710. (L.) PETER MAY proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing two guineas the property of Thomas Watson proceedingsvictim , Sept. 27 . ++

Thomas Watson < no role > . I am clerk and shopman to a silversmith in St. Paul's Church Yard ; the 29th of September as I was telling over my private cash on the counter, the prisoner and a woman came into the shop; I swept up the money and put it in my pocket; they bought a pair of silver clasps for 3 s. they offered half a guinea for change not having silver; the prisoner said he was going further, and said he should see and get some silver then; he asked me to give him a queen Ann's guinea for another guinea; I looked in the cash drawer and found one, which I gave him; he objected to it and said it was not round enough; he said I beg your pardon, you put some money in your pocket, perhaps there may be one there; I took the money out, looked over it, but did not find one. The prisoner said, sir, I beg your pardon, you have overlooked a queen Ann's guinea at the bottom of your cash in your hand; I looked it over again, and suffered the prisoner to put his hand among my cash; he took out five guineas, looked over the rest, and found never a queen Ann's guinea among them; then he said he begged pardon for giving me so much trouble, and dropt a guinea into my hand again, in such a way as if he meant to conceal part of the money, by the found it appeared as if he dropt only a guinea; I saw more money in his hand, which he removed into his other hand, in which was a handkerchief; then upon my seizing him, he pushed the money into his waistcoat pocket; I got over the counter; the prisoner ran away; I pursued him, and called, stop thief! when he had run about fifteen yards, I stopt him, and I took four guineas out of his waistcoat pocket, and when I examined my cash account, I missed just four guineas.

- Shagg. I live at Mr. Nicoll's, in St. Paul's Church Yard; I heard the cry of, stop thief! I went out and saw Mr. Watson stop the prisoner; we took him back to the shop; Watson said this is the pocket he put the money in, and immediately took four guineas out of his waistcoat pocket; the prisoner said he did not know how they came into his pocket, and if they were the prosecutor's, he was welcome to them.

Prisoner's Defence.

I did not say so; the money was my own; my wife went out of the shop, and I was running to overtake her when they stopt me.

He called four witnesses who gave him a good character.

Guilty . T .