given notice of this robbery at our watch-house - he said it was a young man in a military undress.(Property produced and sworn to.) Prisoner's Defence. I was at a house in Brownlow-street; I left a quarter before nine o'clock, and came straight down to the barracks - I had not been at that part of Westminster the whole day. On Friday a man in a red jacket came to me and said, "Soldier, I will sell you a bargain;" he took me aside, showed me this watch, and said he would sell it for 1l. - I said I had not 1l., but I would give him 15s. for it, as I was no judge of watches; I had never had one in my life - I bought it, and then, as I had to go on furlough, I pawned it to get the money. ROBERT DUFF. I am pay-serjeant of the company to which the prisoner belongs, in the 3rd regiment of Foot Guards - he was present at the roll call in the King's`mews barracks, at nine o'clock on Wednesday night last; he has been above four years in the regiment, and had a good character for honesty. GUILTY . Aged 22. Transported for Life . -------------------------------------------------------------------- National Archives, Criminal Petitions. HO 17/63/68. Prisoner name: Joseph Wilkins. Prisoner age: 22. Prisoner occupation: Soldier 2nd Regiment of Foot Guards. Court and date of trial: Old Bailey October Sessions 1829. Crime: Highway Robbery. Stealing a watch from a person named Ingram. Initial sentence: Transportation for life. Gaoler's report: Not known here. Annotated (Outcome): Answered 3 December 1829. Petitioner(s): The Marquis of Bath. Three parishioners of Horningsham, near Warminster, Wiltshire. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Good conduct in the Army; distressed mother; no aggravating circumstances in commission of crime. Other papers: Certificate of character from E Brownlee, Colonel 2nd Battalion. Report on facts deeming it 'a bad case'. Date: 1829 Dec.