180, 181. (M.) Isaac Usher proceedingsdefend , and Richard Hitchins proceedingsdefend , were indicted for stealing (in company with Nathaniel Lee < no role > , not taken) 79 hats, value 39 l. three gold-laced hats, value 38 s. two linen bags, value one halfpenny; one leather pocketcase, value one penny; three ounces of gold lace, value 10 s. one pair of gloves, value 10 s. fourteen guineas; one 27 s. piece; and eighteen shillings in money, numbered; the property of Richard More proceedingsvictim , privately in the shop of the said Richard , November 17, 1763 . *

Richard More < no role > . I now live in Great Eastcheap: I did keep a shop in Lombard-street, under St. Edmund's church , till the 24th of December, 1762. On the 16th of November, 1763, I left the shop safe, about a quarter after 8 at night. My business was a hatter and glover . I secured it safe with a spring lock, and a padlock on the outside. The next morning, according to usual custom, the person that went on my errands, sent a little boy to inform me my shop door was open. I went there, and found the hasp belonging to the padlock broke in three pieces; the lock of the door I could not find was at all damaged; I imagined it was opened with a picklock.

Q. Where did you then live?

More. I then lived in Great Eastcheap. I found my till turned upside-down upon the counter. I miss'd a little bag, and 14 or 16 guineas and a moidore, which I had had in my hand about the middle of the day before; I also miss'd another bag, containing about 18 or 20 s. a little pocket-case, and a paper bag, containing some remnants of gold lace; I also miss'd 79 hats, or more, and three gold-laced one's, and four or five dozen of gloves. I never saw the two prisoners to my knowledge till last Monday was fortnight, when Sir John Fielding < no role > sent for me: The prisoners were then at his bar: There William Steers < no role > said, he bought eighty hats at 8 in the morning, on the 17th of November, 1762, of Hitchins, and one Watson. Steers said, he was a weaver, and lived in White-lion yard, Spital-fields: This he said to the prisoners faces; and that he paid the money at two payments, 15 l. at each time. The prisoners both denied it before Sir John, and said they knew nothing of Steers. Steers produced three hats there, to see if I knew them: (produced in court, one gold-lace the other two plain) These are the same. I told Sir John I < no role > believed the goldlaced one was mine, one that I lost that night. I ripped-open the linings of the two plain ones, and found the marks, made with tobacco-pipe clay, was rubbed out. but there was the maker's name, what we call a burnt in mark. (He shows the letters J. O. on the inside of one of them.) The maker's name is Beesley; he has made many hats, with the same mark, for me.

John Beesley < no role > . This plain hat, with I. O. in it, is one of my make, and of the same sort I sold to the prosecutor.

Q. Have you sold all you made with that mark to the prosecutor?

Beesley. No, I sell to many people with the same mark.

William Steers < no role > . I am a weaver, and live in White-lion yard, Norton-falgate Some time in November, I believe the 17th, 1762, Hitchins came to me, about 8 in the morning: I was in bed: He told me he had a quantity of hats to sell. I went with him to his house, which formerly had been a house of mine. He shewed me the hats in a chest in a back room: There were fourscore or more of them. He asked me 40 l. for them; we agreed for 30 l. I told him I would meet him the same evening, at the King's head, in Leaden-hall-street, where he said Watson, Lee, and Askur, would be. I went there; they were all together. I paid him 15 l. I gave it into Watson's hands. They said I was very honourable in paying it so soon: That money, to the best of my knowledge, was shared between them. In two or three days after I paid the other 15 l. they were all together then. These three hats here produced, are part of the hats I bought of Hitchins at that time.

Prosecutor. I told Sir John Fielding < no role > , if he would let the gold lace be stripped off, he would see the hat had been cut less, and it would appear white on the edge; which it did. That hat I had lately done up, and pared the edge before the lace was set on.

Usher's Defence.

I know nothing of Steers; I never had any dealings with him.

Hitchins's Defence.

I know nothing of Steers, only that I rented a house of him: I know him to be a Spital-fields weaver; I have bought a silk handkerchief of him for my wife.

Usher called nine people, and Hitchins two, to their characters; who said, they paid them honestly.

Usher Acquitted .

Hitchins guilty of stealing, but not privately in the shop .

See Steers tried, No. 19, in last mayoralty.

182. Richard Hitchins was a second time indicted for stealing, in company with Thomas Collins < no role > , not taken, a pocket-book, value 12 d. and seven bills of exchange, value 229 l. 19 s. the property of Benjamin Wright proceedingsvictim , privately from his person , December 9 . +

Benjamin Wright < no role > . I keep an Oil-shop in Grace-church-street. On the 9th of December last, I had occasion to go to the Bank to meet a gentleman, with whom I had left seven bills of exchange, to the amount of 229 l. 19 s. This was a quarter after one o'clock: He was to get my bills discounted by another gentleman. He said the gentleman was in a great hurry, and could not give him an answer. He delivered me my bills again; I put them into my pocket-book, and into my left-side coat-pocket. I thought I saw a man like Parsons, the evidence, a little way from me, at the time I put them into my pocket. I came out, and went into Threadneedle-street, and saw a man standing at the print-shop, at the corner of the change, by castle-alley, and another man went up to him; they joined company, and went into Castle-alley together. When I entered the alley, these two men were going about three yards before me; when I came to the bottom of the alley they made a stop by the pitching-block; I turned up on the south side the 'Change, and crossed over to 'Change alley. Just as I was entering 'Change-alley , Parsons brushed in before me along with another: then I began to take notice of him: when we were all together in the alley among the brokers, I found myself shoved there: We past the brokers, and I went up towards Garraway's coffee-house. I got by Parsons. They gave a run by me at Garraway's, and continued before me to Lombard-street. They made a stop at the bottom of 'Change-alley, in Lombard-street, and I past them. I was going to my house in Gracechurch-street. When I got a little way from 'Change-alley, Parsons and the other man were behind me; then Parsons gave a run by me again, and came into the road before me, and went a little farther, and stopt at a post, and set out his backside; I brushed briskly by him, and took notice of him, and thought it very strange a man should stand in that posture. I looked back to see what posture I left him in, and walked forwards, about twenty or thirty yards; then he brushed by me again as before. I gave a look at him; he passed by me again, and about twenty yards he set himself over a post as before; I then gave two shoves before I could get by him; the other man was close behind me at the time. I was a good deal provoked in my mind to think he should stand so twice. He looked down the street, as if he wanted somebody. I passed on, and thought he should not have an opportunity to get by me again. When I got pretty near the end of Lombard-street, there were three or four coaches standing one behind another: Just before I came to the first coach, Parsons brushed by me a third time, in the same manner: The coach stood close to the post, and he placed himself over a post close to the coach: I gave three shoves, and had a great deal of difficulty to get by him. I felt somebody behind me; then, before I had past ten yards, I miss'd my book with the bills in it. I was in a prodigious agitation of mind. I recollected it must be them that had got it.

Q. Where had you felt it last in your pocket?

Wright. I had felt it in 'Change-alley. Then I went to the Bank, and told the case; and if they suspected any body, to send for me. On the 14th of December, they suspected a man there, and sent for me; I took him to the mansion-house, before Mr. Alderman Cokayne: He could give no great account of himself. While we were there, Parsons came to see what was the matter; he opened the door, and put his head in; I suppose he saw me: He shut the door, finding he was likely to be discovered: He ran down the stairs as fast as he could: then I and another pursued him: He ran under the Piazzas: As soon as they brought him out, I knew him: I then told Mr. Cokayne, the prisoner was the man that behaved so and so before me. He was committed; after that he got bail, but did not appear last sessions: He was after that taken up by justice Fielding's men. The justice sent for me there: Parsons told me what he had denied before. He said he was in company with Thomas Collins < no role > , and Richard Hitchins < no role > ; and that Hitchins was the man that took my book out of my pocket while he stood before me; and that they went down Clement's-lane, and into Cannon-street with it.

Q. Did you ever get your bills again?

Wright. Yes, a neighbour of mine brought the book to me, and all the bills in it: He said his servant was at work in the cellar, and the book came tumbling down the window. The bills are all now paid. (The book produced.) Parsons is now here to give evidence against the prisoner.

Q. Have you any witness of credit that can confirm the account he can give?

Wright. No, I have no other witness.

Q. Can you yourself say any thing to the prisoner?

Wright. I cannot.

The court did not think it proper to examine Parsons.

Acquitted .

See him tried before, No. 279, in Mr. Alderman Blakiston's mayoralty, and cast for transportation.

See Parsons tried, No. 291, in last mayoralty, for a crime of the same nature.

[Transportation. See summary.]