671. JOHN WATSON proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 1421. This set is in the group(s): GarrowsClients . was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 26th of April last, one silver watch, value three pounds, and 2 s. 6 d. in monies numbered , the property of Thomas Hill proceedingsvictim .

THOMAS HILL < no role > sworn.

I am servant to Mr. Lorrington; on the 26th of April I was going along the Strand between twelve and one at noon, the prisoner came on the left hand side of me, and stooped on the ground saying young man I have picked up something, but I do not know what it is, I suppose it is of some value, and as nobody saw me pick it up besides yourself, you shall go shares with me and he asked me if I thought any body else saw him pick it up besides me, I told him I did not think any body else took notice at that time, and he said suppose you had picked it up yourself, you would have given me share of it, would not you, I said certainly I should; then we went into Charles-street, Long Acre, to a public house, the Red-lion I think it was, and we went into a private room, and called for some crank, and he pulled a purse out of his pocket to see what was in it, and there was a diamond ring in a little black box, and a bill and receipt at the other end.

Where is the bill and receipt? - The prisoner took it away, he then said he did not know how to give me my share of it, he had an uncle in town, and he believed he could get forty or fifty pounds of him, to give me my share of it.

Jury. Did he tell you where his uncle lived? - No, Sir, he did not, before he went out to go to his uncle there was another gentleman come in, and said he was a Wine Merchant in Bishopsgate-street, at No. 19, and he shewed the bill and receipt to him, and the ring; says he how came you by it, and the wine merchant wanted him to leave it in his hands, till he went to his uncle's; he returned in about ten minutes, and he said his aunt was gone into the country to lay-in, and his uncle was gone to see her, the prisoner said he was a gentleman's servant, and lived with a single gentleman, and he must go, and the wine and liquor merchant said, if you have a mind to leave it in my hands, it will be as safe as if it was in your own pocket, till it can be settled; but he was not willing to leave it in his hands, unless I would leave something in his hands along with it, and he asked me what money I had, if I could raise five, or ten, or fifteen pounds, I told him I had not it about me, but I believed I had a friend in town, that I could borrow that value of: but he was not willing I should go to borrow the money, for says he, he will want to know what it was for, and I should not chuse it, he said he thought it might be of some value, and there might be hand bills out about it, or be put into the papers that a lady had lost it; he asked me if I had a watch, I told him I had never a watch, then he asked me what money I had, I told him very trifling, the value of two or three shillings, so the wine merchant called me out of the room, and asked me to raise the value of four or five pounds, and says he if you can raise that, it will be as safe as if you had it in your own pocket, till the matter can be settled; I told him I could not raise it, so we went into the room again where the prisoner sat, and he said he must go directly, then the wine merchant said to me, if you have ever a watch give it to me, it will be safe till you can settle it, which will be between six and seven in the evening, when the prisoner said his uncle would be at home, and I left my watch and half a crown, I had but three shillings in my pocket, I gave my watch to the wine merchant, and we was to meet again, they gave me directions where to find them both.

What was the prisoner's address? - This is a direction he gave me

" William James < no role > at Mr. Anderson's, No. 9, Sand-bank," which he said was near Blackfriars bridge; but I could not find any such place or person; the wine merchant gave me his direction

" Robert Jones < no role > , No. 19, Bishops-gate, Wine and liquor merchant;" I went at five to No. 19, it was a linen-draper lived there, he knew nothing of Robert Jones < no role > , but he said a great many people had been there with the same directions; I met the prisoner below Charing-cross at the end of Downing-street; I was not clear it was him at first, I took the wall and run round him to see if it was him, there was another man with him, and I durst not attack him by myself, I called on an acquaintance just by and took him; I went up to him and pulled his coat, and said young man this is very pretty behaviour, where is my watch and money, says the prisoner, it is a sad thing young man, Jones has cheated me out of a good deal of money, and I believe I have lost a good place by it.

Court. So the wine merchant took away the ring and watch? - Yes.

Mr. Garrow Prisoner's Counsel. So you understand the law to be that as the prisoner had found it, he had the best title and you was intitled to part? - Yes.

You have never seen that ring since? - No.

You are no judge of diamonds I take it for granted? - No.

Then for any thing that you know, it might be worth the money that the receipt purported? - Yes.

Who went out of the room first? - They both went out before me.

Did not you stay and dine there? - No, I only staid while we drank our liquor.

Where did you dine that day? - At the Alphabet in Stanhope-street.

Did not the wine merchant dine with you? - I am very clear he did not, I should have been very glad to have seen him at dinner.

Then you did invite him? - No, Sir.

You looked on Mr. Jones to be a very honest and good sort of a man? - Yes.

And when he told you your watch and money would be safe, you believed him? - Yes.

It was upon the faith of that promise that you gave him your watch and money? - Yes.

He told you he was a housekeeper? - Yes.

Court. Would you have parted with your watch and money, unless you had thought they had been honest men? - No.

Mr. Garrow. The prisoner never had your watch or your money? - No, it was delivered into Jones's hands, they seemed to talk as perfect strangers to each other.

Mr. Justice Ashurst. Who began first conversing with Jones? - The prisoner, when Jones first came in the prisoner shewed him the bill and receipt, he says do you know any thing of this; no says he, how came you by it, he said he found it.

Mr. Garrow. I believe you considered this as a very valuable prize at the time? - Yes.

You was a little shy of the prisoner's going away with the ring? - Yes, as he had offered me a share of it, he proposed that himself, Jones mentioned to him that the young man would not like he should go away with the ring, I said as he had brought me there I should not.

Look at this paper, and tell me if that is your name and writing? - It is my name, it was drawn up that it was not to be parted with, without we were both present.

Who wrote that? - Jones wrote it.

(The paper read.)

" William James < no role > leaves with me a diamond ring, Thomas Hill leaves with me a silver watch No. 156, and half a crown, which is not to be parted with till both are together: Robert Jones < no role > ."

Mr. Garrow. You and the prisoner seem to have been two compleat flats, Jones took you both in, he was too sharp for you.

He was too sharp for me, I think I was a flat myself; he said he believed he had lost a good place by it.

Court. When you apprehended him did you ask him any thing about Sand Bank? - No, I did not ask him any thing about it, I told him I could not find him out.

Was there any such place as Sand Bank? - I cannot make it out in London.

Mr. Garrow. You are a stranger in London.

Court to Prosecutor. How came this man to be indicted by the name of Watson? - He said before Mr. Addington that his name was John Watson < no role > This name instance is in set 1421. This set is in the group(s): GarrowsClients . .

Court to Jury. The question is, whether upon all the circumstances of this case this was not a contrivance between the prisoner and this man, who called himself Jones, to get this watch and money into their possession for the purpose of stealing it.

Jury. What did he say when you told him you could not find him? - He said it was a very hard thing that he should be cheated out of a great deal of money.

Jury to Prisoner. Who have you to appear for your character? - I am but lately come to London.

NOT GUILTY .

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice HEATH.