John Williams

218

Dianne Jones on 23rd January 2022

FOOTNOTE: Newspaper coverage of his trial at the Old Bailey: From the "Daily News", March 8, 1856: "Third Court Before the recorder John Williams, 23, labourer, was convicted of a burglary in the house of Benjamin Boulter, and stealing therein property to the value of £100. Mr Payne prosecuted. The case was fully reported when a prisoner’s confederates were tried a few sessions ago. The prosecutor keeps for the Marquis of Granby, Chaudos street, and the prisoner was the man who had arranged the breaking and entering of the place, and kept watch outside, but was not taken at the time. The court sentenced him to 20 years’ transportation - the same term to which the principal companion of his guilt upon that occasion was sentenced."

218

Dianne Jones on 4th December 2021

NOTE: He is one of two men called John Williams shipped to WA aboard the Nile, both of whom were tried on the same day in the Old Bailey, London, and sentenced to transportation. The other John Williams was convicted of housebreaking and larceny and sentenced to 15 years. See his bio at https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/williams/john/97951.

218

Dianne Jones on 4th December 2021

From his Fremantle jail record: WILLIAMS, John; #4563, arrived 1 Jan 1858 per Nile Date of Birth: 1833 Marital Status: Married 1 child Occupation: Labourer Literacy: Literate Sentence Place: London, London, England Crime: Burglary Sentence Period: 20 years Previous Convictions: Yes Ticket of Leave Date: 24 Apr 1861 Conditional Pardon Date: 21 Feb 1865 (https://fremantleprison.com.au/). --00--

218

Dianne Jones on 4th December 2021

TRIAL -- 3 March, 1856: Old Bailey #371. JOHN WILLIAMS, burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Benjamin Boulter, at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, and stealing therein 1 iron chest, 2 lbs. weight of cigars, and other articles, value 8l., 10s.; 1 wine warrant, value 195l.; and 15s. in money; his property. MR. PAYNE conducted the Prosecution. BENJAMIN BOULTER . I keep the Marquis of Granby public house, Chandos-street, in the parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields—it is my dwelling house. On 13th Nov. I went to bed at 10 o'clock—I was awoke in the night, about 2 o'clock, by a noise like the opening of a window—I opened my door and went to the stair foot door; listened 5 or 10 minutes, and not hearing anything went to bed again—I was again awoke by a crashing noise, like breaking a door open—I called out, "Charles, is that you? who is there!" to my young man, and thought I heard somebody move on the stairs—I said, "Well, it is a good thing I have got my gun loaded"—there was a window before my bed room door, which had been opened to let the smoke out—I put it up, and heard a voice outside which I knew, singing "Hail smiling morn!"—that turned out to be Mahoney, who has been trans ported—(see page 185)—I thought the noise I had heard was outside, instead of in, and went to bed again—I was afterwards called up, and found the door open, and the bar door broken open, which was five or six feet from the door—I missed about 21 bs. weight of cigars, and found cigars lying about, two drawers in the bar parlour were broken open, and a shawl was gone from one, which I put there when I went to bed—the till was broken open, and 15s. gone, which were safe over night—I went into the parlour, and missed an iron chest, containing leases, wills, and about 175l. worth of dock warrants and several valuable papers, and it weighed two cwt, but had two handles, and two men could carry it very well—a silver caddy spoon was also taken. Cross-examined by MR. POLAND, Q. When the prisoner was taken, did your wife go to the station to see him? A. I do not know; nor do I know that my barman went. MR. PAYNE. Q. Did you hear of the prisoner being taken at the time that the others were? A. No; there were five persons outside, and one was missing. CHARLES WILLIAM BENTLET . I am barman to Mr. Boulter. On 13th Nov., a little before 12 o'clock, I was about shutting up the place, and Scott and Mahoney came in, with another man in an alpaca coat, and a red handkerchief round his neck muffled up over his mouth, as if he had a cold—they all three went out together, and I fastened the doors—the things were then safe in the bar and bar parlour, and the door leading from the passage to the bar was safe. Cross-examined. Q. When did you first hear ttyt the prisoner was in custody? A. A considerable time after the robbery; since the last trial—I was taken down to the police court—I did not go to the station house—when I first saw Mahoney and the other man, it was at the police court, and two women and a boy were in custody with them—I did not go there expecting to find three men—when I identified Mahoney and Smith, there was not another man there whom I was asked if I knew—I was asked about three weeks ago when this prisoner was taken, and I then said, as I do to day, that I could not tell—he was with other persons, and I was asked to point him out—I did not point out another man—I looked round and said that I did not see any one there that I knew—I believe Mrs. Boulter went down to the station on the last occasion—there is nothing remarkable in an alpaca coat. MARK ROSE (policeman, F 38). On 13th Nov. I was on duty in Bedfordbury, which runs at the back of Mr. Boulter's house, and at the corner by the Marquis of Granby, about 12 o'clock, I saw Smith, Mahoney, Foley, Shaw, Lawrence, and the prisoner, standing against Mr. Boulter's house, which forms the corner—when they saw me they moved away, and about 1 o'clock I saw Mahoney, Smith, Foley, Shaw, and the prisoner, standing close to the same place—there was a ladder there, and Mahoney was three or four rounds up it—when I went towards them he came down and ran away—I followed the prisoner and Smith—they said, "Do not take any notice of him, for he is drank"—I knew the other man by the name of Lurcher—that ladder would enable any person to get into the lodge communicating with Mr. Boulter's house—at half past 3 o'clock I saw Smith, the two females, Mahoney, and the prisoner—the females were in a doorway in Taylors-buildings, three or four doors from the prosecutor's, and Smith ran up stairs at that house, and when I was going up the females stopped me, and offered me gin not to go up—I went up, and found Smith on the very top lauding, brought him down, searched him, and let him go—Mahoney and the prisoner were then coming through Taylor's-buildings, and Mahoney was singing, "Hail, smiling morn I"—I saw no more of the prisoner after that—I had seen him very often before—he had on an alpaca coat, dark trowsers, a hat, and a red wrapper round his neck—at 10 o'clock in the morning I went to 13, Charles-street, Drury-lane, and found the two females and the boy, who had been sick and vomited some cakes with currants in them, which were missed from the premises—I found there some cigars and a shawl, which Mr. Boulter identifies. Cross-examined. Q. At what house was it that Smith ran up stairs, a brothel? A. No; poor people lodge there, and the houses are always open—it was a rather dark night but there were plenty of lamps there, and I always carry a light—I afterwards saw the prisoner when he was brought in to the station at 10 o'clock in the morning on 5th Feb.—I am quite sure I had not seen him before; not two days before, nor yet one, or I should most decidedly have apprehended him. MR. PAYNE. Q. If you had seen him two days before, should you have taken him? A. Yes; I was in plain clothes for a month, looking out for him—I have known him about twelve months, and have seen him frequently, but only known him by the name of Lurcher. JOHN WEEKS (policeman, F 157) On 13th Nov. I was on duty in Bedfordbury, and saw the prisoner in Taylor's-buildings, close to the back door of the Marquis of Granby, about 1 o'clock—nobody was with him then—when he heard me approach he walked sharp up the court, and whistled twice loudly; it appeared to me to be a signal—I saw him again about 2 o'clock, at the bottom of Taylor's-buildings and Bedfordbury, with Smith and Mahoney—about half past 5 o'clock I found the door of the Marquis of Granby open, rang the bell, and was answered by the landlord from the window—I found the bar broken open, and the place in confusion—the prisoner was dressed in a grey alpaca coat, dark trowsers, a black hat, and a led handkerchief round his neck and mouth. Cross-examined. Q. This was a dark night? A. No, it was middling—I had seen the prisoner several times before, and knew him by the name of Price—I next saw him in custody, when he was taken up on this charge; I think it was on 5th Feb.—I had not seen him two days before he was taken. MR. PAYNE. Q. Should you have taken him into custody if you had seen ton two days before he was taken? A. Yes. HENRY ATTWOOD (policeman, F 152). I have known the prisoner about twelve months, and have seen him and Smith together several times—I have been searching for him, and went to No. 2, Snow's-rente, York-street, Westminster, but did not find him; it was shut up—that'was directly after the robbery—I only knew from information of his being there. Cross-examined. Q. Were you before the Magistrate on 5th Feb.? A. Yes; I saw Bentley there, but was not present when he saw the prisoner. GEORGE GODDEN (police-man, F 128). I know the prisoner and Smith and have seen them together several times—they used to frequent Sevendials prior to the robbery—they were associating together for three mouths before the robbery, but I never saw the prisoner after the robbery, and have searched for him, but have not been able to find him. Cross-examined. Q. Do you know where he lived? A. No, but I have heard—I did not find him afterwards in the neighbourhood of Sevendials—I did not see him between 13th Nov. till he was taken in Feb.—the man who took him is not here. JOHN BRIGGS (policeman, G 195). I have known the prisoner about fifteen months—he and Smith lived together at 44, Baldwin's-gardens, Gray's-inn-lane—they went there at the latter end of Nov. or the beginning of Dec.—I do not know where they lived before that—I received a description of the parties concerned in the robbery, and heard that they had moved to No. 44, Baldwin's-gardens—I watched the prisoner and Smith in several times, but did not take them—I sent to the F division, and the sergeant sent word that they would come down, but no one came. COURT. Q. What information did you send? A. That by the description I thought they were the parties—they did not come down till the next night, I think it was, and then the parties had gone—when I watched the prisoner I knew his name, but did not know that he was wanted for this robbery, and therefore did not take him—it was after the robbery, and not before that he lodged in Baldwin's-gardens—it was in the beginning of Dec.—they stayed there nine or ten days. ROBERT MACKENZIE (police inspector, F). I inspected the premises of Mr. Boulter—the robbery was committed by getting up a ladder placed against the wall of an adjoining house, which was being painted—that ladder was close to the fascia of the prosecutor's house, and a small person, such as the boy Lawrence, could pass along the fascia, and get in at the window—I saw marks of the dust being removed, and there was a mark on the fresh paint as of a foot—on the morning after the robbery that lad was brought to the station, and two women insensibly drunk; it was some hours before they were fit to be examined—in consequence of information I subsequently received, I gave instructions for the apprehension of the prisoner and the others, and they were apprehended—I afterwards received information that the prisoner had been lodging at Snow's-rents, York-street, Westminster—I found he was very well known there, and had removed—I set the police in motion in search of him—in the early part of Dec. I received information from a police sergeant, and went to No. 44, Baldwin's-gardens with Attwood and Briggs, but only found the female in bed whom he cohabits with, and whom I knew, having seen her with him—Smith's wife and child were also in bed together in the same room, at least he calls her his wife—they occupied the back rooms of the second and third floors—neither the prisoner or Smith were there—the prisoner was apprehended on 22nd Jan. in Holborn, brought to the station at Bow-street, and charged with this offence. Cross-examined. Q. The man who took him is not here? A. No—I was at the police court when this charge was investigated—there were two remands—I was there when Bentley came. COURT. Q. When he was shown some men? A. Yes, it was at the police court—three men were placed there, and he was to go in and look and see if he saw anybody whom he knew—he did not point out anybody—he said that he was not positive, but thought the prisoner was the man—I was not in the room with him, I was in the passage—I knew him very well by sight before 13th Nov. MR. PAYNE. Q. Did you see him between the robbery and the day he was brought in custody? A. No—he was not to be found in his usual place of resort. MR. POLAND to MARK ROSK. Q. Were you in the room when the prisoner was at the police court with some other men, and Bentley was shown into the room? A. Yes—he did not point out anybody there, or say anything about any of the persons—Mrs. Boulter was not then there—she saw the prisoner and some other man together, and said, that he resembled the man very much, but she should not like to swear to him. MR. PAYNE. Q. Had he a red comforter on then? A. No. BENJAMIN BOULTER re-examined. This is my shawl, and was on the sofa overnight—these cigars are the same as mine—I have had the shawl for ten years, and used to cover my head with it when I kid on the sofa—I made a grease mark on it that day, but have had it washed since—I also missed about a dozen pound cakes, with little currants in them, and about a gallon of gin. GUILTY . (The prisoner was further charged with having been before convicted.) ALLEN PHILLIPS. I produce a certificate—(Read: "Central Criminal Court, John Desmond, Convicted, May, 1850, of burglary; transported for seven years")—I was present—the prisoner is the man—he went to Gibraltar, and received a free pardon after serving four years of his sentence; since which he has been tried for burglary, but acquitted—he is one of the greatest burglars in London. GUILTY. Aged 23.— Transported for Twenty Years (https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/). --00--