533. THOMAS HOUGHTON proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 11th of May , a metal watch, value 3l. the property of George Laport proceedingsvictim , privily from his person .

GEORGE LAPORT < no role > sworn. - I live in Spitalfields-market: On the 11th of May I lost a metal watch at Hendon fair .

Q. How did you lose it? - A. I cannot say.

Q. What part of the day did you take any notice of it? - A. I cannot say.

Q. Did you observe it in the fair? - A. I cannot say.

Q. Had you missed your watch after you left home? - A. Yes; I missed it about five o'clock in the afternoon, in the fair; Mr. Gearish, the witness, told me to mind my watch; I put my hand to my sob, and it was gone.

Q. Did you feel it go from you? - A. No.

Q. Had you any reason to suppose your watch was missing, before Mr. Gearish spoke to you? - A. No; there was a great crowed about.

Q. Were you hustled or shoved about? - A. Yes; there was a great deal of bustling, crowding, and pushing.

Q. Did you see the prisoner before Mr. Gearish spoke? - A. I think I saw him about five minutes before, about one hundred yards from the place.

Q. Did you, at the time Gearish spoke to you, see the prisoner? - A. No; I saw my watch about ten minutes afterwards in Mr. Gearish's hand; the prisoner was then in custody.

Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. About five in the afternoon, at these fort of fairs, there is a very great crowd? - A. I cannot say, I never was there before.

Q. Whether your watch was taken from you, or you lost it, you cannot say? - A. I cannot.

Q. There was, in point of fact, a great crowd? - A. There was.

- GEARISH sworn. - On Monday, the 11th of May, I was walking with Laport in Hendon fair, about five o'clock in the afternoon; I saw the chain of his watch hanging out, I desired him to take care of his watch, there was a very great crowd pushing about; in about five minutes after he said to me, Gearish, I have lost my watch; I had observed the prisoner standing for five minutes next to Mr. Laport.

Q. Did you observe him next to Mr. Laport at the time you bid him take care of his watch? - A. He was.

Q. How long did you observe him stand next to Mr. Laport? - A. Till within two minutes of his missing his watch.

Q. Did the prisoner appear to be pushing? - A. I saw nothing particular at all; he was standing looking as well as we were; Mr. Laport and I then went among the mob, about one hundred yards, and I saw the prisoner with a stick in his hand, clearing the road for the girls to run for the smickets; I went up to him, and said, sir, you have got my friend's watch; he said, no, I have not, I am not the kind of person you take me to be; I said, I am positive you have the watch, you are the only person that was standing next to my friend when he missed his watch; I ordered a man of the name of Wicks, who ought to have been here, to collar him; he laid hold of one side, and I the other, and a man of the name of Bumby, a countryman, searched his pocket, and in his right hand coat pocket the watch was found; he forced himself to try to get away from us; I have had the watch ever since. (Produces it).

Laport. This is the watch that I lost; it is worth three guineas; it cost me about six guineas without the seal; I swapped it away for another in the Minories; I cannot say exactly what it cost me.

Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. Is Bumby here? - A. No.

Q. Nor Wicks? - A. No.

Q. What are you? - A. A fruit salesman, in Covent-garden.

Q. You have never been in any unfortunate predicament yourself - you never have had the misfortune to be charged with any thing? - A. Never.

Q. Do you know Mr. Dawkins? - A. No.

Q. Where is Wicks or Bumby? - A. I don't know.

Q. They were bound over, were they not? - A. Yes.

Mr. Gurney. (To Laport.) Q. How do you know that is your watch? - A. I know it by the seal, and there is the name of Lawrence, and the letters C. P. upon the case.

Q. Do you know the number? - A. No.

Prisoner's defence. I went to the fair to see the country diversions; I was walking in the fair, and was accosted by Gearish, who said, I had got his friend's watch; I told him I was not a man of that description; a great mob came round, three or four hundred, I dare say, and a person outside of the crowd held up the watch; I am innocent of the charge, I know nothing of it.

The prisoner called seven witnesses, who gave him a good character.

Mr. Gurney. (To Gearish.) Q. Have you ever said that the prisoner was not the man that stole the watch? - A. I never have, because I am very certain I saw the watch taken out of his pocket.

Q.Have you not shewn it publicly at Carpenter's coffee-house? - A. Not out of my own hand.

Prisoner. Q. Did you not take the watch out of the hand of a countryman outside the mob? - A. I did not; I saw Bumby take it out of his pocket.

Prisoner. Here is a person who saw it taken from a countryman outside the mob.

HENRY LOVETT < no role > sworn. - I am an officer belonging to Marlborough-street; I was at the fair, and took the prisoner into custody; I saw a countryman, who had searched his pocket, give it into the hand of Mr. Gearish.

GUILTY , Death . aged 33.

First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Lawrence.