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<p>555. (M.) <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-defend336"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-defend336" type="role" value="proceedingsdefend"></interp>
ROBERT ASTROP <interp inst="t17720715-40-defend336" type="surname" value="ASTROP"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-defend336" type="given" value="ROBERT"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-defend336" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
was indicted for that he <rs id="t17720715-40-off201" type="offenceDescription"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-off201" type="offenceCategory" value="violentTheft"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-off201" type="offenceSubcategory" value="highwayRobbery"></interp>
on the king's highway, on <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person337"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person337" type="role" value=""></interp>
John Stern <interp inst="t17720715-40-person337" type="surname" value="Stern"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person337" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person337" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
, did make an assault, putting him in corporal fear and danger of his life, and stealing from his person a silver watch, value 40 s. a steel watch chain, value 6 d. a cornelian stone seal set in silver, value 1 s. a brass watch key, value 1 d. and 8 d. in money, numbered, the property of the said John </rs>
, <rs id="t17720715-40-cd202" type="crimeDate">June 8th</rs>
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. +</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-victim339"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-victim339" type="role" value="proceedingsvictim"></interp>
John Stern <interp inst="t17720715-40-victim339" type="surname" value="Stern"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-victim339" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-victim339" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
<join result="offenceVictim" targOrder="Y" targets="t17720715-40-off201 t17720715-40-victim339"></join>
</rs>
. I am <rs id="t17720715-40-viclabel203" type="occupation">servant</rs>
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<join result="persNameOccupation" targOrder="Y" targets="t17720715-40-victim339 t17720715-40-viclabel203"></join>
to colonel Woolaston, in Wimpole street; I went to Chelsea on the 8th of June, about half after ten o'clock; I was stopped in <rs type="placeName" id="t17720715-40-crimeloc204">Park lane</rs>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-crimeloc204" type="placeName" value="Park lane"></interp>
<join result="offencePlace" targOrder="Y" targets="t17720715-40-off201 t17720715-40-crimeloc204"></join>
, facing North Audley Chapel.</p>
<p>Q. Was you a-foot?</p>
<p>Stern. Yes.</p>
<p>Q. Was any body with you?</p>
<p>Stern. Yes; <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person340"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person340" type="role" value=""></interp>
Mary Daw <interp inst="t17720715-40-person340" type="surname" value="Daw"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person340" type="given" value="Mary"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person340" type="gender" value="female"></interp>
</rs>
and <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person341"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person341" type="role" value=""></interp>
Margaret Winter <interp inst="t17720715-40-person341" type="surname" value="Winter"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person341" type="given" value="Margaret"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person341" type="gender" value="female"></interp>
</rs>
; Daw is the wife of my fellow servant, she had hold of my right arm. There came two men arm in arm; one took hold of my right arm, and pulled me from <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person342"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person342" type="role" value=""></interp>
Mary Daw <interp inst="t17720715-40-person342" type="surname" value="Daw"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person342" type="given" value="Mary"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person342" type="gender" value="female"></interp>
</rs>
, and the other laid hold of my left arm, and they demanded my money and my watch, or otherwise they would have my life.</p>
<p>Q. Which said so?</p>
<p>Stern. The man that had hold of my right arm; he had a hammer in his hand, what we call a Payne hammer.</p>
<p>Q. Had he nothing else in his hand?</p>
<p>Stern. Not that I saw.</p>
<p>Q. Had the other man any thing in his hand?</p>
<p>Stern. Not that I saw.</p>
<p>Q. Was it light?</p>
<p>Stern. Not very light.</p>
<p>Q. What did you do?</p>
<p>Stern. I said I don't know what you mean, gentlemen; as to money, I have very little, and no watch; the man on my left hand took the watch out of my pocket, and the man on the right hand took my money; he on the right hand was the tallest; he put his hand into my pocket, and pulled out what money I had; as near as I can guess there was a six-pence and some halfpence.</p>
<p>Q. Did you lose any thing else?</p>
<p>Stern. Yes, my watch.</p>
<p>Q. Did they take it from you, or you give it them?</p>
<p>Stern. The man on the left hand reached across and took it. The watch had a steel chain and a cornelian stone seal set in silver; the impression was a man's head.</p>
<p>Q. And a key, I suppose?</p>
<p>Stern. Yes, a brass key.</p>
<p>Q. Did they take any thing from the women?</p>
<p>Stern. No.</p>
<p>Q. The women stood by?</p>
<p>Stern. They went a little distance to call somebody, but saw nobody, so they came a little way back again.</p>
<p>Q. When they had taken the watch and money, what followed?</p>
<p>Stern. The man on my right hand, with the hammer, struck me on the side of the head.</p>
<p> <xptr type="pageFacsimile" doc="177207150026"></xptr>
Q. Was it a violent blow?</p>
<p>Stern. It did not come so heavy I believe as he expected, because I kept it off.</p>
<p>Q. Was he discontent with his booty?</p>
<p>Stern. No.</p>
<p>Q. Did you make any resistance then?</p>
<p>Stern. No, he said nothing; he gave me no more; it stunned me that I did not remember their going off; when I recovered I found they were gone; I struggled a-cross the way, and the two women laid hold of me, and kept me from falling; my watch was advertised by Mr. Heley who had it. (The watch produced by Heley, and deposed to by the prosecutor).</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person343"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person343" type="role" value=""></interp>
Mary Daw <interp inst="t17720715-40-person343" type="surname" value="Daw"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person343" type="given" value="Mary"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person343" type="gender" value="female"></interp>
</rs>
. I was by when this robbery happened.</p>
<p>Q. Was it the same time of night <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person344"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person344" type="role" value=""></interp>
John Stern <interp inst="t17720715-40-person344" type="surname" value="Stern"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person344" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person344" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
has mentioned and the circumstances the same?</p>
<p>Daw. Yes.</p>
<p>Q. Do you remember the blow?</p>
<p>Daw. No.</p>
<p>Q. Do you remember his reeling over to you, and your supporting him?</p>
<p>Daw. Yes.</p>
<p>Q. You don't know any thing of the prisoner?</p>
<p>Daw. No, not to be positive; one was tall, the other shortish.</p>
<p>Q. You have no reason to suspect the prisoner is one?</p>
<p>Daw. No.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person345"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person345" type="role" value=""></interp>
Margaret Winter <interp inst="t17720715-40-person345" type="surname" value="Winter"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person345" type="given" value="Margaret"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person345" type="gender" value="female"></interp>
</rs>
. I was by when the robbery was committed.</p>
<p>Q. Was it in the same manner as Stern has mentioned?</p>
<p>Winter. Yes.</p>
<p>Q. Should you know any of the persons that committed it?</p>
<p>Winter. No, I was gone on a little before; two men passed by me, but said nothing.</p>
<p>Q. to Mrs. Daw. Did you see any thing in either of their hands?</p>
<p>Daw. Yes, something; I don't know what, I was so frightened.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person346"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person346" type="role" value=""></interp>
John Heley <interp inst="t17720715-40-person346" type="surname" value="Heley"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person346" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person346" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
. On Tuesday the 9th of June, I went with Mr. Bond and Mr. Taylor into St. Giles's, to apprehend a man accused of a footpad robbery; we had been searching there about half an hour, and as we were coming away, I saw the prisoner with another young fellow, I don't know his name. I said to Mr. Bond, there is Astrop; Mr. Bond said, you must take him, for last night he went to pawn a watch and got off. As soon as he saw us come towards him, he run off; we pursued him, and took him in a court in Denmark-street, St. Giles's; when we came up to him, I put my hand in his coat pocket and found a hammer. ( Produces the hammer.)</p>
<p>Prosecutor. That is such a hammer as he hit me with.</p>
<p>Heley. At that time I did not particularly search him, but held his hand till I got him down to the Bear in Bow-street; when he came into the parlour, I saw the chain of a watch hang out; this is the watch (producing it;) he said it was his own; that he bought it at Gains-borough in Lincolnshire; accordingly the watch was advertised, and the prosecutor came and owned it; that is all I know of the matter.</p>
<p>Prosecutor. That is my watch.</p>
<p>Prisoner's Defence.</p>
<p>I was coming from my father's house, the corner of New Round Court in the Strand, on Tuesday morning about eight o'clock; going up the Hay Market, I met two or three friends I had not seen sometime; they asked me to drink a glass of something with them; I went into an alehouse, and they asked about my going abroad, because they heard my father speak of it; I told them I was a going; I said I owed a little money and was going to settle it before I went. A shortish man, like a coachman, came into the company, and asked, if any body would buy a watch; I said, let me look at it. He asked a guinea and a half; I bid him 30 s. he said he was in distress; it was more than he could pawn it for, and he took it. As I was going past St. Giles's, three men run after me, and said, if I did not stop; they would knock me down; they took me to the Bear in Bow-street, and took the watch and other things from me. If I was the person, it is remarkable none of the three people know me; it is very improbable that I should strike a man with such a hammer. While I was in New Prison a man came and shook hands with me, and asked if I was not the man that bought a watch at St. Giles's; I said I was; he said he was sorry for me, knowing the justness of my cause, and if he could do any thing for me he would; he could not attend here, because, I believe, he was going out of town; he appeared before Sir <rs type="persName" id="t17720715-40-person347"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-person347" type="role" value=""></interp>
John Fielding <interp inst="t17720715-40-person347" type="surname" value="Fielding"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person347" type="given" value="John"></interp>
<interp inst="t17720715-40-person347" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
with me, who readily gave me another examination, but<xptr type="pageFacsimile" doc="177207150027"></xptr>
said he could not discharge me, because the prosecutors were bound over.</p>
<p> <rs id="t17720715-40-verdict205" type="verdictDescription"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-verdict205" type="verdictCategory" value="guilty"></interp>
Guilty </rs>
. <rs id="t17720715-40-punish206" type="punishmentDescription"> <interp inst="t17720715-40-punish206" type="punishmentCategory" value="death"></interp>
<join result="defendantPunishment" targOrder="Y" targets="t17720715-40-defend336 t17720715-40-punish206"></join>
Death </rs>
.</p>
<p>See him tried No. 487, for a highway robbery last sessions.</p>
</div1>

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