524. (L.) WILLIAM ISDELL proceedingsdefend was indicted for ripping, cutting, and stealing 30 lb. wt. of lead, value 3 s. the property of Hosea Olney proceedingsvictim . the said lead being affixed to his dwelling house , May 25th . +

Hosea Olney < no role > . I live in great Carter-lane, Doctors Commons ; I lost a piece of lead off my house; two watchmen who saw the prisoner on my house will give an account of it.

- Wood. I am a watchman; on the 25th of May, about half after two in the morning, two of my brother watchmen informed me they had discovered a man on the top of Mr. Olney's house, and directed me to a house they saw him go in; I went into the house and in an empty room I found the prisoner lying on his back, and the lead and a chissel under him, wrapped up in an old shirt; I called to the other watchmen and gave them charge of him.

- Cleaver. I am a watchman; on the 25th of May between two and three in the morning, just by Mr. Olney's house, I heard a tile rattle; I told another watchman of it; we stopped a little and heard something rip; then we crossed the way and saw the prisoner on Mr. Olney's house with this lead (producing it) under his arm; we watched him over four or five houses and saw him get in at a garret window; then we alarmed the house; Wood went into the house and took him; he was taken to the Compter and afterwards to Guildhall.

Q. Are you sure the prisoner is the man you saw on the house?

Cleaver. Yes; it was light enough to distinguish a man.

Richard Jones < no role > , another watchman, confirmed the evidence of the last witness.

John Furman < no role > , a plumber, deposed, that he examined Mr. Olney's house and measured the lead, that it fitted exactly.

- Cooke. I am beadle of the parish; I have had the lead in my custody ever since.

- Blower, another watchman, deposed, that being informed the prisoner was gone into the house, he knocked at the door, that they refused to open it, but being an officer he told them if they did not open the door he would break it open; that then they opened the door and he went in with Wood, and saw the prisoner lying on the lead.

Prisoner's Defence.

I was out late at night; I called at one Hercules's, a shoe-maker; it was too late to go home; he said I might lie in the one pair of stairs of room; at two o'clock there was a noise, and the watchmen came into the house and laid hold of the shoe-maker and me; I am as innocent as the child unborn; I found this lead in the shoe-maker's house.

Guilty . T .