The King
agt
Benjamin Watkins< no role > }
on a Suspicion of Felony

On the Presentation of Thomas Templeman< no role > , John Jones< no role >
and David Nelson< no role >

Benjamin in Watkins the abovenamed Defendant maketh Oath That about
Three Weeks since he was charged before Sir John Fielding< no role > Knight on a
Suspicion of having stole a few triffling Articles, which the Prosecutors
Alledged were their respective Properties and found in this Deponents apartments,
And this Deponent Saith he hath for some time past got his living by attending
Sales and Auctions and if any Articles of Goods were going pretty reasonable
this Deponent purchased same and afterwards disposed of same by hand or
put them into other Sales or Auctions and frequently made Considerable
Advantage thereby, and this Deponent Saith William Thompson< no role > who lives
near Saint Thomas's Church in the Borough in the County of Surry Shoemaker
was present and Prioy to most of this Deponents dealings and transactions
and could identically prove how and in what manner this Deponent got
those Articles which were found in his appartments and which he was
Suspected to have stolen And this Deponent Saith that when he was first
Charged with the aforesaid Offences he immediatly Sent for the said William
Thompson< no role > but he was then gave into the County and hath not since returned
And this Deponent Saith that he hath caused diligent Search and Inquiry
to be made what part of the Country the said William Thompson< no role > hath gone to
in order to cause him to be Supeanaed to give Evidence for the Deponent on
his Tryal for the said Offences but he hath not been able to find out or discover
the same but doubts not his return to Town by the next Sessions This
Deponent therefore Saith that the said William Thompson< no role > is a Principal
and most Material Witness for this Deponent on his Said Tryal, and
Without whose Evidence this Deponent Cannot with any degree of
Safety take his Tryal on any or either of the said Charges.

Sworn in Court
this 7th. day of December 1769}

By the Court

Benjamin Watkins< no role >