490. NICHOLAS CARTER proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing, on the 19th of April last, one wooden boat, called a skift, value 4 l. the property of William Beckett proceedingsvictim and James Beckett proceedingsvictim , and twenty-three hundred weight of cast iron, value 5 l. 15 s. the property of persons unknown.

WILLIAM BECKETT < no role > sworn.

On Monday, the 19th of April last, I lost a boat. My brother and I are partners; his name is James. I was informed on the 20th that my boat was found at Deptford; it was lost from Fresh-wharf, near London-bridge : I was informed the prisoner was taken in the boat: I sent my servant down for the boat; he is here; the boat was brought back by a man, whom the officers sent, who took the prisoner.

JOHN BARBER < no role > sworn.

I went to Deptford after the boat, and found it in Deptford-creek: I saw the prisoner in the watch-house; the constables would not deliver the boat to me; they sent a man with it, Elias West; he is not here.

HENRY SPEARING < no role > sworn.

I am a constable at Deptford. On the 20th of April I was informed there was some stolen iron in a boat, in the Creek: I went with Mr. Cox, and found the prisoner asleep in the boat; we waked him, and asked him where the iron came from? he said, from Mr. Bradley's, Bankside; I asked him where it was going to? he said, it was consigned to Mr. Banks, of Deptford; I saw a loose pair of sculls in the boat, besides the oars that belonged to it; I asked how he came by the boat? he said, it was borrowed; I asked him if he had got the key belonging to the locker of the oars? he said, no; the person never lent the key out that belonged to it; I said, I thought it was very odd to lend a boat, and not the key to the oars; I said, I thought he had stole the boat, as well as the iron; I desired him to come out of the boat; and took him, and asked Mr. Banks if the iron was coming to him? he said, no; I sent to the prosecutor to see if they had lost aboat; he said, his boats were all at the wharf; he did not miss it till the next day; I took the prisoner before Mr. Russel, a magistrate; he said there, that he was employed by a strange man, to bring the boat down; but he did not know him: the magistrate ordered Mr. Cox and I to bring the prisoner and the boat to town, and take him before the sitting alderman; I advertised the iron, but nobody owned it.

JOHN COX < no role > sworn.

I know no more than Mr. Spearing. The prisoner prevaricated a great deal about the iron.

Jury. What is Mr. Banks? - He is a common fence; he would receive any thing, old ropes, or iron, or any thing else.

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

There were people saw the man who employed me; I was looking out of my own boat; and the man told me to take it to Deptford, and fasten it to the Creek, and at Deptford he would come to me: he gave me two shillings to take it.

GUILTY .

Transported for seven years .

Tried by the London Jury before Mr. Justice ASHURST.