193. (M.) JOSEPH FISHER proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing eighteen ounces of silk, value 18 s. and thirty-one ounces of mohair twist, val. 50 s. the property of Joseph Walker proceedingsvictim and William Walker proceedingsvictim , privately in their shop , Jan. 28 . ||

William Walker < no role > . I am a partner with my father Joseph Walker < no role > , we live at the corner of Craven-buildings, Drury-lane , and deal in twist and buttons ; the prisoner is a taylor ; I have seen him at our shop to buy goods several times within these six months. On the 30th of January I missed some twist, the whole number thirty-two ounces. I ordered one of the samples to be cut off the pattern book, and sent it round to the piece-brokers, to desire them to stop it if it should be offered to them. There had been none offered that night; I sent again next morning, and one Mr. Davis said some had been offered him in samples; that the man was to come again with the whole quantity, and then he would stop him; the 30th was Thursday. On the Tuesday following, one Mr. Teage told me a person had offered to sell him some silk; as we had sent to stop twist, he thought it might be mine. I went to his house, and the prisoner came in while I was there. He said he had been in search of the persons he bought it of, to shew that he came honestly by it, but could not find them. I asked him if he had ever sold any thing in Bedfordbury before; he said, no. I mentioned Mr. Davis's name; he said, no. I then desired him to walk with me to Mr. Davis's; he made no objection, but went with me; just before he came to the door, he said, he did recollect Mr. Davis, for he had bought a parcel of twist at the same time that he bought the silk, and had sold it to Mr. Davis. We went into Mr. Davis's shop, and Mrs. Davis said they had bought the twist two days before I sent; and that her husband bid her say she had not bought it; he was not at home. I sent for one of my servants to take care of the prisoner at Davis's, whilst I went to Sir John Fielding < no role > 's, to know what step to take. They advised me to bring him; Mr. Davis attended with the twist the next day before Sir John Fielding < no role > , and it corresponded exactly with my sample.

Thomas Davis < no role > , a piece-broker in Bedfordbury, deposed that he bought some twist of the prisoner, who used to buy things at his shop. (The twist produced, which the prosecutor compared with his sample, and swore it was his property.)

Davis deposed further, that he bought the silk before the prosecutor sent him a warning about it; and that he gave 31 s. 6 d. for it. The prosecutor said that it cost him 3 l. 1 s. 6 d.

The Court severely reprimanded Davis for his conduct in purchasing goods at half their value.

- Teage, who is a taylor and piece-broker in Bedfordbury, deposed that he offered some silk to him for sale; that suspecting it was stolen, he stopt it; that the prisoner went away to bring the person of whom he bought it; that then he went and informed Mr. Walker of the circumstance, who came to his shop, where he saw the prisoner.

The prisoner said in his defence, that he gave a man a guinea and half for the twist at a public house, but that he had not seen him since. He called two people, who gave him a good character, but could not tell where he worked.

Guilty of stealing, but not in the shop . B .