244. WILLIAM DAVIS proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 24th of October, 1798 , a hempen sack, value 1s. 6d. and a bushel and a half of onions, value 3s. the property of Harry Stowe proceedingsvictim .(The case was opened by Mr. Trebeck.)

BENJAMIN POTTS < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Trebeck. On the 24th of October, 1798, I met the prisoner, about seven in the evening, in Chiswick-lane; he was servant to Mr. Stowe; he had a sack on his back, and when he saw me he threw it into a ditch; I then went up to him, and said, Will, what have you got here, and kicked my foot against it; I said they were onions; yes, master, says he; Mr. Stowe's foreman, Jefferys, was with me, and his son; he said he had them from Russel Bourne < no role > , and was going to take them to Joe Bates's; Jefferys's son said, father, this is our sack, it was in our warehouse when we locked the door; I said then we will go to Russel Bourne < no role > , and see where he got it from, and then he ran away.

JOHN JEFFERYS < no role > sworn. - Examined by Mr. Trebeck. I am foreman to Mr. Stowe, gardener and farmer: On the evening of the 24th of October, 1798, I was with Potts; I met the prisoner about seven o'clock at night; I had locked the door before I came out; when I returned, after I had been with Potts, I missed a sack of onions; I am sure it was my master's sack; he threw it into the ditch, and ran away; I carried them home and kept them for a twelvemonth, till they were quite rotten; the prisoner had worked for me about two months.

Prisoner's defence. I was coming along and picked up these onions; I did not throw them into the ditch.

GUILTY . (Aged 23.)

Confined one year in the House of Correction , and fined 1s.

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury, before Lord KENYON.