192. (M.) THOMAS CROFTS proceedingsdefend was indicted, for that he on the king's highway, on Samuel Gates proceedingsvictim did make an assault, putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life, and stealing from his person 14 s. in money numbered , Jan. 25 . ||

Samuel Gates < no role > . I had been up to Middlerow, Holborn, on the 25th of last month. Coming back about three o'clock, I went into the Horse-shoe, a public house in Holborn. I saw there the prisoner, the accomplice, and another who is not taken, they were drinking together; while I was drinking my beer, they asked me where I was going; I said, to Leaden-hall. They asked me to drink with them. They said they were going that way, and asked me if we should have a coach among us. I said, I did not mind it much. One went into Smithfield and ordered a coach, and instead of going to Leaden-hall, they carried me up Long-lane and into Goswell-street, and from thence to the Duke's-head at Islington. I said we were going wrong; they said, No, it all came into one road. Then they brought me back to the old Sun-dial just by Swan-alley; there we went in and had a pot of beer, which I paid for; it was then between six and seven o'clock. The woman of the house would have had me lay there that night. They said, I came in with them, and should go with them; when we came to that house they sent the coach away.

Q. Who paid for the coach?

Gates. It cost me a pot of beer and six-pence. After we had drank a pot of beer, we came out of that house; as soon as I got out of the door they said, this is your way, pointing down the Rope-walk, Swan-alley , and then Shilcock the accomplice, pushed me down against the wall, and then he took my purse and my money, the other two held me. As soon as they had got my purse, they ran away down Swan-alley; I got up and pursued them.

Q. Did you call out when they robbed you?

Gates. I durst not; I was afraid of my life.

Q. What had you in your purse?

Gates. Fourteen shillings within a few half-pence; I had counted it about two or three hours before.

Q. Are you sure the prisoner was one of them?

Gates. Yes.

Gates. Was you sober?

Gates. I had drank a little, but I was sober.

Court. Consider, this is a heavy charge you bring against these people; are you very certain the prisoner is one of them?

Gates. Yes.

Q. What place is this rope-walk? is it a thoroughfare?

Gates. Yes. I ran after them, and called out, Stop thief! but they got out of my sight presently. I met only a man and a woman there.

Q. You was sober enough to run?

Gates. Yes; and I had a hand-basket upon my arm, that I had carried some sowls in from my master.

Q. Why did the woman want you to lay at the alehouse?

Gates. She would have me lie there, because she thought I was in bad company, as I was a countryman.

Q. Where do you live?

Gates. In Essex.

Q. Are you not pretty well acquainted with London streets?

Gates. I have been at Leadenhall-market, but I am not much acquainted with London.

Q. Had you pulled your purse out while you was in their company?

Gates. Yes, I had, to pay my reckoning.

Jonathan Shilcock. The prisoner, his brother John and I were drinking at the Horse-shoe and Chequer on Snow-hill, we had two pints of beer before the prosecutor came in; he called for a pint of beer, and asked me to drink. He said, he liked a good hearty fellow; that he had got 8 s. in his pocket, and if we had a mind to go and have a frolick, he would spend it upon us. He told me he had a cart in Whitechapel or Leadenhall-market; I said, he had best go through Smithfield. He was in liquor, and did not care to walk, so we went all together to Smithfield; there we took a coach. We ordered the coachman to stop at the Black Horse in Long-lane, and I think we had a pot of beer. There was one George Sweatman < no role > there, an acquaintance of the prisoner's and mine. I lodge at the prisoner's mother's, and have known him these four years. I never saw Gates before. We took this Sweatman into the coach, and the prisoner's brother got upon the box. We ordered the coachman to drive up Goswell street to Islington. We went to the Turk's head (I believe it is) The prosecutor paid 6 d. and the prisoner or the other man, paid the other 6 d. for the coach. We discharged the coach there, and the coachman went into the rank. We staid there half an hour, and had a pot of beer and half a pint of gin. Then we called the same coach out of the rank again. We stopped at the Pyed Bull coming down Islington; there we had half a pint of aniseed, which the prisoner and his brother paid for between them. From thence we went to the Gun in Goswell-street, where we had a pint of aniseed. Then we went to Swan-alley, where we discharged the coach. We all four went into a public house at the corner, I don't know the sign; we had a pot of beer, which the prosecutor paid for. We staid there about a quarter of an hour; the prosecutor was not willing to go out of the house; we told him it was a house where they enlisted people for the East-India service, and he would be trepanned; he was so fuddled he could hardly stand. We all four went out together; the prosecutor wanted to go into Bishopsgate-street or Whitechapel; we told him it would be as near to go down the Rope-walk. When we had got about two or three yards down the Rope-walk, he was not willing to pay his reckoning.

Q. You said he paid for the pot of beer and other things?

Shilcock. He did not pay his share; we had liquor at other houses which he did not pay towards; we all got about him and held him, I can't say which held him; there was the prisoner, his brother, Sweatman, and myself.

Q. Was he pushed down?

Shilcock. No; he was pushed up against the wall; there was a hole in the bottom of his purse, and a shilling or so might drop out; there was 9 s. 6 d. I believe, and a bad shilling in the purse; they held him while I took the purse out of his pocket.

Q. Did you see his money at any time before this?

Shilcock. Yes, I saw him pull his purse out at the Duke's Head at Islington. When I took his purse, I told the other three to come to me at the Magpie, Clerkenwell, to share the money.

Q. Did Gates pursue you?

Shilcock. I saw no more of him till I was taken the next morning, near Hicks's-hall; I surrendered myself to the watchman. We shared the money among us at the Magpie, Clerkenwell-green.

Francis Plato < no role > . I am a watchman in St. John's-street. As I was upon my beat, about half after eleven o'clock, I heard that John and Thomas Crofts < no role > had committed a robbery. I have known them both from children. The person that informed me of it had been drinking at the old Sun-dial. They desired me to make a strict search, they being old offenders. I went into a public house; there I saw Thomas Crofts < no role > , his brother John and Shilcock. I went in with an excuse to have a dram. When I came out they followed me; John Crofts < no role > and Shilcock went into a house where Croft's mother lives. The prisoner dropt something in the street; I was near him with my lanthorn. He said, D - n you, shew me a light. I did, and he picked up what he had dropt; then I seized him and took him to the watch-house. In about half an hour the man that was robbed came down, and said they were the persons that robbed him.

Q. Was the prosecutor sober?

Plato. Yes, very sober. We watched at the house in the morning, and John Crofts < no role > and the accomplice came out of the house; we pursued them; we took the accomplice, the other got off.

Prisoner's Defence.

I don't know what I did; I was quite in liquor; it cost me four or five shillings that day. I could have had some friends here if I had expected my trial to come on.

Q. to Plato. How was the prisoner as to sobriety?

Plato. Not in liquor.

Q. How was the prisoner when you took him?

Plato. He was sober.

Q. Was any thing found upon him?

Plato. He was searched, as I am informed, but nothing was found upon him.

Guilty . Death .