| Sources |
- [S281] Web: London, England, Proceedings of the Old Bailey and Ordinary's Accounts Index, 1674-1913.
184. JOHN COLLINS, DANIEL COLLINS, JOHN CONOLLY , and JOHN RAGAN , stealing 1 purse, value 6d., and 18 sovereigns, the property of James Little, from his person; Conolly having been before convicted.
MR. CLARKSON conducted the Prosecution.
JAMES LITTLE . I am a seaman, and was paid off at Sheerness on 7th Nov.—I received 27l. for about three years' service—I arrived at London-bridge about two o'clock, on 8th Nov., by steam-boat—I then had 19l. in gold and some silver in my pocket, in a green silk purse, with two bright steel rings on it—Vallance rowed me over to Tooley-street, and two of my shipmates—he took my bag to the Roacbuck, and went with them to the railway—he returned, and we had a pot of beer and half a pint of rum between us in the tap-room—I left my bag of clothes at the bar, and left the Roebuck—I had changed a sovereign at the bar to pay for the drink I had, and then had eighteen sovereigns left—I put the purse in my breast, between my two Ciurnsey shirts—I had engaged a bed at the Roebuck—I was not there more than an nour and a half—I went out with Vallancc—he wished me to go home with him—we went to the Horse and Cart public-house, in Tooley-street, and had some more beer—I walked with him to Parish-street—I parted with him in the street, and turned to go back to the Roebuck—I went into a shop in Tooley street and boughtt some bread and meat—John Collins and Conolly came up—Conully said, "Old follow, you shall not be lost; my mother keeps
beds, and you shall come along with me, and shall have a good bed, and shall not bo lost; you shall not be astray"—I went with them into a public-house in Tooley-street—we had the bread and meat, and I gave them plenty of beer, and some gin afterwards—I was going away—Conolly said, "You shall not go yet, I (or we) will stand a pot of beer"—a pot of half-and-half was called tor—it was placed on the table—one of them said to me, "Get up, old fellow, and drink hearty before we go"—I got up and took a hearty draught from the pot—neither of them drank any—in a little time Conolly said, "Come, drink, and let us go"—I took hold of the pot a second time, and saw that the beer was not like what I had seen, it was somewhat like milk, but I took another draught—I called a cab, and we all drove home to go to Conolly's mother's—I felt my money safe in the cab—I was driven to any place they thought proper—we got out of the cab, and I began to feel myself rather dead—we stopped at the Anti-Gallican, went in, and had some more beer—they helped me out of the cab, because I felt myself too far gone—one of them sat on each side of me; and while we sat there drinking some beer, it overcame me altogether, and I went to sleep—there was no one but those two drinking with me—we had nothing but beer there—en the following morning I found myself lying in a nasty, dirty, wet alley, my clothes unbuttoned, my pockets turned, my purse and everything gone—I had some loose money, as well as that in the purse, and a tobacco-box.
Cross-examined by MR. METCALFE. Q. What time did you get to the Roebuck? A. Between four and five o'clock in the afternoon—it was not much after six when I left—I was not very drunk while I was in the prisoners' company—I did not see the beer poured out which they told me to drink hearty of—it was brought in by some servant.
JURY. Q. Did either of the prisoners handle the pot before you drank? A. No—I do not know whether they had any opportunity of putting anything in—I did not see either of them go out to order it.
NORAH ARNETT . I am an unfortunate girl, and live in Unicorn-square, Southwark. On the night of 8th Nov., about eight o'clock, I went into the Anti-Gallican, and saw the four prisoners, and several others—I saw-Little and Campbell sitting, drinking, in the same box with the prisoners—they had a pot of half-and-half when I went in—it was full—they had emptied one—they called for another—Little pulled out a purse from inside his breast, and paid 6d.—he was a little the worse for liquor—he retained the purse in his hand—I did not see him return it to his breast—he took out some half-pence, and paid for the half-and-half—the prisoners all went out in a very few minutes—I knew them all, using the house—Campbell and Little remained, finishing the half-and-half—there were some more young men in the place, but not in the same box—Little called some of them to have some of the half-and-half—he was then the worse for liquor.
Cross-examined. Q. You did not see the purse leave his hand? A. No—lie-. at with his side to me—I am not mistaken in Conolly; I knew them all.
THOMAS VALLANCE . I am a waterman, of Pear-street, Horsleydown. On Sth Nov. I rowed Little from a steamboat at London-bridge over to the Tooley-street side—he inquired of me for a lodging—it was then a quarter-past two o'clock—he had two petty-officers belonging to a man-of-war with him—I took him to the railway—he waited at the foot of London-bridge, and I took him to the Roebuck—he paid me for my job, and stood a drop of something to drink—I offered to take him home to tea—we went down Today-street, to Belt's houie, and Lad two pots of half-and-half; then we
went to the King of Prussia; we had nothing there—lie declined to go home with me to tea, but said he would go back to where Ins bag was—I was to be there in the morning to take him to the railway—next morning I found him King at the Rucbuek, in a basket of cinders, almost dead—he never awoke till lour o'clock in the after noon—I could not beat any senses into him—he had only got me, that was in his right pocket.
ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL . I lodged at earns lodging-house, Vine-yard, Tooley-street. On 8th Nov., between six and stun o'clock, I saw Daniel Collins—he came our to me of Events miss, and and, Come and have a drop of beer"—I said I did not mind—we went to the Anti-Gallican, and saw Little, in a box in the tap-room, with Conolly on one side, and John Collins on the other—in a few minutes Daniel Collins went over to the box where Little was, sat down, and joined the rest—in a few minutes Ragan came in—he stood a listle at the side of the box, about ten minutes, and then sat down in the same box with them—Daniel Collins asked some of the parties in the room to drink—he did not ask me—I did not drink with them, only when I went in—I saw Arnett come in—Little was every much intoxicated—Daniel Collins lifted a pot off the table where he sat—John Collins put his hand into Little's left-hand pocket, took it out, put it into his breast, pulled it out shut, and slid he had got the skin—Ragan then said, "Come and have a drop of gin, boys"—the four prisoners walked out, and a man whom they call Conolly Collins—I was not in it, I only saw it done—I remained in the, tap-room a few minutes—Little got up, felt himself all over, said, "My money is all gone!" and rapped on the table—I went out, and saw no more—on the Friday I saw Daniel Collins with a new jacket and a new pair of shoes—I did not speak to him, he was not near me; but in the evening I asked him where he got them—he said he pot a sovereign from his father, and vent and bought them—I said, "You got something out of that lot that was one last night, I suppose?"—he denied it—I sau him receive two half-crowns rom a woman that night.
Cross-examined. Q. What time did you go into the Anti-Gallican? A. Between six and seven o'clock—I stayed about half an hour—I afterwards went home and went to bed—I came from home to the Anti-Gallican—I had only drunk one drop—a pot was handed to me by a party in the room when I went in—I am sure I did not go into this box at all—I saw Arnett standing at the table—that table was opposite to me—it goes right across the. room from the door—it was the same table—I sat opposite, and saw all about it—she was a considerable distance from them all the time, and I was further off than she was—I saw Little pull some money out of his left pocket to pay for liquor—I did not see him pull his purse out—that might be half an hour before the prisoners left—it was before I saw John Collins put his hand into his pocket—they left about a minute or so after that—Arnett did not go with them, she remained in the room when they went out—there was no one left in the room but me and Little—Arnett went out after them—I am a sailor—it is three months since I was at sea—I live close by the Anti-Gallican.
Conolly A man snatched 3d. out of your hand for a lark; you said, "If you do not give me that 3d. it will be the worse for you," and fetched in a policeman and had me taken. Witness. Nobody took any money from me—I gave information about this job, and of course the policeman took you—I did not offer to put 2d. to your 2d. for a pot of porter—I was never in your company that evening—Arnett's—husband had nothing to do with me that evening.
ELIZABATH BUCKMASTER . My husband keeps the Roebuck in Tooley-street—I remember Little and Vallance coming—they had drink—Little paid for it out of a green purse, rather bulky, which he kept in his breast pocket—he changed a sovereign—I did not see him leave.
JOSHUA GOLDEN (policrnian, M 87). On 8th Nov., between five and six o'clock, I was on duty in Tooley-street, and saw Vallance part with Little at the corner of Parish-street—Little went into a cheesemonger's shop—John Collins was standing opposite watching him—he saw me watching him, joined another man, and both went into the Anti-Gallican—I spoke to two of my sergeants, and while doing so saw Little leave the shop—I heard of the robbery that evening—on the Friday night Campbell gave me information, and I took John Collins.
Cross-examined. Q. In what state was Little?A. He had been drinking but was quite conscious of what he was doing—he walked quite erect—he bought some meat in the shop—the man who Collins joined was Ringrose, who is not in custody—other people were in the street, but I saw no one standing looking but Collins.
HENRY HUNT (policeman, M 82). On 12th Nov. I took Daniel Collins, in Tooley-street—I told him it was for being concerned with his brother, who was remanded—he said what his brother had done was nothing to do with him—in going to the station I said, "You have been buying some new clothes"—he said, "What new clothes?—I said, "A jacket and a pair of boots"—he said, "This jacket I have had three months, and can't a fellow afford to buy a pair of boots out of 1l. a week?"—it was not a new jacket, but different to what I had been in the habit of seeing him in—he asked where his brother was—I said I believed he was at Horsemonger-lane—he said, "I have not seen him this fortnight."
CATHERINE HOLT . I am the wife of William Holt, who keeps the Colonel Wardell, in Tooley-street. On 8th Nov., about twelve o'clock, as we were clearing the house Conolly came and got change of a sovereign from me—about twenty minutes before that, I found a drunken sailor by my door quite insensible—two constables had him—I took him into my house and gave him such lodgings as I could—it turned out to be Little—a policeman searched him—I saw nothing found but a few papers and a piece of whipcord—he went asleep on the form—he went away in the morning before I was down—he was so drunk I could make nothing of him.
JOHN WEBB . I keep a lodging-house in Pump-court, Vine-yard, opposite the Anti-Gallican. On 8th Nov., between ten and eleven o'clock at night, a sailor was brought to my place by John and Daniel Collins—his head was down—I could not see his features—he appeared very drunk, and I refused to take him in—next day I went with Daniel Collins to buy a pair of shoes—he paid 6s. 6d. for them, and bought a jacket for 4s. 6d.
John Collins. Q. Did not Campbell help to take the man away?A. Yes, he came with them and went away with them—I said that before the Magistrate.
ARCHIBALD CAMPBELL re-examined. I only went outside the door the same as Webb did himself—I was there when the party came in—I live there.
MR. METCALFE to JOHN WEBB. Q. Did Campbell live in the house? A. Occasionally—Conolly lodged there—Campbell was away at the Anti-Gallican with them and came back with them.
GEORGE WALKER JUDGE (Thames police-inspector). I produce a certificate
of Conolly's conviction—I was present at his trial—he is the person mentioned in it—(read—Convicted Nov. 1843, and confined one month).
JOHN COLLINS— GUILTY . Aged 22.
DANIEL COLLINS— GUILTY . Aged 19.
CONOLLY— GUILTY . Aged 23.
RAGAN— GUILTY . Aged 23.
Transported for Ten Years.
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Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1826 - Yes, date unknown
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