<div1 type="trialAccount" id="t17970920-59"> <interp inst="t17970920-59" type="collection" value="BAILEY"></interp>
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<join result="criminalCharge" id="t17970920-59-off309-c363" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-defend444 t17970920-59-off309 t17970920-59-verdict313"></join>
<p>542. <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-defend444"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-defend444" type="role" value="proceedingsdefend"></interp>
<rs id="t17970920-59-alias-2" type="alias"> <join result="nameAlias" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-defend444 t17970920-59-alias-2"></join>
RICHARD DAVID</rs>
CRUTCHER , otherwise <rs id="t17970920-59-alias-3" type="alias"> <join result="nameAlias" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-defend444 t17970920-59-alias-3"></join>
CROUCHER</rs>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-defend444" type="surname" value="CRUTCHER"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-defend444" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
, was indicted for <rs id="t17970920-59-off309" type="offenceDescription"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-off309" type="offenceCategory" value="theft"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-off309" type="offenceSubcategory" value="grandLarceny"></interp>
feloniously stealing, on the <rs id="t17970920-59-cd310" type="crimeDate">23d of August</rs>
<join result="offenceCrimeDate" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-off309 t17970920-59-cd310"></join>
, a pair of half boots, value 12s. </rs>
the property of <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-victim447"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-victim447" type="role" value="proceedingsvictim"></interp>
Noah Meadows <interp inst="t17970920-59-victim447" type="surname" value="Meadows"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-victim447" type="given" value="Noah"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-victim447" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
<join result="offenceVictim" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-off309 t17970920-59-victim447"></join>
</rs>
.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-person448"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-person448" type="role" value=""></interp>
NOAH MEADOWS <interp inst="t17970920-59-person448" type="surname" value="MEADOWS"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person448" type="given" value="NOAH"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person448" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
sworn. - I am a <rs id="t17970920-59-viclabel311" type="occupation">boot and shoe-maker</rs>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-viclabel311" type="occupation" value="boot and shoe-maker"></interp>
<join result="persNameOccupation" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-victim447 t17970920-59-viclabel311"></join>
, <rs type="placeName" id="t17970920-59-crimeloc312">No. 15, St. Martin's-le-grand</rs>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-crimeloc312" type="placeName" value="No. 15, St. Martin's-le-grand"></interp>
<join result="offencePlace" targOrder="Y" targets="t17970920-59-off309 t17970920-59-crimeloc312"></join>
: On the 23d of August, the prisoner came into my shop, about nine o'clock at night, for a pair of boots, and<xptr type="pageFacsimile" doc="179709200061"></xptr>
I shewed him some half boots; he said, he wanted whole boots; I shewed him a pair of whole boots, they were too little; I told him, I would make him a pair; he replied, that he could not wait for that, he was going out of town at six o'clock in the morning; I told him, if he would wait a little while, I would fetch him some more in; I desired one of my men to wait in the shop; I likewise called my sister up to watch too; during that time the prisoner sat right opposite the shop-door; I went out for some more boots, and when I returned back, he was run out, and there was nobody in the shop but my sister; my apprentice was gone after him.</p>
<p>Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. Had you ever seen this gentleman before? - A. No.</p>
<p>Q. You did not know his family, or what his behaviour in life had been before this? - A. No; he was an entire stranger to me.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-person449"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-person449" type="role" value=""></interp>
SAMUEL MEADOWS <interp inst="t17970920-59-person449" type="surname" value="MEADOWS"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person449" type="given" value="SAMUEL"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person449" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
sworn. - I am nephew and apprentice to the last witness; I was out on an errand about nine o'clock, and when I came in, the prisoner was in the shop; I gave a man out some work, and discharged him; the prisoner moved his chair from the front of the door to the side of the shop, where the boots hung; he sat one or two minutes, and then he got up, and said, he could not stop any longer; then he went out directly; my aunt sent me out after him; I saw him turn down King's-head-court, I overtook him just before he got to the bottom; I said, sir, come back; and I got before him; I saw the boots in his hands, and I holloaed, stop thief; he ran away, and here is the man that took him; I never lost fight of him but while he turned the corners; we brought him back to the shop.</p>
<p>Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. Was he walking or running, when you first overtook him? - A. He was running.</p>
<p>Q. Was he dressed like a gentleman, as he is now? - A. Yes; but he had a blue coat on then, with his hair powdered.</p>
<p>Q. You did not know any thing of this gentleman or his connections before? - A. No.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-person450"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-person450" type="role" value=""></interp>
WILLIAM HAWKES <interp inst="t17970920-59-person450" type="surname" value="HAWKES"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person450" type="given" value="WILLIAM"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person450" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
sworn. - I am a porter at the Bull-and-Mouth-Inn: On the 23d of August, coming along St. Martin's-le-grand, about a quarter past nine o'clock, I heard the cry of stop thief; I saw the prisoner running up the court, but seeing him so much of a gentleman, I let him pass, till the last witness came up, and said, that man in the blue coat has stole a pair of boots from our shop, and then I ran after him, and brought him back to Mr. Meadows's; he wanted very much to take Mr. Meadows aside into a private room; Mr. Meadows refused, and said, if he had any thing to say, he must say it there before the people; he told them he had not stole the boots, but if he would let him go, he would pay him for them; a constable was sent for, and he was taken to the watchhouse.</p>
<p>Cross-examined by Mr. Knowlys. Q. You had never seen this gentleman before? - A. No.</p>
<p>Q.Therefore you knew nothing of his family or connections? - A. No. (The boots were produced by the constable, and deposed to by the prosecutor).</p>
<p>For the Prisoner.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-person451"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-person451" type="role" value=""></interp>
JOHN WOODCOCK <interp inst="t17970920-59-person451" type="surname" value="WOODCOCK"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person451" type="given" value="JOHN"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person451" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. - I live in Manchester-buildings, near Westminster-bridge; I am a musician at the Theatre-Royal; I have known the gentleman at the bar twenty years.</p>
<p>Q. Is he a man in a decent situation of life? - A.Very respectable indeed.</p>
<p>Q. He has a wife, and daughters grown up? - A. Yes.</p>
<p>Q. What character has be home among his neighbours, for honesty and integrity? - A. He always bore the character of an honest man; I have been very intimate in the family.</p>
<p>Q. Have you any reason to know whether this gentleman has at all times enjoyed his intellects in perfection? - A. I think, from some circumstances, for five or six years past, he has not been collected or in his mind.</p>
<p>Q. Was he in any situation of necessity, that should induce him to take any little articles of this fort? - A. Very much to the contrary; he has been away from his family for a week or ten days, and more, at a time, suddenly, and perfectly unaccountable to his family.</p>
<p>Q. Was he, when he had his intellects completely, an attentive husband and master of a family? - A. Yes.</p>
<p>Court. Q. What is he? - A. He has lived at Leominster in a very extensive way.</p>
<p>Court. Q. How does he live now? - A.Upon his fortune; he lived at Leominster as a shopkeeper fourteen or fifteen years.</p>
<p>Court. Q. What instances of his derangement have you known? - A. I think his taking five or six shillings worth of money out of his till, and throwing it among the multitude, is a proof of derangement; and taking these boots, when he had guineas in his pocket, and dismissing, for five months together, a favourite daughter from his own house, for no cause upon earth.</p>
<p>Court. Q. What cause did he assign for dismissing his daughter? - A.None at all; I never asked him the question; for he was so irritable in his disposition, that it was rather dangerous to enter into a detail upon his family concerns.</p>
<p>Q. What age is his daughter? - A. The eldest about twenty, and the other turned of seventeen;<xptr type="pageFacsimile" doc="179709200062"></xptr>
no girls, I believe, were ever better educated; they have had a very liberal education.</p>
<p>STEPHEN INSOLK sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. I was house-steward to Lord Bateman, at the time I was acquainted with Mr. Croucher; I have now property of my own, and live upon my fortune; I have known the gentleman at the bar about seven years.</p>
<p>Q.What has been his character for honesty and integrity? - A. He was a man of strict honesty and integrity.</p>
<p>Q. Have you observed any marks of derangement in him? - A. Not so much in London as in the country, when I was with my Lord Bateman; I have been given to understand from Mrs. Croucher, that he is at times deranged; and from what has passed in the country at different times, and what my friends have communicated to me respecting him, I have reason to believe he is so.</p>
<p>Q. Was he in that situation, with respect to circumstances, that he was in want of eighteen or twenty guineas? - A.Certainly not.</p>
<p>Q. Do you know what was the state of the moon on the 23d of August? - A. No.</p>
<p>Mr. Knowlys. It appears, from the almanack, that there was a new moon the day before.</p>
<p>SAMPSON HODGKINSON sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. I am a druggist, on Snow-hill, near Holborn-bridge; I have known the gentleman at the bar since the beginning of the year 1786; I have not known him so well since the year 1790; at that time I always considered him as a man of probity and honesty.</p>
<p> <rs type="persName" id="t17970920-59-person452"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-person452" type="role" value=""></interp>
JOHN HAWTHORNE <interp inst="t17970920-59-person452" type="surname" value="HAWTHORNE"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person452" type="given" value="JOHN"></interp>
<interp inst="t17970920-59-person452" type="gender" value="male"></interp>
</rs>
sworn. - Examined by Mr. Knowlys. I am collector for the stewards of the Sons of the Clergy, and several other public charities; I have known the gentleman at the bar twenty-two years; he is perfectly honest, and of perfect integrity.</p>
<p>Q. Have you had any reason to know the state of his intellects for the last four or five years? - A. Yes; he has threatened to buy a pair of pistols, insisting that I should fire at him, or he would fire at me, for no reason upon earth; and his wife has been obliged to swear the peace against him.</p>
<p>Q. Had you ever any quarrel or cause of animosity with each other? - A.Never.</p>
<p>Q. In the general course of his life, has he been an affectionate husband, and a tender father? - A. Yes, he has.</p>
<p>Q. From your observation of him, do you believe that he was occasionally deranged, or not? - A.Certainly.</p>
<p>Q.Except upon those occasions, is he a man whose conduct and general character has gained your esteem or not? - A.It has.</p>
<p>Court. Q. His wife has swore the peace against him? - A. Yes.</p>
<p>Q. Do you mean to say, that they were an affectionate couple before that? - A. He has been in this kind of way for these two or three years past, jumping suddenly up from his dinner, and going away.</p>
<p>Q. Was he given to drinking at all? - A. Yes, very much so; I have seen him very often in liquor, and look as wild as he could possibly look; in fact, he was not bearable when he had any liquor.</p>
<p>Q. Upon the whole of your observations of this man's conduct, do you believe him to be deranged in his mind? - A.Positively I do, at times; Some years ago, he collected rents for me of an estate that I have in Radnorshire; I was coming down Holborn, and met the waggoner; I asked him if he knew Mr. Croucher, and he said, what, mad Croucher!</p>
<p>Court. (To Hawkes.) Q. Was the prisoner searched when he was brought back? - A. Yes, by the constable.</p>
<p>Constable. I searched the prisoner, and found upon him about two or three shillings; I do not think he had more.</p>
<p>Q. Was he sober? - A. He looked just as he does now, rather wild.</p>
<p> <rs id="t17970920-59-verdict313" type="verdictDescription"> <interp inst="t17970920-59-verdict313" type="verdictCategory" value="notGuilty"></interp>
NOT GUILTY </rs>
.</p>
<p>Tried by the first Middlesex Jury, before Mr. COMMON SERJEANT.</p>
</div1>

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