William Pitt

Level 347

Maureen Withey on 16th October 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 16 October 2023), January 1819, trial of WILLIAM PITT (t18190113-33). WILLIAM PITT, Theft > theft from a specified place, 13th January 1819. 193. WILLIAM PITT was indicted for stealing, on the 30th of December , at St. Clement's Dane , two coats, value 3 l., the property of James Holywell , in his dwelling-house . JAMES HOLYWELL . I am a tailor , and live in Pickett-street, Temple-bar , in the parish of St. Clement's Dane, Middlesex. On the 30th of December, between eight and nine o'clock in the morning, the prisoner was brought into my shop by Eames, with two coats; he asked me in the prisoner's presence, if they were mine?They were, I had not missed them, as I was engaged with a customer; they were taken from off the counter at the further end of the shop; I had put them there not an hour before, and was in the shop all the morning. A young man came in, and wanted a waistcoat; while I was engaged with him, a person might come in, and take the coats without my seeing them. The prisoner said it was his first offence, and begged of me to let him go - I gave him in charge. I only rent the lower part of the house, and sleep there - the landlord does not live in the house. One coat cost me 2 l. 10 s., and the other was worth 7 s. or 8 s. JAMES EAMES . On the 30th of December, about a quarter before nine o'clock in the morning, I was passing along the Strand, and saw the prisoner come out of the prosecutor's shop in a very suspicious manner, stopping down with the coats under his arm. I suspected he had stolen them, followed him, and told him to take them back from where he took them. He asked for what? came back with me, and said I might take them back myself; just before he got to the door he threw them down. I collared him, picked them up, and took them into the shop with him; I merely pushed him into the shop, and asked the prosecutor if he had lost anything? I gave them to him, and said the prisoner had taken them - I then left the shop. Q. Was anybody with him - A. There was a man near him - I live with my father, who is a coachmaster. JAMES HOWES. I took the prisoner and coats in charge at the prosecutor's. (Property produced and sworn to.) Prisoner's Defence. I never begged the prosecutor's pardon; I saw a boy come out of the shop, and drop them - I never touched them. GUILTY - DEATH . Aged 17. First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Holroyd. -------------------------------------------------------------------- National Archives, Criminal Petitions. HO 17/76/39 Prisoner name: William Pitts (alias Doyle). Court and date of trial: Old Bailey in January 1819. Crime: Stealing in a dwelling house. Initial sentence: [Death] commuted to transportation for life. Annotated (Outcome): In consequence of the Prisoner's good conduct on board the hulks, his sentence has been further mitigated to 14 years. Petitioner(s): George Sinclair, Ham House, Richmond, on behalf of prisoner's father. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): From an honest and industrious family; good character; good conduct on the hulk. Other papers: Letter from [R] Peel, Whitehall, in reply to George Sinclair's letter and confirming that there are insufficient grounds for a further intercession on behalf of prisoner. Additional Information: Bellerophon hulk. Date: 1822 Mar 27- 30. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hulk record HO 9-7 5 page 39. at Sheerness. (Hulk Bellerophon) Received 25 prisoners from Newgate, 19 April 1819. William Pitt, age 17 C.R. Stealing goods in a dwelling house, Tried Middlesex 15 Jan 1819, Life. Mitigated to 14 years by Pardons, sent ? 1823 per Henry NSW.