Old Bailey Transcript:
HENRY WILLIAM STORY and WALTER PALMER , stealing 5 spoons, and 1 fork, value 3l.; the goods of Harriet Magnay. MR. COOPER conducted the Prosecution.
GEORGE BUCKTHORPE I am servant to Mrs. Harriet Magnay, of 67, Oxford-terrace. On Wednesday, 31st Jan., I carried the lunch to the dining-room at one o'clock—I carried on the tray four table spoons, four forks, two dessert spoons, a butter knife, and two salt spoons, all silver—at a little before two I went to dress, and while dressing I heard the street-door bell ring at about a quarter before two—I did not attend to it, Ann Grey the lady's maid did—that was the only bell that rung between one and two—it was my duty to attend to the door, except on particular occasions—at a little before two I went into the dining-room, and missed from the tray four table spoons, one dessert spoon, and a fork—the dining-room door is about six yards from the street-door, on the righthand side of the hall—I have not seen any of the things since.
ANN GRAY I am lady's maid to Mrs. Magnay. On Wednesday, 31s., Jan., at a quarter before two o'clock, I heard the street-door bell ring—it was the duty of Buckthorpe to attend the door, but on that occasion he was dressing, and I went, and the prisoner Palmer entered—I am certain he is the man—he gave me this letter (produced)—he said it was for Mrs. Magnay, and he would wait for an answer—I asked him to sit down in the hall—I did not stay to see him sit down—I took the letter up-stairs, and gave it to Mrs. Magnay—I came down again in about fire minutes—he was then gone, and the front door was left open—he was dressed in a jacket and a cap—it is pretty light in our hall.
Cross-examined by MR. BALLANTINZ Q. Did you look at him very attentively? A. I looked at him, and be looked at me—it was bnt a momentary glance, but I knew him again—I can swear to him—he has rather prominent features—I cannot say what sort of a cap he had on—it had no peak to it—he had a fustian jacket, I am sure it was not dark cloth—he looked to me like a helper in a stable—he was not at all dressed as he is now—I have said before that I was sure he was the man—I identified him as the man—I said that to all appearance he was the man—I believed it to be him—this is all I will say now—I saw him again at the police-court, and he put the cap on there when he was told to do so.
Storey. Q. Are you quite positive that I am not the man that brought the letter? A. I have no recollection of you—I never saw you before I was at the office.
WILLIAM SMITH (City-policeman, 244). I went to George-court, Fox-court, Gray's-inn, on 3d Feb., to apprehend Palmer—he resides at No. 1, there, and I have since heard he owns some houses there—he was up-stairs—I found in his house a pistol, a life-preserver, a watch, a round fustian jacket such as is used by persons in stables, and a cap—they were given up to the prisoner by the Magistrate's order.
Cross-examined. Q. Palmer was admitted to bail? A. He was: when I searched his house I found a woman who represented herself as his wife, and an elderly woman and a man and a woman were these—I took the fustian jacket from the second-floor—Mrs. Palmer said that that floor belonged to her and her husband—that was after he was taken into custody—when he was taken he had a dark coat on and a hat—I told him the charge—he said be knew nothing of it.
THOMAS HURDWICX (polke-sergeant, D 7). I produce a letter which I received from Mr. Hughes, the superintendent—I have also another letter—I
went to the station-house when the prisoners were apprehended—I showed Storey the letter which had been delivered to the servant, Ann Grey, and he said it was his.
Cross-examined. Q. Did he say who had delivered it? A. He did not—I did not ask him.
WILLIAM FISHER (policeman, G 127). I apprehended Storey—I told him I wanted him for a robbery in Oxford-terrace—he said, "Very well."
JOHN HUNT . I live at 6, George-court, Fox-court, in one of Mr. Palmer's houses—I know Storey—he lived in the same court, in one of Mr. Palmer's houses. On Wednesday, 31st Jan., I saw Storey in George-court—he asked me if I would go and have something to drink, and he said, "If you had been here just now you would have seen what I had"—I said, "What did you have?"—he said, "I had some plate not long ago"—he asked me to go and have a drop of gin, and I did, and he said, "I am off to get a sovereign to go to Kingston," and he went—I saw no more of him till next morning—I there said, "Where have you been?"—he said, "I have been sleeping at a coffee-shop over the water," and he said he sold the plate for 1l. 18s. 2d.—I afterwards received a letter from him—I do not know his writing, but I know it came from him because it came from Kingston, and he was gone there—I went to Kingston, when Mr. Palmer, my master, sent me there after Storey.
Cross-examined. Q. Had you known Storey before? A. Yes, he used to lodge in the second-floor in one of Mr. Palmer's houses—Mr. Palmer keeps eight houses—I collect the rent of six of them—I have not seen Storey in a fustian jacket; I have seen him in a cap, and in a light coat, a sort of jean—Mr. Palmer is a coach-painter by trade—it was between two and three o'clock on the Wednesday that Storey spoke to me about the plate—I gave information when my master was taken up, and this letter having come from Kingston I went there after Storey.
Storey. Did you hear anything of me? Witness. No, I did not. (The-letter delivered at Mrs. Magnay's was here read; it was signed "H. W. Storey," and solicited 2s. 6d., to purchase a pair of shoes.)
STOREY— GUILTY as an accessory. Aged 39.— Transported for Seven Years.
PALMER— NOT GUILTY
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Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1809 - Yes, date unknown
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