- Transcript from The Old Bailey:
JOHN BRYANT, CHARLES PAYNE , and FREDERICK FARDELL , robbery on Francis Barker,, and stealing 1 watch, value 6l.; his goods.
MR. METCALFK conducted the Prosecution.
FRANCIS BARKER . I am a clerk On 28th May, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, I was passing along Waterloo-road, by the end of Granby-street—I saw a crowd, and some persons engaged in, what appeared to me to be, a sham fight—Bryant was one of the men; I do not know the other; it was not one of the other prisoners—I stood for a few minutes looking, and Bryant came to me, and said, "You see how he is using me"—two other men came to me, one on each side, and they held me, and Bryant came in front of me, and took my watch out of my waistcoat-pocket; it was attached to a guard; he unscrewed the swivel, and took the watch away—that was all done while the other men were holding me—there were other persons round me—I did not see either of the other prisoners—when Bryant took the watch, he walked sway two or three yards—the men who had held me let me go, and I followed Bryant down Granby-street for two or three yards; he turned round, and when he turned again, I saw the policeman—I had not lost sight of Bryant; I gave him into custody, charged him with stealing the watch—the policeman took him to the station—in going along the policeman was knocked down—I did not see either of the other two prisoners there—my watch was silver—I have not got it again—I saw it in Bryant's hand.
Cross-examined by MR. O'BRIEN. Q. Did you call to any one that he had got your watch? A. No; I spoke to a person—there might have been twenty or thirty persons round—Bryant did not mingle with the crowd at all—I know a woman named Watkins, as being a witness—I only knew her on the same day as the robbery was committed—I had been to her house—I cannot say when I had occasion to look at my watch—I have the guard of the watch now; I wore the watch in my waistcoat-pocket—I did not feel Bryant take the watch out; I saw him unscrew it from the swivel, and he put the chain back in my pocket—I had been at Watkin's house for about twenty minutes, or half an hour; I had had something to drink in the house—I was not turned out of the house, I went out myself—I had left that house at 11 o'clock in the morning, and it was about 3 when I was passing down Waterloo-road—I had had something to drink at Wands worth, after I left the house.
WILLIAM RATTER (policeman, L 173). On 28th May, I was coming down Granby-street, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I saw a mob, and
the prosecutor gave Bryant into my custody, and charged him with stealing his watch—Bryant said he had not got the watch, and knew nothing of it—as I was going to the station, I was thrown down by Adams—before I wag thrown down, I saw Fardell beckon to Adams—that was in Grove-place—Adams came up and stopped me, and the mob surrounded me—Adams threw me down; I still kept hold of Bryant, and when I got up, I saw Fardell and Payne at the back of Bryant; they had hold of him by the hand or the coat, they were close to him—I took Bryant to the station, the others went away.
Cross-examined. Q. How far is Grove-place from Granby-street? A. Thirty yards—I had seen Fardell and Payne before in Granby-street—I dare say there were forty persons there; I knew several of them by sight—I saw Fardell and Payne when I first got into Granby-street; they were then within three or four yards of Bryant—they then walked on.
ELIZA WATKINS . I live in Cornwall-road. I had seen the prosecutor at my house before this transaction—About 3 o'clock that afternoon I saw a mob in Granby-street—there was a sham fight going on with Bryant and another man—I got up there, and I saw Fardell and Payne—the prosecutor was near the end of Granby-street, in Waterloo-road—he was with Bryant—I did not see the other prisoners after the fight—I saw Bryant walk away, followed by the prosecutor, who gave him in charge—before the officer came up, Bryant had his hand in his bosom—after the officer took Bryant, I saw Fardell walk by Bryant's side—I saw Adams throw the officer down.
Cross-examined. Q. Where was the policeman then? A. At the corner of St. Andrew's-terrace—there were three or four dozen persons—the sham fight had been going on three or four minutes before I saw Barker—then the other man went in a sham fit; he pretended to be very drunk, but he was not—I went up to the prosecutor when he was following Bryant; I asked the prosecutor what was the matter—he told me he had lost his watch; that he had lost his watch in the crowd—many of the crowd followed Bryant to the station.
MR. METCALFE. Q. Where was it the prosecutor told you he lost hit watch? A. He was then following Bryant—it was about two) minutes before Bryant was taken.
SARAH OLDHAM . I am the wife of John Oldham, we live at 5, Grove-place. Last Wednesday three weeks, I saw the policeman with Bryant in custody—Adams came up, and threw the policeman down—I saw Fardell and Payne behind Bryant, and Bryant took something from his bosom, and passed his hand behind—their hands were all in motion—I did not see what became of it; but I heard Fardell say to Adams, "Is it right?" and he said, "A watch"—and he said either "Safe and gone," or "Passed and gone"—some woman then pulled Adams into a house.
Cross-examined. Q. What is your husband? A. He was stoker in the Phoenix Gas Works for fifteen years; he is now out of employ—I was in the middle of the crowd, inside the mob that was round the prosecutor—the policeman had hold of Bryant; I will swear he bad him in custody—I did not know the other two prisoners nor Adams before—I cannot say how far the policeman had taken Bryant before he was knocked down; I saw him before he was knocked down—I came out because I had one of my children out with a baby—it was Adams who said, "It is a watch"—their hands were all in motion—the policeman was down at the time.
BRYANT— GUILTY .* Aged 28.— Transported for Ten Years.
PAYNE and FARDELL— NOT GUILTY .
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Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1827 - Yes, date unknown
