176. (M.) WILLIAM HARRIS proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing a diamond ring set in gold. value thirty-nine shillings , the property of Dru Drury proceedingsvictim , January 27th . *.

Dru Drury < no role > . A woman came to my shop, three weeks or a month ago, in the afternoon and asked for a small diamond ring; my apprentice shewed her one, she seemed to approve of it, and said she would bring a person next day to pay for it; she went away leaving the ring. The next day in the Afternoon the prisoner came to my shop alone and asked to see the ring; the young woman had looked at before, I reached him that ring among several others in a box: it was a diamond cluster ring, the prisoner did not like the ring the woman had approved of the day before; but said, he would fetch her to fix upon another: he went and brought her and they left the shop without buying any thing; just as they went away, a great number of customers came into the shop, so being in a little hurry, I put back the rings into the shew glass from whence I had taken them: I did not then in my hurry observe, that any ring was missing; it was about a week after this before I had any occasion to look at my rings again; then I missed this ring. Two or three days after I had missed it, I saw an advertisement from Sir John Fielding < no role > , that a cluster ring was stopped; I went to Sir John's the next day and saw the prisoner and my ring; it is so remarkable I could know it from a thousand; I am certain the prisoner is the man that was at my shop.

Prisoner. I never was in his shop in my life; please to ask him what cloaths I had on.

Drury. A light drab colour coat and a wig that was almost white; he was dressed just in the same manner when I saw him at Sir John Fielding < no role > 's.

William French < no role > , apprentice to the prosecuter confirmed his evidence.

Edward Hope < no role > . I am a silversmith in Oxford-street, on Friday the 27th of January, about six in the evening, the prisoner came to my shop; he said, he wanted a second hand silver watch. I told him I had none; he shewed me a ring; I asked him where he got it, he told me he found it; I asked him if he knew the value of it, he said he did not, I told him I could not pretend to buy it upon my own judgment, and added, that as he had found it, it was not his property, I should stop it, and bid him come the next day; he did come and then I appointed him to come on the Monday following; upon this I went to Sir John Fielding < no role > 's and gave information of it; on Monday morning the prisoner came to my house again and then I appointed him to come at three o'clock in the afternoon; in the mean time I got two of Sir John Fielding < no role > 's people, and in the afternoon, the prisoner and another man came; the other man said, that the prisoner had found the ring; but seeing Sir John Fielding < no role > 's men coming in, that man ran away. This is the ring (producing it) I have had it from that time to this. I told the prisoner on the Saturday I would advertize it; he said, he had advertized it three times himself, and desired me to give it him again. On the Friday evening I did at the prisoner's request let him have a guinea upon it.

Q. What is the ring worth?

Hope. I believe it may be worth 35 guineas.

Question from the prisoner. Whether you did not offer to buy it of me for 35 guineas.

Hope. I never did offer to buy it, on the Saturday, I wanted, to have my guinea back and return the ring, because I thought I should get into some trouble about it; but the prisoner had not the guinea to return.

Prisoner's Defence.

I was at work at Windsor, as I was returning to London, I met a young man at Brentford, we went on together in the footpath, between Turnham-green and Hammersmith, we saw a paper, we took it up, and it contained this ring and a stock buckle.

Guilty .

[Transportation. See summary.]