753. JOSEPH WILLIAMS proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 1534. This set is in the group(s): GarrowsClients . was indicted for feloniously assaulting John Pickett proceedingsvictim on the King's highway, on the 30th day of June last, and putting him in fear and danger of his life, and feloniously taking from his person and against his will, seven copper halfpence, and one shilling in money, the goods and money of the said John .

The witnesses examined apart at the request of Mr. Garrow, Prisoner's Counsel.

JOHN PICKETT < no role > sworn.

I am a journeyman carpenter , I was robbed on the 30th of June going home from a public-house in Shadwell-market , to my lodging, not far distant, after we had left off work; it was about ten minutes before twelve, as we were going along, we met two men, Wilkins was with me, I passed them, and had not gone far before one man stopped me and caught hold of me by my collar; clapped and a pistol to my breast and demanded my money, I put my hand in my pocket and gave him one shilling and three-pence halfpenny, then he told me to go along about my business, then I turned back and said let me have my partner, and when I turned round there were two men with him, and one man that was with me struck him on the arm with a hanger in a sheath, and Wilkins knocked the other down; no more passed he came away and they went away, they did not rob him of any thing.

Court. Could you see the men so as to know them again? - Yes, I know the man that robbed me, the other I do not.

Who is the man that robbed you? - That man at the bar.

What sort of a light was it? - A moon shine.

How long were they with you? - They might be with me about four minutes.

Had you a full view of his face? - Yes.

Can you take upon yourself safely to swear to him? - Yes.

Was not you frightened? - I was rather frightened.

How was he dressed? - In a whitish great coat, a shag waistcoat, and a round hat.

When did you see him next? - The day after; I knew him before about four months, he keeps a green-stall, and carts and horses.

Did he know you? - I do not know indeed, I only knew him by sight, I was not acquainted with him; I saw him the Thursday evening after at the White Lion, the corner of Shadwell market.

When you saw him there did you take notice of him? - Yes.

What did you do then? - I said this is the man that robbed me; he said he was in the country at the time.

Did he say whereabouts? - At the Eagle and Child.

Do you take upon yourself positively to swear to that man? - Yes.

You consider it is a very serious business? - That is the man and nobody else.

Had you been drinking at all that night? - No, we had but two pots of beer between three.

Was you the worse for liquor? - No.

Mr. Garrow. What time do you leave work at this time of year? - Seven is our usual hour, but we worked till nine that night.

So you had been drinking till twelve? - No, we did not go there directly, we went at ten.

You had been at it two hours? - Yes.

You knew the prisoner very well? - Yes, I said nothing to him, I did not take notice who it was till the man came up, then I knew him; I did not mention his name.

He lives very near? - Yes.

You found him the next day in his business? - Yes.

He robbed without any disguise at all? - None at all.

His hat was a round one, flapped over his face? - Yes.

The remainder of this Trial in the next Part, which will be published in a few days.

THE WHOLE PROCEEDINGS ON THE KING's Commission of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and Gaol Delivery for the CITY of LONDON; AND ALSO The Gaol Delivery for the County of Middlesex; HELD AT JUSTICE HALL in the OLD BAILEY, On Wednesday the 7th of JULY, 1784, and the following Days;

Being the SIXTH SESSION in the Mayoralty of The Right Hon. ROBERT PECKHAM < no role > , Esq; LORD MAYOR < no role > OF THE CITY OF LONDON.

TAKEN IN SHORT HAND BY E. HODGSON, PROFESSOR or SHORT-HAND; And Published by Authority.

NUMBER VI. PART VII.

LONDON:

Printed for E. HODGSON (the Proprietor) And Sold by J. WALMSLAY, No. 35, Chancery Lane, and S. BLADON, No. 13, Pater-noster Row.

MDCCLXXXIV.

[PRICE SIX-PENCE.]

THE WHOLE PROCEEDINGS UPON THE

KING's Commission of the Peace, Oyer and Terminer, and Gaol Delivery for the CITY of LONDON, &c.

Continuation of the Trial of John Williams < no role > .

If you was a good deal frightened, as you have told us, do you think that you could venture to swear that that man is the man that robbed you, knowing that his life is at stake? - I am very cautious he is the person and no other.

He said he was at the Eagle and Child? - Yes.

Do you know the other man at all? - I do not know either of the others.

Court. How do you know it wanted precisely ten minutes to twelve? - About a minute after I was robbed I met the runner, and I told him, and he said let us look at the time, and he pulled out his watch and said it wanted ten minutes of twelve.

Mr. Garrow. Did you tell him who you was robbed by? - I told him by Williams; the officer went to the watch-house to call some other men.

JOHN WILKINS < no role > sworn.

Last Wednesday night, a little before twelve, I was going home to my lodgings with the last witness, he was before me a few yards, I saw somebody stop him, and a man came and hit me over the left arm with something in a scabbard; I thought I would give him my money, and another man came up, then I thought I would not give him the money, and I knocked him down, and my hat fell off, and the man that I supposed robbed Pickett, he put my hat on my head.

Court. Then there were three? - There were two with me, and the one that was with him came and put my hat on.

For what purpose did he do that? - I suppose he was afraid I should take him, as I had knocked the other down.

Do you know either of them? - I think the prisoner is the man that put my hat on, but I cannot swear positively to him.

How comes that, was it light enough to see him? - Yes, but I never saw any of them before, and therefore I cannot swear to them.

Mr. Garrow. What may you be? - A Carpenter by trade, we work together.

How long have you been a carpenter? - I have been eleven years out of my time.

Was you ever on ship-board? - Yes.

Was not you a witness last sessions? - I never was in this place before.

Court. These are the civilest highwaymen I ever met with, the one is knocked down, and the other comes and puts the witness's hat on.

They came and met you did they? - The prisoner met me.

Mr. Garrow. My Lord, I shall prove the prisoner twenty miles from town.

Court. You say it was so dark you could not see them? - I could not know them well enough to swear to them.

How long were they with you? - I dare say they were half a minute.

Court. You see Gentlemen, the other witness said four minutes, this man says he could not see them to know them, and the other could.

Court. Which way were they coming? - They met me as I was going towards my home, they certainly must be coming the other way.

Jury to Prosecutor. Be kind enough to be very accurate and certain, which way were you going and which way were they going when you joined together.

Mr. Garrow. My Lord, now he has been in Court and heard the other man's evidence!

Court. He gave his evidence very positive at first.

NOT GUILTY .

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