265. GEORGE MILLS proceedingsdefend , and ANN, wife of DANIEL MINES < no role > proceedingsdefend , were indicted, the first for breaking and entering the dwelling-house of William Goodliffe proceedingsvictim , no person being therein, about the hour of four in the afternoon of the 14th of March , and stealing a silver watch, value 3l. another silver watch, value 2l. the property of William Goodliffe < no role > ; and the other for receiving the same, knowing them to have been stolen .

WILLIAM GOODLIFFE < no role > sworn. - I keep a house in Bluecoat-fields, St. George's parish ; my family consists of my wife, my daughter, and myself: On the 14th of March, I lost two watches; the back room window was broke open, two panes of glass had been broke, and the sash lifted up; I was not at home, I left my daughter at home; I came home about seven o'clock, and missed my watches; I had seen them about ten minutes before I went out; I afterwards found them, one at Mr. Windsor's, and one at Mr. Matthews's, pawnbrokers. I gave information at the Shadwell Police-office, and they told me to go to all the different pawnbrokers: the prisoner, Mills, had been in my house at one o'clock; he said, there was a double press-gang after him, and begged I would let him stop for a few minutes; I said, I did not see any press-gang; he said, they were just gone into the Angel; he then came just inside the door, and sat down in a chair; I was not seven yards from him all the time; one of the watches hung-over the fire-place, and the other at my bed's head; it is a very small house, there is only one floor; I did not see the watches after he was gone; he said, he belonged to a ship at Deptford; he said, her name was the Flora; I was going out with a horse and cart, and I took him into the cart and hid him in the bottom as far as St. George's turnpike, and then I directed him the best way to escape the pressgangs.

MARY GOODLIFFE < no role > sworn. - I am the daughter of the prosecutor; the prisoner, Mills, came to my father's house on the 14th of March, between nine and ten o'clock; he enquired for John Jackson < no role > ; I told him there was no such person lived there, and he went away, and came again between one and two, and he went away with my father;he came back again about half an hour after he went away with my father; he said my father sent him to make the best of his way there, for he had seen the press-gang; I said, are you sure my father said so; he said, yes, indeed he said so; he staid about half an hour; he went to the corner-cupboard, took down a sugar-bason, and asked me if that was silver.

Q. Was there any body else in the house at that time? - A. Nobody but me; he took down a gun, and asked if my father was a game-keeper; I said, yes; he staid till half past three o'clock; I sat down by the fire, and I heard a noise in the stable, where he was breaking the wall to come to the bed's-head; I then went out, and looked round, and asked him what he was doing there; and he said, he saw the press-gang in the Rope-walk, and he was run there to hide himself; I said, I see no press-gang about, you must be mistaken; I then went away, and locked the stable-door; I came in and locked the door, and presently I heard a noise of breaking in backwards; I locked the door, and ran over to Mr. Staines's, and there was nobody at home, and I came back again, and went round the side of the house, and he was running out of the yard as fast as he could run, with both his hands in his jacket-pockets; I then unlocked the door, and went in, and the watches were gone; I went out backwards, and there were two panes of glass broke, and the button which fastened the window broke off.

ROBERT BROWN < no role > sworn. - I received information that the prosecutor had had his house broke open, and on the 18th of April I apprehended the prisoner, Mills, in the house of Bevan who was examined yesterday at Ratcliffe; I brought him to the Public-office, Shadwell, and sent for Mr. Goodliffe and his daughter, they both came, and said he was the lad that had broke into the house, he has a particular mark on his hand.

JOSEPH HAYNES < no role > sworn. - I belong to the Public-office, Shadwell: I know no more than Brown has related to you.

WILLIAM MATTHEWS < no role > sworn. - I produce a watch, which I had from a woman, but not the prisoner at the bar.

JAMES THORNE < no role > sworn. - I am a pawnbroker: I took in a silver watch on the 14th of March, about half past seven in the evening; I have every reason to think it was the prisoner, Mines, that brought it, but cannot be positive.

Goodliffe. I know this watch to be mine by the minute hand.

Mills's defence. I was taken up the same night, and the man said I was not the lad; and then I got a month's advanced wages, and went to sea, and was cast away going upon the Flats; I then came home, and they took me up again.

The prisoner, Mines, was not put upon her defence.

Mills, GUILTY Death . (Aged 12.)

Mines, NOT GUILTY .

The prisoner, Mills, was recommended to his Majesty's mercy on account of his youth .

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron PERRYN.