Old Bailey Proceedings:
Old Bailey Proceedings: Accounts of Criminal Trials

19th October 1774

About this dataset

Currently Held: Harvard University Library

LL ref: t17741019-50




735, 736, 737, 738. (M.) JOHN RANN proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 1255. , WILLIAM COLLIER proceedingsdefend , ELEANOR ROACHE proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 3372. , and CHRISTIAN STEWART proceedingsdefend , were indicted; the two first for that they in the king's highway, in and upon the Reverend William Bell proceedingsvictim , doctor in divinity , did make an assault, putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life, and stealing from his person a watch with the inside case made of silver, and the outside case of tortoiseshell, value 3 l. a stone seal set in gold, value 5 s. a gilt key, value 6 d. and eighteen pence in money, numbered, the property of the said William , Sept. 26th . And the other two for receiving the above goods well knowing them to have been stolen . *

Dr. William Bell < no role > . In my way home to Gunnersbury, on the 26th of September, at rather more than a quarter past three o'clock, I came through a part of the town of Ealing , that part that is next Brentford; when I was a little way in the town, my attention was attracted by two men on horse-back, who were before me; they rode one immediately behind the other; they walked their horses. Something appearing singular about the head of the first man. I took my glass out of my pocket to see what it was; I found it was the flap of his hat let down all round, probably without strings, and a red handkerchief upon it; they walked their horses; I trotted, and by that means came up to them before they had quitted the houses at the end of the town, and their dress and appearance being something singular, attracted my notice to see what they were; the thought of their being highwaymen never entered my head, but that my pace might not be hindered by them, I passed them close by the hedge, and then I put my horse into the track immediately before the foremost man; as I passed them I took particular notice, though as I said before I had no thoughts of a highwayman, that the hindermost man was clothed in a lightish coat, a hat flapped round, a great deal of black hair hanging loosely about his head, and his horse was something of a kind of brown, though I took no particular notice. The first man I observed to be in a frock mourning coat, buttoned; I likewise observed, as I passed by him, that his horse was black and very low in flesh; it struck me that his boot was shorter than boots commonly are, and there appeared over it something of a light coloured stocking; I took notice likewise that his boots were very dirty, and his hair was loose about his head, but not in so large a quantity as the man I first came up to; the man that I first came up to I observed to be of a very sallow countenance and of a sickly look +; the other was not sallow or sickly; they each kept their heads steadily forwards, but both looked at me, my way lay perhaps about a quarter of a mile straight forwards; I went that quarter of a mile, and then turned, as my way led me off to the left, in the road that leads to Gunnersbury; I soon heard the sound of, I thought, two horses in the road, and thought I heard the sound of wheels, and from a curiosity I cannot account for, I turned about to see what carriage might be coming behind; I looked, and could see neither horses nor carriages, nor at that time could hear any thing; therefore I concluded they were at that time down in that part of the road which forms a hollow, and which going low, it was impossible for me to see; I turned forward again, and rode off; in a little time, on a sudden, I heard two horses coming up briskly after me; I heard there were no carriages; I had nothing to get out of the way of, and having no apprehension I did not turn my head to get out of the way, but when I found by the sound of the horses feet, that they were just coming a-breast of me, turning my head to the left to see who might be passing me, upon that instant a black horse's head and neck came up directly to my bridle, and turning to see who might ride upon me in that manner, having then no thoughts of a highwayman, when I immediately perceived the man I passed first at Ealing Town; he at that instant said either so sir, or stop sir; as soon as he had said this, and partly by his riding upon me, and my checking my horse, I was stopped; he immediately said your money; I said, my money? he immediately answered yes, or I will blow your brains out; he upon that instant put his hand into the sore part of his coat, as if he would open his coat, in order to take out a pistol, but did not open his coat, nor take out any pistol; upon his saying that, I believe I answered I will give it you; I drew my glove off my right hand, knowing my silver was always in my right hand pocket, and I had no purse in the other; taking up the flap of my coat, he saw the key of my watch, and said, and your watch too, sir, in a minute, and take no notice (as I was at that time looking him in the face); I put my hand into my pocket; I had only eighteen pence there; I held it to him in the palm of my hand; he took it up; I held my watch in my hand; he took it greedily and bid me ride on; I did, and they galloped off instantly. My lord, I omitted one circumstance, that all the business was transacted with the man who set himself before me; but I was sensible that in half a minute after he was up with me, there came another horse close on my right hand, but kept behind me, and staid there during the time I was robbed, and then they rode off together.

+ Note, Collier answered that description.

Q. Do you believe the prisoners to be the men?

Bell. I was robbed on Monday; I was called to see these prisoners in Bow-street, on Wednesday; having been robbed in open day light, and they having no disguise upon their faces, I was in hopes before I saw them that the first sight of them would sufficiently convince me whether they were the men or not; therefore when I was at the upper end of the Court, and they came into the lower part, I kept my eyes off them, that I might not see them till I was ordered to go into the Court to look at them; at the very first view of them, I could not have sworn to them, there was so much difference, though at the same time so much likeness, that I could not positively swear to them; I took a considerable time to look at them; after having done that I went into the yard to relieve them and myself, and came back to look at them again, and I do declare upon my oath, though at first sight I could not undertake to swear to them, yet I did in the progress of my survey see such looks and marks that I do declare that I firmly believe that John Rann < no role > This name instance is in set 1255. is the identical man that robbed me, and I do believe that if I had had the same conviction upon the very first sight of them, as I had after I had attentively surveyed them, that I should at first sight have positively swore to them, and I do also believe that William Collier is the other man that I saw pass riding with John Rann < no role > This name instance is in set 1255. . My attention was wholly taken up with the man that actually robbed me, and I neither saw the other man, nor horse, though I am confident there was a horse there close up to me.

Q. Which of the men did you see at the time of the robbery?

Bell. John Rann < no role > This name instance is in set 1255. .

Q. You saw him after that at Sir John Fielding < no role > 's?

Bell. Yes.

Q. Was your opinion confirmed or staggered by that?

Bell. Confirmed.

Q. Upon the result of the survey and deliberation, are you of opinion or not of opinion John Rann < no role > This name instance is in set 1255. is the man that robbed you?

Bell. Clearly of opinion.

Q. Is your opinion equally clear with regard to Collier being with that other man at the end of Ealing Town, or less clear?

Bell. I would hardly from the nature of things say it can be so equally clear, but the remarkableness of the person of William Collier < no role > is so very great, that I think myself very clear.

John Cordy < no role > . I am a pawnbroker in Berwick-street. On the 26th of September, the day Mr. Bell was robbed, the two women prisoners, Roache and Stewart, came to my house, and offered a watch to pawn; I was not in the shop; my lad came for me; I went; I asked them if it was their watch; they said a gentleman left it with them; this was between eight and nine o'clock; I asked them who the man was, and said the man must come or I cannot lend you money upon it; why, said Roache, it is a very singular circumstance that you should object to this, you took a watch of me at such a time; I said I knew I did, but that was no rule she should be entitled to bring more; she said it was a very singular circumstance, and why should I stop it? I said I must till the man comes. I knew well where they both lived, so I made as light of it as I could, and said they must bring the man: the short one, Stewart, said, well, it is a matter of indifference, we can bring the man to-morrow; I said if so it will do; I let them go; I went directly up to Sir John Fielding < no role > 's; I got two of his men; we went down to their house, and took the two women; I left my two servants with one of the constables to wait for the two men, and on ransacking the house, the constable and I found two pair of boots quite wet and dirty; I took the watch to the watchmaker; he told me it was Mr. Bell's; I found the women at their lodgings; I was at Sir John Fielding < no role > 's when the two men prisoners were brought there by the constable; this is the watch (producing it.)

Dr. Bell. The watch seal and chain are mine.

William Hill. I am a postilion to her Royal Highness the Princess Amelia; I saw Rann go through Acton the same day, the 26th of September; it was about ten minutes after three.

Q. How far is Acton from Ealing?

Hill. About a mile; there was another young man with Rann at that time.

Q. Was that the other prisoner?

Hill. I cannot tell, I did not take much notice of him; I am sure as to Rann.

Q. Did you know Rann before?

Hill. Yes; they were going towards Ealing.

Q. What coloured clothes had they on?

Hill. I did not take particular notice of their clothes: I know Rann by sight very well.

Q. Did you take notice whether they were clean or dirty?

Hill. Dirty; their boots were very dirty; one of their boots was rather shorter than the other.

Blanchville Clarke. I am a constable belonging to Sir John Fielding < no role > ; upon Mr. Cordy, the pawnbroker, coming to the office, Mr. Halliburton and I went up to Miss Roache's lodgings; Mr. Cordy shewed us the lodgings; on searching in her apartments, in the left hand closet, I found two pair of boots, quite wet and dirty, as if they had been wore that day.

Q. What time in the evening was this?

Clarke. It was after ten o'clock; I cannot be particular to the time; I took Miss Roache and Christian Stewart < no role > , and brought them down to Bow street; I went back and took Peter Senhouse < no role > with me; I was then informed that the two prisoners had come in, and Halliburton had taken them into custody; when I went back to Bow-street I found them there.

William Halliburton < no role > This name instance is in set 1083. This set is in the group(s): BowStreetOfficers . . I went to Roache's lodgings with Mr. Cordy and Mr. Clarke; when we came there we found these two girls, and these boots; Mr. Cordy and Mr. Clarke, and the two women went away together to Bow-street; I with Mr. Cordy's two young men staid behind; about a quarter after ten o'clock, or it might be more, I heard a knock at the door; I went and opened it; the first person that came in was Rann, who I knew perfectly before; I desired him to walk in and was going to shut the door; I found a person against the door; I let it open again, and then came in Collier; I got them into the parlour and made them fast, and carried them to Bow street; I believe they did not speak a word till I tied their hands; then Rann spoke out, what have I done now, and got in his old way of swearing.

Hannah Craggs < no role > . I live in Berners-street: Roache and Stewart lodged in the same house. On the morning of the day they were taken in the evening, I let in Collier between ten and eleven o'clock; he came to Miss Roache; between eleven and twelve two horses came up to the door; I saw Rann (I did not know his name then) go into the necessary house in the morning; I imagine he was there all night, but he was not to my knowledge; there were two horses walked about the door some time; soon after somebody opened the parlour door and paid for the horses.

Q. What colour were the horses?

Craggs. They were so low in flesh I could hardly tell; one seemed of a blackish colour, the other rather brown; somebody opened the door and paid them for the horses; then I heard the door open, and Rann and another man went away after the horses; it must be the two prisoners; I do not suppose there were any others in the house; I saw the same men again in the evening when Sir John Fielding < no role > 's men took them; I did not see them before, nor did I know who they were till then: I am sure to Collier; Rann was dressed in reddish coloured clothes.

Q. from Rann. Why you say I was in the house in the morning?

Craggs. I saw him go into the yard; there was a woman with him; she said who he was; I had heard great talk of him but did not know who he was.

Rann's Defence.

I knows no more of it than a child does unborn, nor I never seed Mr. Bell before he came to Sir John's, which Mr. Bell must be certain of, for to think for me, for to come to him in the middle of the day, for to rob him, which I was never guilty of; I know no more of the affair what these gentlemen, that belongs to Sir John, that wants to do things to swear my life away, for I don't know what. They have said false things to you; I know no more of it if I was to suffer death to-morrow. This woman wants to swear my life away for an affair I know nothing of, no more than this candle, and I am innocent of the fact if I was to suffer for it to-morrow; if I had been guilty I would not have trusted her with the affair.

Collier's Defence.

On the 26th of September last I called at Miss Roache's lodgings; when I came in I asked if she was within; there was a stranger, who was Halliburton; he opened the door; he said, no, and desired I would walk in; I walked in; he took hold of my hand and the other prisoner's, and bound us together, and said you must go with us, and took us to Sir John Fielding < no role > 's.

Roache's Defence.

These are not the men that gave me the watch; there were two gentlemen went by my parlour window that afternoon; they were dirty and wet; they said they were just come to town; they asked me if they might come in; I said they might; they sat a little while, and asked me to give them leave to change themselves; they had just come to town; they had clean shoes and shirts, &c. the maid helped off the boots; one of the gentlemen was dressed in mourning; he asked me to go into the bed room with him; I did; he said he had no money; he had nothing but notes about him, and his watch, and he would leave his watch; and if I wanted money, I might pawn it, and he would dine with me next day, and give me ten or twenty pounds if I wanted it; I went to the pawnbroker that I have dealt with two years to pawn the watch; he stopped me; indeed he did not stop me because he knew where I lived, and I believe does not know of my pawning any thing but my own property; I said a gentleman was to come for it; I came home to my lodgings; I was going to bed when the pawnbroker and Sir John Fielding < no role > 's men came in; in the morning a gentleman of my acquaintance called upon me, and said he was going out of town for three weeks; a little after he was gone away two horses came to the door; the maid was gone out for some beer; I said the horses were come to the gentleman in the parlour; the men went and ordered the horses from the door; I know no further of them; my life has been threatened a great while about Mr. Du Wall's watch, that they would not mind what they did to bring me into a snare; some of his acquaintance might lay the snare to bring me into it; he is not the man; if I had known the watch was stolen I should not have offered it to a pawnbroker I had dealt with a great while.

Stewart's Defence.

I was servant to this lady; I went with her to the pawnbroker; I told this lady I was surprized to have the horses coming at this time of day; she said she was surprized at it, and wondered who they came to; I said they came to some young man that used to call upon my mistress, who I supposed had ordered them to come here instead of elsewhere; I went and ordered them from the door; when the horses came up two gentlemen came past the window and asked how she did; she said, very well; they asked if they might come in; I said yes; I opened the door; one was dressed in second mourning; he came in and saluted my mistress, the other sat down in the parlour; I went down into the kitchen; I did not come till I was called again; my mistress went into the back-chamber with this gentleman; she came out again, she had the watch in her hand; the gentleman said you may pawn the watch for four or five guineas, or whatever you may get for it; I will come tomorrow and dine with you, and get the watch.

RANN and COLLIER, Guilty . Death .

ROACH, Guilty. Transportation for 14 years .

STEWART, Acquitted .

Collier was recommended by the Jury to his Majesty's mercy .

Note. The defence of Rann is printed verbatim et literatim.




View as XML