67. STEPHEN REYNOLDS proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 20th of July , two cows, value 20l. the property of Peter Henderson proceedingsvictim , Esq. (The case was opened by Mr. Raine.)

PETER HENDERSON < no role > , Esq; sworn. - Examined by Mr. Raine. On Wednesday the 19th of July last, about half an hour past nine in the evening, I was in a small field, part of my premises, at Bedfont , where these cows were; I was the last person in the field, I shut the gate which goes to the common, I went next morning and they were gone; I found the gate taken off the hinges, and on the ground; I dispatched two men in every direction, I advertised them, and heard nothing of them till September; I went down to Edmonton, and there I found my cows in possession of the constable, William Goddard < no role > ; I owned the cows before Mr. Jackson, they were then in a field belonging to John Kennington, who is here.

Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. You knew nothing of the prisoner before? - A. No; I did not know any such man was in existence.

Q. They were not found till September? - A. No.

ROBERT PURNELL < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Raine. I am the keeper of Chelmsford Jail; in consequence of an information, I went to Edmonton in September last; I had a warrant from the Rev. Henry Bate < no role > Dudley, which I took to Lambeth-street, and had it backed by Rice Davis, Esq; the Magistrate; I apprehended him on the 16th of September; on the Monday morning the 17th, I went to Edmonton again, where I found six cows, I put them into possession of the constable, William Goddard, among them were the two that were claimed by Mr. Henderson; I had one of his hand-bills put into my hand on the 19th.

Q. Do you know, of your own knowledge, who gave the information that led to the warrant? - A.Michael Read, who is in my custody as an accomplice.

Court. Q. You do not know, of your own knowledge, that they were upon his premises? - A. A woman at Stephen Reynolds's house gave me the key to unlock the gate.

Cross-examined by Mr. Alley. Q. You do not know, yourself, that it was Stephen Reynold's house? - A. I asked a woman that I saw there, she said her name was Reynolds, and that Stephen Reynolds < no role > was not at home.

Q.Read, to save himself, after he was in custody, gave the information? - A. Yes.

WILLIAM GODDARD < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Raine. I am a constable at Edmonton; in September last, I received two cows from Mr. Purnell, out of a field belonging to Robert Jones < no role > , Esq;

Q. Do you happen to know who rented that field of Mr. Jones? - A. Stephen Reynolds, as I was informed.

Q. You received these two cows, in this field, from the last witness? - A. Yes; I delivered them a few days afterwards to Mr. Henderson.

Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. You did not know, but by information, that Reynolds rented that field? - A. No.

Mr. Raine. Q. Where did you put the cows before you delivered them to Mr. Henderson? - A. In a field belonging to the Horse and Groom, Mr. Kennington's.

JOHN KENNINGTON sworn. - I keep the Horse and Groom at Edmonton: The last witness brought me two cows, which I delivered to Mr. Henderson, he came to my house and claimed them.

Q. Did you know from what field these cows were brought? - A. No.

ROBERT JONES < no role > , Esq. sworn. - Examined by Mr. Raine. Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - A. I do.

Q.Was he at any time a tenant of your's? - A. I believe he was.

Q. Do not you know? - A. I did not let it; he might; somebody had the after-grass till Michaelmas, but I cannot say who it was that had it.

JOHN MELTON < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Raine.

Q. Do you know the field from which Goddard took two cows, at Edmonton? - A. Yes.

Q. Do you know who rented that field? - A. I cannot tell.

Q. Did you ever happen to see the prisoner at the bar there, or thereabouts? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you ever see him milk these cows? - A. Yes.

Q.Have you seen him do that often? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you ever see him unlock the gate of that field? - A. Yes.

Court. Q. Did you see him drive them in and out? - A. Yes.

Cross-examined by Mr. Alley. Q. Were you with Goddard at the time he took the cows out of the field? - A. Yes, I was.

Q. You had been in the field yourself, and other people, as well as Reynolds? - A. Yes.

Court. Q. Who have you seen milk the cows? - A. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds.

Prisoner's defence. I have sufficient witness that I came honestly by them.

Mr. Knowlys. (To Mr. Henderson.) Q.How far is Edmonton from Bedfont? - A. About sixteen miles.

For the Prisoner.

JOHN DEAN < no role > sworn. - I live at Southgate: I looked after the Woolpack public-house for a man in distress.

Q. Do you remember any cattle coming to that house at any time? - A. Yes, four or five, about the latter end of July, as near as I can judge; there were two cows, I did not particularly notice them, but there was a fat beast.

Q.Who was the person that brought them to your house? - A. I do not know his name; I never saw him but once before.

Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - A. Yes.

Q.Was he the person that brought them there? - A. No, the man seemed to be a drover; and he wanted the cows to be in the yard a little while, while he went round to the gentlemen's houses to see if he could sell them.

Q. About what time was it? - A.Between ten and eleven in the morning; he was gone an hour and a half, or two hours, and then came back with the prisoner.

Q.How far is the prisoner's house from your house? - A.About two miles and a half; they went into the yard and looked at the two cows that were in the yard, and Reynolds asked him the price, and he asked him twenty-two guineas for them, and he bid him twenty pounds, he would not let him have them; he then dropped to one-and-twenty, and the man persuaded me to get him to have them, because they were a good bargain; I told him, then he must drop half-a-guinea lower; at last they agreed for twenty-one-guineas.

Q. Did you see him pay for them? - A. No.

Q. Have you ever seen these cows since? - A. Yes; they went away together, and drove them towards Edmonton; the drover said he had got more cattle on the road that he wanted to meet; I saw these cows yesterday morning at Bedfont.

Q. Are they the same cows that the prisoner agreed with the drover for? - A. Yes, they are she same.

Q.Have you any knowledge of the value of cattle, to say whether it was a fair price? - A. No, I am no judge.

Cross-examined by Mr. Raine. Q. You did not see the money paid? - A. No.

Q.Perhaps you may know that, in point of fact, no money ever was paid? - A. No.

Q. Do not you know that this was a counterfeit sale? - A. I do not know it.

Q. You never heard any thing to cause you to believe that all that bargain was counterfeit? - A. No.

Q. Did you never hear any thing said to that effect? - A. No.

Q. You never heard any thing about it, whether it was counterfeit or real? - A. I never heard any talk about it, I think it was real, in my judgment, because I always believed him to be a very honest man.

Q. Where was it you saw these cows yesterday morning? - A. At Bedfont, a boy was driving them to the common.

Q. At what hour was it you saw them? - A. About ten o'clock in the morning.

Q. You were taken for the express purpose of seeing if they were the same cows that you had seen at your house? - A. Yes; I went down on purpose.

Court. Q. What were the marks of these cows? - A. One was a red and white pole cow, the other yellow.

Q. How long have you known the prisoner? - A.About three quarters of a year; I live two miles and a half from him.

Q. What are you? - A. A cordwainer.

Q.What is he? - A. I do not know; only he used to sell milk, and go to day-labour.

Q. Did you ever know him rent any quantity of land? - A. No; I never knew of any land that he had.

THOMAS BRASTER sworn. - Examined by Mr. Alley. I lived servant to Mr. Horwell, at the Bull, in Edmonton, in July last; a person sent me to Stephen Reynolds < no role > on a message, it was a droving-man that wanted to see him.

Q. Did the prisoner come to the drover? - A. Yes. I left Mr. Horwell's service, on the 24th, and this was a few days before.

Cross-examined by Mr. Raine. Q. You did not know the drover? - A. No.

Court. Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - A. Yes.

Q. How long had you known him before that? - A. About a month.

Q. Do you know what land he rented? - A. No.

JOHN HORWELL < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. I keep the Bull, at Edmonton; Brasier lived servant with me in July last; he left me on the 24th.

Cross-examined by Mr. Raine. Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - A. Yes; I have known him near upon two years.

Q.What line of life has he been in? - A.He followed the gardening business.

Q. Do you know whether he rented any quantity of land? - A. I know nothing at all of that, whether he did or not.

Mr. Alley. Q. Was he a man of good character? - A. I never heard any thing to the contrary.

EDWARD STANFORD < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Alley. I am a gardener, I live at Edmonton; I have seen him often; in July, the night before he bought these cows, he and I came home together.

Q. Did you see him buy them? - A. No.

Court. (To Goddard). Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - A. Yes.

Q. How does he get his livelihood? - A. He was a jobbing gardener, when I first knew him.

Q. What was he in July last? - A. He carried milk about.

Q. Did he rent any land do you know? - A. None that I know, but only that he had of Mr. Jones.

Court. (To Mr. Henderson). Q. Were cows of this description usually driven about to gentlemen's houses? - A. No; they were very valuable cows; at that time they were worth thirty guineas; cows at that time were very valuable.

GUILTY Death . (Aged 26.)

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice HEATH.