Old Bailey Proceedings:
Old Bailey Proceedings: Accounts of Criminal Trials

21st February 1770

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159. (M. 1st) John Murphy proceedingsdefend was indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Henry Kipling proceedingsvictim , Esq ; on the 31st of January , in the night, and stealing a set of silver castors in a silver frame, value 4 l. a silver waiter, value 2 l. a silver mug, value 2 l three silver table spoons, value 30 s. a silver pepper-box, value 10 s. three silver candlesticks, six silver salt cellars, a silver cream-pot, a silver marrow-spoon, and two silver sauce-pans, the goods of the said Henry, in his dwelling-house . *

Henry Kipling < no role > , Esq; I live in Southampton-Row . I had been confined in my chamber for about a week; this alarmed me greatly: this was on New-Year's day in the morning. I got up and got down stairs into the parlour: there was a beauset and closet broke open where the plate used to be kept. I went into the back-room, where I found a bureau broke open, in which was nothing but letters. Ann Nicholls < no role > , my servant, will give an account how she found the house when she got up in the morning about seven o'clock.

Ann Nicholls < no role > . I am servant to Mr. Kipling. On the first on January, about seven in the morning, I found the street-door open that was locked when we went to bed: the parlour door I found open, which we left shut over night, and the beauset was open: that was not in my care. I had fastened the kitchen window and door over night. The window was open; all the things I found turned upside down. There were some table-spoons and a silver waiter missing from there.

Elizabeth Brass < no role > . I am servant to Mr. Kipling. The plate that I had in my care was a pair of salts, a pepper-castor, a silver cup, a silver pint mug, and some table-spoons; these were all missing on New-Year's day in the morning. I found the things in the parlour tumbled about and from off the table there. I missed also a silver candlestick and a silver waiter. None of these things were ever found again.

Thomas Crookhall < no role > . I was concerned with the prisoner in this. When I was got into the kitchen that night; Murphy was on the outside standing along with Gypsey George, his right name is George Lovell < no role > This name instance is in set 1437. , to watch; (See Gypsey George tried, No. 589, in Mr. Alderman Harley's Mayoralty). I took away the plate, and one George Colbeck < no role > sold it to John Underwood < no role > for twenty-four guineas in Turnmiss-street; Colbeck is gone to sea.

Q. How long have you been aquainted with Murphy?

Crookhall. About six months. He lodged in Maynard-street.

Acquitted .

See Underwood tried No. 11, in this Mayoralty.

(M.) He was a second time indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of William Nightengall proceedingsvictim on the 28th of December , about two o'clock in the night, and stealing a repeating table clock, value 10 l. twenty silver tea spoons, value 20 s. three pair of silver sugar tongs, value 3 s. three silver tea-strainers, value 3 s. one silver salt cellar, value 3 s. one silver salt-shovel, value 6 d. two silver table spoons, value 12 s. one silver punch ladle, value 5 s. one silver milk pot, value 5 s. one silver candlestick, value 10 s. one black silk cloak, value 3 s. and one silk handkerchief, value 2 s. the property of the said William, in his dwelling-house . *

William Nightengall < no role > . I live in Clerkenwell parish. My house was broke open on the morning of the 29th of December. I fastened most of the windows myself over night, and went to bed about a quarter before twelve, after going round, as I commonly do, to see if every thing was fast: we found the house was broke open about five in the morning and several drawers broke open, and the things laid in the indictment were taken away. (Mentioning them ). I went to Sir John Fielding < no role > , and had them advertised, but never found any of them again. The evidence confessed they were all sold to John Underwood < no role > , but I never could meet with him.

Q. Which way did they get in?

Nightengall. They got in at the kitchen window, and the closet door in the kitchen I found split down from top to bottom, and my beauset and the cupboard under it.

Peter Richardson < no role > . I am a journeyman to the prosecutor. He is a watch and clock spring maker. I went to work about a quarter after five that morning. I found the street door a-jar. I knocked at it, and my master's son came down. He went up to tell his father that the door was found open, and came down with a lights: then we found the house had been broke open, and ransacked in the same manner as my master has said.

Richard Nightengall < no role > . I called my father up; then we observed the house had been broke, and the things laid in the indictment were gone.

Thomas Crookhall < no role > . Colebeck, Murphy, and I broke this house open; about one o'clock that morning Colebeck and I tried to wrench open the shutter; but could not: then we went to the area and wrenched open a shutter there: then he desired me to hand him over the burner from the lamp, which I did. Murphy was standing by the watch-house to watch. I brought out a clock, silver spoons, a punch ladle, and several things that I cannot recollect; then Colebeck took and carried them to John Underwood < no role > and sold them for six guineas: he gave me two of them, and he gave Murphy some, how much I cannot tell. That was about nine the next morning.

Q. What did you break the shutter and place open with?

Crookhall. We broke them open with a chissel all iron. I gave this information when I was taken up on another indictment, for breaking a house in North-Audley-street.

Andrew Robinson < no role > . I belong to the Rotation at Whitechapel. I took the prisoner as he was going to his lodgings in Holloway-Lane. I took him to an alehouse, and then searched his lodgings.

Q. How do you know he lodged there?

Robinson. I was there informed so. He lodged with one Bush that had been an accomplice of his before; under his pillow I found this pistol (producing a pocket pistol) under the suit of clothes that the prisoner has now on, and in a box in the same room was this hand crow. (Producing an iron crow about eight or nine inches long, with two claws). I found also this stock and two center bits (produced in court, one of the bits bigger than the other), and this brass box with tinder, flint and steel (produced in court ): when I brought them to the alehouse to him, said he, I hope you have not meddled with my toggs ( meaning his clothes). I asked him if the clothes were his; he said, Yes. Then I went and took them, and found the buttons were all plate. (I thought they might be some matter of evidence). He was taken to the Justice, and his clothes were returned him.

Richard Smith < no role > . I went with the prisoner to Justice Welch's. I carried the clothes there. The evidence and he were both put to the bar together. The Justice said to Crookhall, Now ask him whether he knows any thing of Mr. Nightengall's house being robbed. Crook-hall asked him and bid him speak the truth; he said he did, and that he was down the area, and he also had two guineas of the money, for what the things and clock were sold for; that they had from Mr. Nightengall's the man of the house where he lodged, who was taken up and examined but was set at liberty. He gets his living in the same way. He is in no visible way of getting his bread.

Prisoner's Defence.

They are swearing my life away for the sake of the reward. There was a carpenter named Jack Hunt < no role > lay with me at that house. I asked him if I might put my clothes in his box. They are his tools. My father is a chairman, and I am a stick-maker: I used to work in Hedge-lane. My master has been dead two years. I had a little money left me, and I have not been at work since that.

Guilty of stealing the goods only . T .

See Crookhall evidence against Bush, No. 570, in Mr. Alderman Harley's Mayoralty.

(M.) He was a third time indicted for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Catharina Chrastor proceedingsvictim , widow , on the 5th of January , about the hour of two in the morning, and stealing four table spoons, value 14 s. a pair of gold wires, value 1 s. and a pair of pistols, value 5 s. the property of the said Catharina, in her dwelling-house . *

Crookhall deposed he, Colebeck, and the prisoner broke this house, which was in St. Ann's Westminster , and took the things mentioned; but there being no witness of credit to corraborate his testimony, the prisoner was acquitted .




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