William Carlisle

Level 135

C H on 7th March 2024

Old Bailey Online WILLIAM CARLISLE. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 11th May 1796. Text type Trial account Defendants WILLIAM CARLISLE Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 11th May 1796 Reference Number t17960511-56 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 372. WILLIAM CARLISLE was indicted for feloniously stealing a pound and a quarter of sewing thread, value 14s. 9d. ten yards of book muslin, value 1s. 17s. 6d. and a silk handkerchief, value 4s. 6d. the property of William Evans , April 27 . WILLIAM EVANS sworn. I am a haberdasher in Fleet-street: On Wednesday the 25th of April. I packed up the articles mentioned in the indictment; I saw them packed up, and delivered them to a boy, Morgan Williams, and desired him to take them to Messrs. Norths, Bridge-street, to be packed up in a parcel, and sent to Mrs. Ann Heatherly , of East-Bourn. Mr. Knowsys. Q. Have you any partner in your business? - A. No. MORGAN WILLIAMS sworn. I am servant to Mr.Evans; On the 27th of April, my master delivered me a parcel directed to North and Company, it was to go further, but I don't know where to, I was to take it to North and Company, in Bridge street; almost opposite the door of Mr. North, I met the prisoner; I asked him where that parcel was directed to; he said, I belong to this place, my mother is at your house; you may go back, and tell her I have got the parcel; he said, his name was William Davis ; I gave him the parcel; I am sure the prisoner is the person; we found out afterwards, the parcel was not rightly sent. On the Thursday fortnight, I was sent with a parcel to the west end of the town, going up the Haymarket, I was buying some gingerbread, I looked over the way, and saw the prisoner, I knew him again; I crossed the street to him, and he jumped into a yard, I went after him into the yard; I heard him ask a man upon a cart in the corner of the yard, if a boy was coming down the yard, and told the man to send me out; the man said he had no business to send me out, I did not see him at that time; he then ran up to me and asked me how I was; I said, pretty well thank you; how do you do; he asked me, where are you going; I am going home; says I, where are you going; he said, to your master's house; I asked him what he had done with the parcel I gave him in Bridge-street; he asked me whether it was a parcel or a box; I said, it was a parcel in a brown paper; then he asked me whether I could run; I said, I could not run fast; and he began to walk fast, half running; I said, if you dare to run I will call out catch thief; he was looking up every turning; and when we came past Charing-cross, he said he wanted to go up a turning to see some of his friends; you shall see them another time, says I, come along with me now, and tell my master what you have done with the parcel; we came along together till we got to Burleigh-street, Exeter-change, I had hold of the slap of his coat, he broke from me, and ran up there; I cried, catch thief; and some man ran out with a knife, and stopped him; he had not got out of my sight. Q. You have no doubt it is the same man you delivered the parcel to? - A. No; he had the same cloaths on then that he had when I delivered the parcel to him, and has the same now; I knew his person as well as his cloaths; I am sure he is the person I delivered the parcel to. Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. Did you tell the man upon the cart in the yard that he had taken your parcel, and desire him to stop him? - A. No. Q. Is the man here that stopped him? - A. No. Q. What time in the evening was it the person got the parcel from you? - A. Between six and seven in the evening. Q. You got some anger for parting with the parcel? - A. Yes. Q. And was very eager to find the person? - A. Yes. Q. It was a week after before you saw this man? - A. Yes. Q. Was he in black? - A. Yes; and boots on. RICHARD GRIFFITH sworn. I live at North and Company's; we sent a parcel to Mrs. Heatherly, on the 27th of April; we expected a parcel from Mr. Evans to enclose, but but did not receive any. Prisoner's defence. When he stopped me, he swore to me by my being in black. GUILTY . (Aged 18.) Transported for seven years .