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Patrick Grayham , theft: receiving stolen goods, 04 Dec 1760.The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Ref: t17601204-11 |
Trial Summary:
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Original Text:12. (M.) Patrick Grayham , was indicted for receiving 168 lb. weight of lead, value 15 s. the property of Thomas Hudson and Edward Cole , well knowing it to have been stolen by Edward Langley and John Green , Nov. 4. ++ Thomas Hudson . We found the lead in the prisoner's house, which Langley and Green were convicted for stealing. Cross Examination. Q. Did the prisoner tell you what he gave a pound for it? Hudson. He told me he gave a penny a pound for it. Q. What is old lead worth per pound? Hudson. At that time it was worth 12 s. 6 d. or 13 s. per hundred. I believe it is a customary price when they buy it in small quantities to give but a penny a pound; but this we call a large quantity. Charles Mead . I was concerned in stealing this lead, we carried it to the prisoner's house, he took it in. Q. Who carried it there? Mead. Green and I did. Q. What did he say to you? Mead. He said nothing at all. I carried out parcel and Green another. Q. What agreement was made betwixt you? Mead. There was no agreement made. He weighed it before us in the shop. Q. Was the shop open then or shut? Mead. It was shut up, it was 8 at night. Q. What did it weigh? Mead. I cannot tell what it weighed, we cut it to pieces with a bill that he had in his shop; he had a half hundred weight, but he weighed it with small weights, and he puzzled us with those small weights: we could have counted it if he had weighed it with the half hundred weight. Q. How many pieces were there of it? Mead. There were four such pieces as this produced. [a piece of sheet lead produced, weight about 25 lb.] Q. What did he give you for the lead? Mead. He, the first time, paid us 7 s. 2 d. Q. Did he tell you the weight of it? Mead. He did not at that time. [other pieces of lead produced.] Adam Alsop . I weigh'd this lead, it was all found at the prisoner's house, it all weighed upwards of a hundred and a half. Cross Examination. Q. Are you certain this is the lead that you and Green carried to the prisoner's house? Mead. I am, I helped cut it. I will swear to two pieces. [Pointing to two pieces that had many cuts as with a batchet on them.] Q. At how many times did you carry this lead? Mead. We went twice each of us. Q. What did he give you for all the lead? Mead. First he gave us 7 s. 2 d. and afterwards 5 s. Q. to Hudson. What is 168lb. of that lead worth? Hudson. It is worth about 17 s. Q. to Mead. Did you never carry old lead there on a night so late, that Mr. Grayham did not think proper to pay you then, but referred you to come the next morning? Mead. Yes. Q. Why would he not pay you over night? Mead. I do not know. He paid us in the morning. That was the second time of coming; we borrowed half a crown of him, and when we came the next morning the lead was weighted and put by; he had put the price down, and he paid us the other half crown. We never saw any more of the lead. Q. Did you and your comrade together express your fear of carrying too large a quantity, for fear he should suspect you? Mead. No, Green said, he knew Mr. Grayham would take it in. Q. Did you not declare so before the Alderman? Mead. No, I did not. Q. Did you see Grayham each time you went there? Mead. We did. Q. Did you appear to be working men? Mead. We did. Q. Did he not ask you whether you sold it on how you came by it? Mead. No, he did not, not a syllable. Q. Did he ask you, whether you sold it on your own account, or on the account of any body else? Mead. No, he never did ask such a question; he asked us no question, but told us to come rather sooner when we came, and not so late. Q. Was it dark then? Mead. It was quite dark, it was about 8 at night? Q. How long is it ago? Mead. It is near six weeks ago. Q. Did he mention your coming by day light? Mead. He did not mention any thing of that. Q. What were his reasons for coming earlier? Mead. He said, sometimes he was out of the way, and then he could not weigh it. Q. Was Green an acquaintance of the prisoner's? Mead. The first time I went without Green he refused buying it of me. Q. Did he give any reason for that? Mead. No, he gave none at all. Q. Did he not say, he knew Green to be an honest man? Mead. No, he did not; but he did not know me, he was very willing to take it when he saw Green. Prisoner's Defence. There was a quantity of lead that I had under my counter, with small lead in it, and they carried it away. There was more carried away than I bought of those men. I paid them 7 s. 2 d the first time; the next quantity was old iron in a lime bag, and some lead amongst it. It lay in the passage that night: I was not at home. Q. to Mead. Did you ever carry any lead when the prisoner was not at home? Mead. The third time it was that we carried iron, then he was not at home. For the Prisoner. Mrs. Brooks. I am a lodger in Mr. Grayham's house, and have been so for fifteen or sixteen months. Q. Did he keep an open shop? Brooks. He did, as a broker. I am very intimate with him and his wife too; I am very frequent in the shop, and have seen him refuse to buy things that have been brought to the shop. Q. What is his general character? Brooks. He is a man of very good character. Cuthbert Loftey . I live in St. Giles's by Great Russel-street I have known the prisoner between fourteen and fifteen years; he is a plaisterer and bricklayer by trade; he buys old broken goods. Q. What is his character? Loftey. No body can deny his character; he is a very honest man. He would not buy any thing that he knew to be stolen. I know he would not. He has worked upon my estate, and brought me in fair just bills. William Shakespear . I am a cheesemonger, and live in Broad St. Giles's. I have known him between four and five years. I have employed him several times, and found him a very just and honest man. He is a very industrious man, I do not think he would do a thing of this kind knowingly. Dennis Farrel . I am a broker. I often purchase lead when it comes with other goods. Q. What would you give a hundred for such lead as this? Farrel. I should not give above 10 s. per hundred for it; I can't think it worth more to me to sell again. Q. Are you acquainted with the prisoner? Farrel. No, I am not. Q. Suppose a parcel of such lead had been brought to you, at 8 o'clock at night, to be sold, what should you have thought of the persons that brought it; supposing a couple of workmen? Farrel. If it had been brought to me at noonday I should not have bought it. I am a house-broker. Alexander Webb . I am a bricklayer. The prisoner has worked for me about eighteen years, fourteen years constantly. Q. What is his general character? Webb. The honestiest man, I must say, that ever I employ'd. I have trusted him when he has had repairs under his care, it has been in his power to carry out ten ton of lead or iron, and I never missed any. He is the honestest man that ever existed I believe. I have sold lead at half a guinea and eleven shillings a hundred; but for a man that keeps an open shop, as this man does, I suppose he could not afford to give above a penny a pound, but it is not what I trade in. I believe he would not have bought it if he had known it to have been stolen. I have been laid up three months together with the gout, and he had the keys of all my stores, it has been in his power to rob me of a great deal. He keeps his wife, mother and four children by his industry. Mr. Burbridge. I have known him about thirteen or fourteen years Q. What is his general character? Burbridge. It is that of a very honest man. Mr. King. I have known him nine years, during that time I never heard any thing of him but what was very honest, and very good; I lived near him eight years. Loftey. I beg to be heard again. I have more to say. I went to Woodstreet Compter with two gentlemen with me, I saw Mead, and asked him, whether Mr. Grayham did not ask him if the lead was honestly come by, and he said, he did; and, that he told Grayham, it was come honestly by. Q. to Mead. Did you see this witness in Wood-street Compter? Mead. I did, he came there and sent for a pot of beer; there were two other men with him. He told me, you may soften the thing with Mr. Grayham. and it will not hurt you, it will do you no harm, he has got a large family; you may soften the thing to him if you will. He gave me a shilling, and said, he would be with me again, and bring a friend or two with him, to give me some more the next day. Q. Did you say to him, that Mr. Grayham ask'd you if the lead was honestly come by? Mead. No, my lord. Q. to Loftey. Did you give him a shilling? Loftey. We had a tankard of beer, the prisoner came about us, and the place smell'd so, I said, there is a shilling, I can't stay any longer. I gave him that to drink. Q. Did he pay for the drink out of that, or did you? Loftey. I paid for the drink. Mead's confession was read, wherein were these words: He never question'd me nor Green, how we came by the said iron, &c. Guilty. |
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