556. (L.) MARK OLDBURY proceedingsdefend (a black) was indicted for stealing two hams, weighing 23 lb. value 10 s. and 49 lb. of bacon, value 18 s. the property of John Fox proceedingsvictim and Isaac Ismay proceedingsvictim , July 20th .

- Griffiths. I am servant to Mr. Fox and Mr. Ismay, who keep the Provision Warehouse in Salisbury Court . On the 20th of July, in the morning, about seven o'clock, I went to the warehouse; I found the door locked as usual; when I got in I found the writing desk chipped and cut as with a chissel or knife, and I missed twenty-five or twenty-six shillings that were left there the night before. I was amazed at first how any body could get into the warehouse, but recollected there was a hole in the floor where hay had used to be put down into a hay wrick for a horse: the buildings had been formerly in the possession of the prisoner's master; I had seen him the day before about the place, and suspected from his knowing the house it must be him that had got in; Snell and I met with him next morning; we laid hold of him, and charged him with the robbery, and he owned he took a side of bacon, two hams, the money out of the drawer of the desk and a great coat; he said he gave the bacon and hams to one Luke Leicester < no role > ; that he carried them to him to Wych-street, Drury-lane, and that Leicester carried part of it to his lodging at Hampstead.

Robert Snell < no role > . I am servant to Mr. Fox; I was at the warehouse with the last witness; he said he suspected the prisoner; I was at the taking the prisoner next morning on Black-Friars-bridge; he and another person were together in one of the arches; we took them to a publick house; there the prisoner confessed he took the side of bacon and the two hams, and carried them to a public house in Wych-street; I found thirty-six pounds and a half of bacon at one White's at a publick house in Wych-street; the constable found one of the hams at the One Bell in the Strand. I found the other ham and twelve pounds and a half of bacon in one Hopwood's yard at Hampstead; the prisoner confessed he gave both to Leicester, and I went to see after them by the direction of my master. Leicester is indicted for receiving them in Middlesex; (the hams produced); there is no particular mark by which I know them to be my master's.

Matthew Busby < no role > . I am a constable: I was present when the bacon was found at the publick house in Wych-street; Luke Leicester < no role > was there; when we had taken the bacon, he hesitated a little, and then said there was a ham at his lodgings, at the One Bell in the Strand; I went with him and fetched it.

John White < no role > . On the 20th of July, about a quarter after eleven o'clock, the prisoner brought some bacon to my house to sell: I keep the King of Prussia in Wych-street; my servants came backwards to me, and asked if I would suffer a flitch of bacon to be left in my house; I refused, but on the prisoner's coming to me, and mentioning Leicester's name, who is a coachman that uses my house, I agreed to let it be left; he said the coachman was to call for it the next day; the coachman and the prisoner came together; they cut the bacon in two and had some eggs dressed with some of it; they took part of it away with them, and the rest remained in my house.

Prisoner's Defence.

I never took any thing out of the gentleman's house.

Guilty . T .