242. (L.) James Robinson proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing one silver quart tankard, val. 6 l. the property of Ambrose Kent proceedingsvictim , April 30 . +

Anne Kent < no role > . I am wife to the prosecutor, we keep the Black-Horse-and-Ram on Margaret's-hill, Southwark ; the prisoner came in there last Monday night at six o'clock, he call'd for a pint of beer and had it, after that he said he was very cold and had a pennyworth of gin, which he paid for: after that he had 2 more pints of beer, and staid till about a quarter after 11 o'clock: there were four people in the same box, who had a silver tankard without a lid drinking out of: they paid and went out, and left the prisoner there; I went to see for the tankard, and the prisoner and that were gone; but the four people being neighbours, I sent to see if they had taken it home with some beer in it, and had word brought that they had left it on the table and the prisoner in the house. The prisoner had said he was going into Kent-street to seek for lodging, I went there, but when I came back again the watchman had taken the prisoner and tankard : one of them asked me if I had lost a tankard, they having read the name upon it. I said I had, mark'd A K A on the bottom of the handle : then they shewed it me.

Stephen Stroud < no role > . I am a watchman in Grace-church-street, on the last day of April between 11 and 12 at night, the prisoner was coming by me, and just as he pass'd me he let a pocket full by my foct : I said, you have dropped something here, so he came back and took it up; but as he was stooping I saw the tankard shine under his apron. I asked him what, he had got there, he would not tell me, so I put my hand upon it, and felt it was a pot. I said I would see what he had there, he said I should not, so I took him by the collar, and got hold on the handle and pull'd it away. I asked him how he came by it, he said he found it in the Borough. I took him in one hand, and the tankard in the other, and led him to the constable of the night, where one of the watchmen said, after looking upon it, he knew the people it belonged to, so he and I went to the prosecutor's house, and asked her if she had lost a tankard; she said, yes, that it was marked A K, and had never a lid; she went with me, and describ'd it to the constable. The tankard produced in court, and depos'd to.

Richard Gill < no role > . I watch at Bridge-ward, the last witness brought the prisoner and tankard to the watch house last Monday night between 11 and 12 o'clock, I knew the tankard having drank out of it several times, then I went with Stroud to the prosecutor's house. The rest as the evidence had depos'd.

Ann Pritchet < no role > . I, my daughter, a woman, and another man were drinking out of this tankard at the prosecutor's house, we went out and left the tankard on the table, and the prisoner by it; but had not been home above a quarter of an hour, before the maid told us the tankard was missing. I told her there was nobody there when we came away, but the man in a red coat (meaning the prisoner), and that he talk'd of going to Kent-street to see for a two penny lodging, so they went there to enquire.

The prisoner in his defence own'd that he had been drinking at the prosecutor's house, and found the tankard as he was going along.

Guilty .

[Transportation. See summary.]