Record of Trial of Jacob Bellett
228 JACOB BELLETT was indicted for feloniously
stealing on the 25th of December last fifty one ells of half-ell manufactured
lining, value £l.8s. two pounds of unwound black silk, value 20s. thirty-two
ounces of double black silk wound value £l.12s, the property of John
Gearing, John Vaux, and Thomas John Taylor.
JOHN
VAUX sworn.
I
only prove the property, my partners names are John Gearing, and Thomas-John
Taylor.
WILLIAM
COLE sworn.
On
the 25th of December, which was Christmas-day, between three and four
in the afternoon, we had fifty-one ells of work cut out of the loom, two pounds
of unwound silk, and thirty two ounces of double silk, it was silk lining,
I worked for Messrs. Gearing, Vaux, and Taylor; about four I was informed
my shop window was open, I went up to see and took the key of the, stair foot
door, that goes up to my work shop, and found all my work was taken away,
the stair foot door was locked as I left it; I said, the prisoner was the
person that robbed me, I went to the prisoner's house and asked for him, nobody
was at home but the sister and a girl; I found the prisoner in
Ball's-alley, with
a girl that he kept company with, I heard a scuffle withinside the house,
I heard them shove up the window, and they kept me at the door for a minute
or a minute and half, then the door was opened; he threatened to punish me,
he followed me home, but upon my mentioning to search the loft the prisoner
ran away directly; in searching the lofts we run over four houses, I found
no property there, but I found one trap door open that went into the prisoner's
house, and I dropped, down upon the prisoner's bed, which was under that trap
door; I there made a strict search, and his brother in law came down, and
looked behind an old pair of drawers, there was a net and. this bag,
and a shoot, and the, unwrought silk, I pulls up the end a little more says
I, thank God here is my piece, the Justice ordered me to subpoenea this brother-in-law,
but he is got out of the way, I carried the subpoenea ,I went to search
for the prisoner I found him at one Helder's which
was about two hours after
he run away. I found him concealed in a closet, I asked him how he came to
do such a wicked thing; he said, for God's sake have mercy upon me, you have
your property let me go; says I, I cannot, it is my master's property, .I
brought him to the Crown alehouse, and sent for an officer and gave charge
of him, and in my hearing he confessed he did it. himself and nobody else;
I made him no promise, he was going to tell us of one Jones, the father and
son who were waiting for him, at the corner of Cox's-square, in Petticoat-lane,
a man that buys stolen silk, little or much; I have never enquired after him,
Mr. Wilmot said we could do nothing to him, without he had bought anything,
he uses a public house the corner of that square.
JOHN
GRAY sworn
On
the 25th of December, I was sent for by this young man and the prisoner, I
said to the prisoner, was there any body along with you?-- - And he said,
no, there was not, he was sadly distressed, and did it through necessity..
Were does Jones live? - I cannot tell, only he said he used a public house,
the corner of Cox's-square, Do not you know where that Jones lives?
No, upon my oath I do not,
I never heard of any such name before, Where do you live? --In Shoreditch..
(The
wound silk deposed to.)
Cole
I can swear they are them that where taken out of my looms, I can show you,
I have in my pocket a pattern of the quill that we head them with.
PRISONER'S DEFENCE
The
man came and charged me, and swore he would hang me, I told him I would
punish him I went to see his work, and his wife collared me? Says I, what
do you collar me for, I have money of my own; l went to Mr Helder's and this
man came up, there was no string to latch the door, and the woman bid me get
a plate out of the closet, and he came and swore I was shut up there; I am
innocent.
The
Prisoner called five more witnesses who all gave him a good character.
GUI
LTY.
Transported
for seven years.
Tried
by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr.RECORDER.