- EDWIN GATEHOUSE was again indicted for stealing 2 pairs of shoes, value 105.; and other goods, 1l. 15s.; the goods of James Towers, His master.
MR. SLEIGH conducted the Prosecution.
WILLIAM ROMAINE (police-sergeant, L 38). I went with Vine, during the last month, to a shoe-shop, 133, Lambeth-walk, kept by the prisoner—I made a search over the stock—Vine afterwards selected from that stock property which he stated was his roaster's—I have it here.
Cross-examined by MR. CARTER. Q. When you went to the house was the prisoner there? A. No, he was in custody—these shoes were in the shop, publicly exposed for sale—these boot-trees were found at the further end of the shop—the prisoner's wife and her mother were in charge of the shop—the prisoner did not live with his wife—he used to lock the place up at night, and go to sleep at the other house—his wife was locked in when I went.
JAMES TOWERS . I am a boot and shoemaker, and live in Tottenham Court-road. I have two shops in Whitecross-street—in Aug., 1846, I employed the prisoner in one shop—it was his duty to attend to it, and the (roods—he had the charge of the whole shop, and the property in it—I had in my other shop a shopman, named Vine—I discharged the prisoner on the 17th July—I cannot identify any of this property; a great many goods of this description are made by a person in Northamptonshire—these are the
same sort of goods that I sent the prisoner to sell in my shop—I have lost property—I was 65l. 5s. 2d. deficient in my stock.
Cross-examined. Q. Was the prisoner the only person who had change of the property in the shop? A. Yes, he had the whole power of disposing of the property; he had to dispose of it in the best manner he could for my interest—I understand he had opened another shop three months before, but I did not hear of it till three days before the 17th July—I took a person with me to take stock on the 17th July—I found the deficiency was 69l. 5s. 2d.—I made the charge against the prisoner on that day—I used to give him an account of what the stock ought to be, and he said it agreed—I have supplied him with stock every week, and he said it was correct—I supplied him with about 90l. worth of stock at the commencement—if I had the books here I could tell you—I only attended on those premises now and then, once in two or three weeks—he gave me an account every week of what goods he sold, and handed me over the money—on taking stock 1 told him he was so much short—I did not give him in charge.
HENRY VINE . I was shopman to Mr. Towers—tbe prisoner was also a shopman—he conducted the business of one shop, and I another—I went to the prisoner's shop, in Lambeth-walk, with the policeman—I found some property there, which I believe to be my master's—these two pairs of shoes I believe to be my master's, by their particular make and the private mark—this is not my mark—here is one pair that have my own private mark on them—I have seen them in my master's possession—this tree is my master's; we have the remaining portion of it, and the same with respect to this other piece of the tree, I found the whole of them in the prisoner's house.
Cross-examined. Q. Have you not yourself been charged with stealing some of the goods? A. No; nothing of the kind—these two shops were in the same street—we were in the habit of going to each other's shops, and obtaining what we required—one pair of these were in my possession at Whitecross-street—I identify them through their having been in my hands, and then going into the prisoner's hands—I found them on the prisoner's premises—I will swear I have not sold these shoes—they were manufactured in Northampton, but they have my mark on them, in my handwriting—the prisoner had these in exchange from me, for his master, they still remaining Mr. Tower's property—this is the mark, I am prepared to swear to it—these others I believe to be my master's—my belief is founded on the style of the shoes—they have no mark, the mark is scratched out—I went with the officer to the house in Lambeth-walk—there were no articles there for sale then—I found some of these in Piccadilly, and some at Lambeth-walk.
WILLIAM ROMAINE re-examined. Some of these were found in a court in Piccadilly—they were taken from Lambeth-walk there, in a van—I was present when they were removed—I could not swear that this is one pair that was removed, but there were a great many removed, and Vine was taken to Piccadilly to look at these.
DAVID LANGSTON . I am a butcher, and live at 135, Lambeth-walk. I let part of a shop to the prisoner, which he kept for selling shoes—there were a parcel of shoes in his shop, which were packed up, and taken away in a little van.
Cross-examined. Q. Who took the premises? A. The prisoner—he slept there four or five nights—his wife and his mother slept there, and a child—he has been in the occupation since May—I was present when these shoes were removed—I believe his wife directed them to be taken—he was then in custody on a charge of misdemeanor.
COURT. Q. Did he come every day to transact the business of the shop? A. Yes; he took the prominent part in the business—the boot-trees were selected from the further end of the shop, and the shoes from the stock in Piccadilly.
(Henry Chesland, a smith, and William Wesley, an agent for the Northampton boot and shoe manufactory, gave the prisoner a good character.)
GUILTY . Aged 30.— Transported for Seven Years .
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Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1818 - Yes, date unknown
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