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

16th October 1728

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Currently Held: Harvard University Library

LL ref: t17281016-15




Peter Leves proceedingsdefend , Thomas Vaux proceedingsdefend , Stephen Burnet , alias Barnet, alias Barnham proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 3065. , and John Featherby proceedingsdefend , were indicted for assaulting John Clark proceedingsvictim , on the Highway, putting him in Fear, and taking from him a silver Watch, Value four Pounds, a Diamond Ring, three Pounds, eleven Shillings in Silver, and fourteen Guineas in Gold , on the 18th of August last, in the Parish of St. Brides, in the Yard of Farringdon without .

Mr. Clark depos'd, That on the 18th of August, between Twelve and One in the Morning, he took Coach in Cornhill, for the Inner-Temple, and near the great Toy-Shop, by St. Paul's, he saw 3 or 4 Persons dogging the Coach, and that he scarce lost Sight of them, till he came to the End of Water-Lane, when Barnham and Vaux bid the Coachman stand, at which he put his Head out of the Coach, and saw them very plainly, when immediately Levee and Featherby assaulted him in the Coach, and took from him a silver Watch, a Diamond Ring (which he has since found by the Direction of Levee) and eleven Shillings, Levee being the Person who took the Ring and Money, and Featherby all the while holding a Pistol at his Breast; that Levee saying he had still more Money, search'd further, and found his Pocket in which was fourteen Guineas and a half, which Pocket he violently tore off, with the Money in it, and likewise tore down his Breeches with the Pocket.

Sir William Billers < no role > depos'd, That Peter Levee < no role > confess'd this Robbery to him, that there were with him in the Robbery, Vaux, Barnham - and Featherby; in the same Confession he likewise told of several other Robberies committed by them, and others, and sign'd the confession with his own Hand, freely, without any Promises or Threathnings.

This Confession, together with the Confession of Stephen Barnham < no role > - , which was likewise to the same Effect, was read in Court, and sign'd with the Hand of Stephen Barnham < no role > .

Tho Wood < no role > depos'd, That he went to take Featherby, with one Kale, in Blew-Boar's-Head-Alley, Barbican, and they each snapp'd a Pistol at him, but neither of them would go off.

Mary Vaux < no role > depos'd, after desiring she might not be oblig'd to say any Thing against her Husband (which indeed is not allow'd off by Law ) that she saw Barnham stop the Coach, over-against Water-Lane, when Levee got into the Coach, and rifled the Prosecutor.

The Fact appearing plain, the Jury found them all four Guilty . Death .

Their Behaviour at the Bar was surprising, none of them seeming to have the least Regret, but on the contrary, they all four laugh'd, and with the utmost Contempt despised the Witnesses who swore against them; and that tho they could say nothing in their own Vindication, they stood at the Bar careless, negligent and confident.




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