285. WILLIAM MANSFIELD proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously breaking and entering the dwelling house of Thomas Collins proceedingsvictim , about the hour of one in the afternoon, of the 6th of February , no person being then in the said dwelling house; and stealing therein, three woollen coats, called flushing coats, value 40 s. one check apron, value 2 s. two linen caps and bands, value 6 d. one silk and cotton handkerchief, value 6 d. the goods of Thomas Collins < no role > . Two pair of worsted stockings, value 18 d. a pair of thread stockings, value 4 d. two linen aprons, value 6 d. a case knife, value 6 d. and six shillings in monies numbered , the goods and monies of John Robinson proceedingsvictim .

ANN COLLINS < no role > sworn.

My husband's name is Thomas Collins < no role > ; I keep a room in Redcross-street , a one pair of stairs; there is no one lives in the room but me and my husband, I have no servant; the house is let out in tenements, there is a lodger I believe above me, and below me, the landlord lodges next door, he has no part in the house.

Q. Is the house in which the landlord lives, by any way connected with the house in which you live? - No, not at all; my husband went out at six o'clock in the morning, I went out at half after seven, I padlocked the door, when I went out, I tried it to see if it was fastened, and it was; I returned about half an hour after one, my neighbours sent to me to tell me my place was open, and I went home immediately, when I came up stairs the door was wide open, some of the bed clothes were off the bed and some on; the staple of the door was drawn and broke, the padlock remained on the door not touched, I had left the things on the bed, the drawers were all open; there were no locks on them, every thing was taken out of the drawers entirely and thrown on the middle of the floor; all the things mentioned in the indictment were missing. John Robinson < no role > is my father, but he left the box in my room with the things, and the box was locked in which the things were; that was the only box they broke open; I went the same day before the justice at two o'clock, and I swore to my property, I saw them there; there was nobody in the room when I came back; I saw the prisoner before justice Davis, in Lambert-street, Whitechapel, and I never saw him before in my life, the constable has the articles now; my husband never returned till eight or nine o'clock in the evening, when I went to fetch him, I had the key from six o'clock in the morning myself.

JOHN ROBINSON < no role > sworn.

I am the father of Ann Collins < no role > ; I was not in the room at the time of the robbery, my daughter came and told me of it, and I went there after the robbery, the lock of my box was broke open; I lost two coarse aprons, three pair of stockings, a case knife, and six shillings in silver.

THOMAS GRAYFLOWER < no role > sworn.

I am a watchman; about half after one o'clock, on the day of the robbery,the 6th of February, I was coming out of Mr. Harris's pork shop, buying some sausages; and I saw Robert Tucker < no role > , he was running; I asked him if they were running for a wager? they asked me if I had seen a man with a great coat on with a bundle? I said yes, I followed them, and I saw William Mansfield < no role > running with the bundle; I found him up by the Maypole East Smithfield, about two hundred yards from the house of the prosecutor; I got up to him and took the bundle from him, and two pair of stockings from underneath his jacket; I have kept these things from that time to this, Mrs. Collins and Mr. Robinson has seen them, and sworn to them. (The things produced.)

ROBERT TUCKER < no role > sworn,

I am a smith. On the 6th of February, at one o'clock, I went home to dinner, and I saw three men go up Mrs. Collins's stairs at one o'clock, the prisoner was one I am sure; at half past one I saw all three come down, I then observed the prisoner William Mansfield < no role > , he went through the street with the bundle at his back, and another with him, I did not know him before, and the other went another way; the other took nothing with him; the neighbours seeing these two, made an alarm, and I directly pursued after them till he was out of sight; when I got up to the top of Nightingale-lane, I saw Thomas Grayflower, and he had the prisoner in his hand, one of the same men that I had seen go up the stairs with the same bundle. I saw William Mansfield < no role > come down the stairs with the man; we then carried them before the justice.

JOSEPH NASH sworn.

I am an officer belonging to the public office Whitechapel; I know no more than he was apprehended, he was brought to our office and I searched him the same day, and found a case knife and an old handkerchief in his pocket. (The articles deposed to by Mr. Collins and John Robinson < no role > .) The three flushing coats cost fifteen shillings a piece; and all the things are worth what are mentioned in the indictment.

Prisoner. I received the things of a man in the street, I was to have a shilling to carry them to the Green Man in Kent-street; they came up and took me and would not take the other man that I received the things from.

Court to Grayflower. What did he say when you took him, he gave no account at all.

GUILTY of stealing, to the value of 4 s. 6 d . (Aged 22.)

Transported for four years .

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. RECORDER.