445. THOMAS DAWSON proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing, on the 11th of July , a metal and shagreen cased watch, value 1l. the goods of William Brady proceedingsvictim .

WILLIAM BRADY < no role > sworn.

I live in Cursitor-street; returning into Cursitor-street , on the 11th of July, I found a mob round my door; I went into my shop, a man that was in the shop asked me whether the watch that was in his hand belonged to me? I told him I could swear it to be my watch; he said, he had found it on a man in the street; he had the man with him, and I gave charge of the man.

Q. < no role > When had you seen it last? - When I went out into the City. I always hang it over the fire place in the parlour.

ELIZABETH BRADY sworn.

I am the wife. On Friday the 11th of July, my husband went into the City, and I, thinking he staid long, went to dinner without him; the apprentice was in the parlour with me, and the prisoner came in, and said, that I had a bill in the window, lodgings to let for single men. I said, yes; says he, can I see them? yes, says I, you can. I told the apprentice to go up and shew him; the apprentice went up with the young man, which was the prisoner at the bar, and shewed him the room; I still remained eating my dinner; when he came down, he said, what is it a week? I told him five shillings a week; says I, young man, what is your trade? I am afraid it is too much for you; says he, I am a painter and glazier; says I, if you had another young man to partake of half the bed with you it would make it better; he wished me good day, and went out. In the course of a quarter of an hour, he returned with a young man; says he, I have met an acquaintance since I parted with you, that will be partaker of the room with me; very well, says I, young man; says he, he wants to see the room; the apprentice was eating his dinner, and I was done, and I went up and shewed the young man the apartment; I had the child in my arms, suckling at the same time; I went up, and the other young man be followed me, and the prisoner at the bar went up two or three steps, he then said, I have seen it before, I have no occasion to go up; returning down again, I saw the prisoner sitting in a chair, in the parlour, and I walks into the shop with the other young man, and left the prisoner and apprentice in the parlour; I went into the shop to ask where I should get his character; and the prisoner at the bar came out before the other had quite given his direction, the apprentice hallooed lustily to me, ma'am, have you got your watch? No, says I, I have not; the prisoner flew out of doors, and I said, that is the man that has got the watch; and I flew after him, and cried stop thief! and the apprentice likewife. On considering myself that I had left one of his companions in doors, and thinking at the same time that he might do me more injury; returning again I met the other young man, his confederate in the street; says he, what has he done? says I, why robbed me of my watch, which hung over the fire place for many months. I went in doors and laid the child down that I had in my arms, and went out again, and met the prisoner at the bar with a young man that is here, bringing him back to the house, and I laid hold too, and said, that was the man; and he brought him back into the house; I saw the watch produced; I believe it was taken from him, but I did not see it.

Q. When did you next see your watch? - I saw it at Bow-street, theyoung man produced it who took hold of him, John Hutchinson.

JOHN HUTCHINSON < no role > sworn.

I was coming along Chancery lane, I heard the cry of stop thief! by a neighbour's boy; says I, who is it? he says, that is him; and he ran up White's-alley, and I went and caught hold of him; it was the prisoner at the bar, the boy said, that is him; in the interim Mrs. Brady came up, and said, that is the rascal that has got my watch; I brought him into Cursitor-street, to Mrs. Brady's; the prisoner told me he would produce the property, if I would let him go. After he had been in the shop a little time, I saw by his left hand a powder sieve, and it appeared to me he was putting the watch into the powder sieve; I took the watch out of the sieve into my hand, and asked Mrs. Brady if it was her's? she said, Yes; Mr. Brady immediately came in, and I asked him if it was his watch? he said, if it is not my watch, it is my wife's watch, and that is all the same; and a constable came in, and Mr. Brady gave charge of the prisoner; the prisoner was searched, but there was nothing else found upon him; he was examined at Bow-street, and I attended the examination.

Jury. Did you see him put it into the sieve? - It appeared to me as if he was putting it out of his left hand pocket into the sieve, and there it was, I took it up, I dare say, as soon as it was in the sieve.

HENRY DESMORE < no role > sworn.

I am apprentice to Mr. Brady; the prisoner asked me if the watch went too fast, while I was eating my dinner, and I told him no; and my mistress was coming down stairs, and I see him take the watch down; immediately I hallooed out to her, and he ran out of the shop directly, and I after him.

Prisoner. I had not the watch in my possession at all; when I was brought back to the shop they began to search me, and one of the evidences against me, he looked into the sieve, and he said, here is the watch, and said I laid it in the sieve.

GUILTY .

Transported for seven years .

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before the Lord CHIEF BARON.