144. JOHN SIMMONDS proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing, on the 19th of March , a silver table-spoon, value 10 s. the property of the Hon. John Levison Gower proceedingsvictim .

STEPHEN HARRIS < no role > sworn.

I live with Admiral Gower < no role > ; on the 19th of March a man came to enquire for my master, if he was at home; he sent up a differentname to John Simmonds < no role > , sent his duty, and would be glad to speak to my master, he said he did not know him; I came and told him, he begged me to go up again; I had got up a few steps, and saw him open the parlour door, I returned and called my fellow servant, he came up, and the prisoner had just got out of the parlour, and was shuffling something into his pocket or breeches; he said he had taken nothing; I told him he had; and he held out the spoon; he went through the fore-parlour to the back-parlour, where the spoon was, and the cloth was laid. The prisoner was secured.

RICHARD STALEY < no role > sworn.

Deposed to the same effect.

(The spoon produced and deposed to.)

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

The parlour-door was open; Mr. Gower's hat laid on a chair, and the spoon on another, and I took the spoon and said, I have cleaned these spoons many a time; I once lived a boy in the family. Mr. Garrow knows me, if I had money, and I supported Mr. Fox's election.

The prisoner called two witnesses to his character.

GUILTY .

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron HOTHAM < no role > .

[Transportation. See summary.]