Elizabeth Wood

Level 346

Maureen Withey on 10th February 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 10 February 2023), April 1832, trial of WILLIAM JONES ELIZABETH WOOD (t18320405-283). WILLIAM JONES, ELIZABETH WOOD, Theft > pocketpicking, 5th April 1832. 1086. WILLIAM JONES and ELIZABETH WOOD were indicted for stealing, on the 17th of March , 14 shillings, the monies of John Snowsell , from his person . JOHN SNOWSELL . I am a sawyer , and live at Harrow-on-the-Hill. On the 17th of March I was at Chelsea, at the committee meeting of a benefit society; I had 16s. 6d. in my pocket when I left the public-house - I was perfectly sober; it had just turned eleven o'clock when I left; I thought it too late to return to Harrow - I saw a young woman in the street, who directed me to a lodging in Royal Hospital-row - I had a bed-room there to myself; I saw neither of the prisoners till I got there - I went to bed about twenty minutes or half-past eleven o'clock; I did not lock or bolt the room door - the money was in my trousers pocket, under the pillow - when I had been in bed about a quarter of an hour, a man came into the room, and told me I could not stop there; I had paid a young woman 2s. 6d. for the use of the bed - I said I was very sorry, as I had paid for the bed; I said I should go if that was the case, and as I was putting on my stockings, the prisoner Jones came into the room - I had not seen him before; my trousers were then by my side; I laid hold of them to put them on - Jones caught hold of them; I laid hold of them to try to get them away; the prisoner Wood then came in, and pulled me away from him - the trousers were left in Jones' possession; they both went out on the landing-place, shutting the door after them, but in about a minute Wood threw my trousers into the room; my pocket was then cut off - neither of them said any thing; I waited in the room about half an hour with the man who had come in at first - he had not assisted in robbing me; Jones then came into the room again, and said, "What's the matter?" - the man said,"Why, he has lost his money;" Jones said, "It is a pity the man should be robbed, I will give him 2s.," but he did not - he asked if I would go to a public-house; but Isaid it was too late for that; the moment I got up to go out of the room, Jones ran away - I described them to the officer, who secured them in about an hour; I saw them both at the station, and I am sure of them both - a man came next morning, and gave me 8s. - I lost 14s. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Why did you take 8s. from a strange man? A. Because I had no money, and was obliged to return to Harrow, or lose my place; he called himself the prisoner's brother - it was given not to appear against them the next day; I told him I was obliged to go down to Harrow, and promised not to appear - I am married - the benefit society meet at the Green Dragon; they do not let beds there; I have no doubt the woman who directed me to the lodging was a prostitute; she took me to the room which she said she had to let - she had the key of the room - it is on a straight stair-case, leading to rooms, without any outer door; she lighted a candle, and left me; I did not put the candle out; I considered the first man who came in a respectable man - I was afraid to ask him to help me secure the prisoners; he said he was owner of the room; I said then I had been deceived - I had him taken to the watch-house, thinking as both ran away down stairs, they were both bad; I never said I could not swear to the man who took the money - a woman was present when I took the 8s. - that is her (looking at a woman named Graham): I did not say in her presence that I could not swear to the man - I have been a witness in this Court twenty or thirty times, or I may say fifty; I belonged to Bow-street at that time; I have been here once since I left Bow-street; Mr. Birnie discharged me from Bow-street, because it was my duty to be up all night at the office, and a gentleman came and asked my assistance in recovering his daughter who was going to be taken away - I left the office with him; Sir Richard was angry, and discharged me; the gentleman was a musician in Lord Liverpool's service -I was never prosecuted on any account; I could not tell that the woman I asked for a lodging was a prostitute - she was talking to another girl. COURT. Q. Did any familiarities take place between you and her? A. None at all; I did not expect to see her again - Graham gave the man the 8s, which he gave to me; I took it as part of what I had lost. Wood. He said he could not swear to me. Witness. I never said so, nor any thing of the kind; I did not say the girl who took the room sent the man up to rob me, nor that I had treated her with brandy-and-water. Wood. I had been drinking with that woman all that day, and the prosecutor met her and gave her drink. Witness. The prisoner is not the girl who was with her. HENRY WILLIAMS . I am a Policeman. I saw the prisoner Jones running away from the prosecutor about one o'clock at night; the prosecutor called out Police, Stop him! this was about fifty or sixty yards from the house - I ran across, and asked the prosecutor what was the matter; in consequence of what he said, I followed the prisoner up a court, and found another man there; he parted from Jones, and jumped over a wall; I laid hold of the other man first - I knew a house Jones frequented; I went there, knocked at the door, and the female prisoner's brother said, "Who is there?" I found Jones in the house, laying down by the door with his clothes on -Wood then flew out, and laid hold of me; she bit my knuckles - Jones then collared me; I sprang my rattle, and had a hard matter to secure him; my hand was bound up for a fortnight - this woman's name is not Graham, but Dockerty; the prosecutor charged the prisoners with this offence, and the man who jumped over the wall, with not assisting him to recover his money; the magistrate discharged him when Jones was committed; he told the prosecutor he would murder him - the prosecutor gave the same account at the watch-house as he has now. Cross-examined. Q. Was Snowsell quite sober? A. He was; the house he was robbed at is not a notorious house; there are some respectable people lodge in it, and about two women of the town; I never knew any body go into that room - there may be twenty rooms in the house; I have not been looking for the woman the prosecutor met in the street; I know her, she is a prostitute, but does not walk the streets - she lives with a man they call her husband, and he is the man I took for ordering the prosecutor out of the room - I found a knife on that man, but no money. Jones' Defence. I knew nothing of the robbery. Snowsell perjured himself on the trial of Richard Cummins, in 1825. Wood's Defence. I am innocent. JONES - GUILTY . Aged 20. WOOD - GUILTY . Aged 18. Transported for Life . ---------------------------------------------------- GOVERNMENT NOTICE. No. 194. Colonial Secretary's Office, 31st October, 1846. The Queen has been pleased to grant to Elizabeth Wood a Pardon for the crime of which she was convicted at the Old Bailey in April, 1832, upon condition of her not returning to or being found within the United Kingdom. By His Excellency's Command, J. E. BICHENO. The Courier, 4 Nov 1846.

Level 338

Penny-Lyn Beale on 14th September 2020

HUSBAND; William Jones arrived in the colony per ship "Mary"6 Jan 1833. Charged with same offence