26, 27. (M.) William Williams proceedingsdefend and Richard Williams proceedingsdefend , were indicted for stealing one sack of wheat flour, containing five bushels, the property of John Milward proceedingsvictim ; and sixteen bushels of wheat, value 26 s. the property of Daniel Ponton proceedingsvictim , Esquire ; Nov. 16 .~

John Sharp < no role > , deposed he was at his business at the tenth mill at Limehouse ; that he saw a lighter called the Four Mill Lighter (which lighter the two prisoners always worked, being lightermen to Mr. Tealing, who is steward to Mr. Lockwell), lying about three or four hundred yards from the tenth mill on the 13th of November, about one in the morning; and that he saw two men take a small boat from that lighter, and go into Betson's Dock, and tumble in some sacks; but could not distinguish the persons to know who they were; that they left the boat in the dock. Then he went to see what they had put in the boat, and found four sacks, marked B. in a frame, with corn in them, and one containing five bushels of flour; the flour was marked with a frame, and J. M. in the middle; he left them as he found them; that soon after he and his master. William Picket < no role > , went and took a sample from the corn and flour, and carried them to Mr. Milward; and that afterwards Mr. Betson's man took the vessel away.

Mr. John Milward < no role > , deposed, that on the 13th of November, about seven in the morning, Betson and Sharp brought him the two samples; that he went and looked at the sacks in the boat; that the sack, marked J. M. was his own property, and the others were the property of Mr. Lockward; and the wheat in them he supposed to be the property of Daniel Ponton < no role > , who ground wheat at his mills; that the two prisoners navigated the Four Mill Lighter.

John Tealing < no role > , steward to Mr. Lockwell, deposed, that the two prisoners were employed to work the Four Mill Lighter, and that only; that the two samples were shewed to him, and they were compared with and suited the owners other wheat and flour as near as could be; that he went to Betson's Dock, and found the boat was gone to Limehouse-hole; that he went to Limehouse, and saw the sacks taken out of the boat there.

Lewis Betson < no role > deposed, that he had two boats in his dock; and that his servant, Humphrey Weston < no role > , told him he found the sacks mentioned in one or them, and as he could not get them out himself, he loaded other things upon them, and carried them down to Limehouse-hole.

Humphry Weston deposed, that he found the flour and wheat in the boat on Friday the 13th of November, in the morning, describing the marks on the sacks; that he could not get them out, and he went with his boat to Limehouse, and left them in it there.

The prisoners, in their defence, said, that they knew nothing how the corn and flour came into that boat; and called Thomas Dray < no role > , who had lived near them about 14 years. John Streton < no role > had known them near so; William Mason < no role > , between 13 and 14 Samuel Pell < no role > , from their infancy; Edward Anderson < no role > , upwards of 10; James Galloway < no role > , 12; Henry Smith < no role > , between 3 and 4; William Fortage < no role > the elder, 23; and the younger about 17; Thomas Eades < no role > , ever since they were children; Joshua Barnes < no role > , about 3; Richard Elaby < no role > , about 20; William Williams < no role > , 17 or 18; Mr. Perry about 10; Mr. Powis and two others, several years; and all gave them the character of industrious, sober, careful, well-behaved, young men.

Both Acquitted .