- Trial Transcript from The Old Bailey:
JAMES CORNISH, JAMES WELCH, JANE WELCH , and ELIZABETH LOVELL , burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of John Pitman, and stealing 1 cream-jug, 1 toast-rack, 24 forks, 24 knives, 18 spoons, and other articles, value 14l. 6s.; his goods: and 1 coat, and 1 case of mathematical instruments, 2l. 13s.; the goods of Ebenezer Pitman; to which
CORNISH pleaded GUILTY . Aged 23.— Transported for Ten Years.
MR. PLATT conducted the Prosecution.
LYDIA OLDHAK . I am in the service of Mr. John Pitman, of 9, Grove-place, in the parish of St. John, Hackney. On the night of 14th Dec. the family went to bed at a quarter-past ten o'clock—before that I had seen that the house was secure—I came down next morning about half-past six, and found both the dining-room doors open, and the kitchen door also, and fastened back with a weight—I found the back kitchen window-bar down, and taken away—that window was shut the night before, and the bar up—I found some desks and boxes about the house, open, which were not so the night before—I found the front kitchen cupboard doors open, the drawers half open, and a tea-caddy open—I missed some knives and forks, a toast-rack, a silver milk-jug, n silver butter-knife, and four coats, from the hall, worth between 20l. and 30l.—the coats (produced) are my master's.
Cross-examined by MR. PAYNE. Q. How many persons live in the house? A. Ten; when I went to bed I left Mr. Ebenezer Pitman, who is here, and two young ladies up—it was half-past six o'clock exactly when I came down—there is a clock in the hall.
THOMAS KELLY (policeman, H 2). On Sunday, 15th Dec, in consequence of information, I went to No. 1, George-court, George-street, Spitalfields, with Green and Barnes—the door was open, and the prisoner Lovell admitted us into a room on the top-floor, and we found Cornish there in bed—I told him, in Lovell's presence, I suspected he had got stolen property, and that we were police—he said he had none—Lovell asked me to allow her to go out of the room as she was in her night-dress—I allowed her, followed her, and she made her escape—I came back to the room, and found this toast-rack broken up, and this silk twist (produced)—in consequence of something I heard there I afterwards went with Barnes to a court in Harriet-street—Barnes knocked at the shutter, and I heard a person inside say, "Who is there?"—I believe it was James Welch's voice—Barnes said, "It is me; Cornish is in custody," or "nailed, you must be up and be off"—some one, I believe Welch, then said, "Wait a moment till the door is open"—the door was then opened by Jane Welch, and I went in and found James Welch in bed on the floor—I told him, in the woman's presence, we were police-constables, and he must consider himself in custody, and I had come to search for property—he said, "What property?"—I said, "White-handled knives and forks"—he said, "I have got none"—Jane Welch asked me to allow her to dress herself as she was in her night-dress—I followed her into the passage leaving Barnes with James Welch, and when I came back Barnes produced some knives and forks, a life-preserver, and a great many things—I then took them both to the station, and on the way James Welch said he had bought the knives and forks that morning in Petticoat-lane, and as to the silver spoon he hoped he might be transported for life for he knew nothing of it—he said, "It is a regular sell"—the prisoner Lovell is the woman I found at Cornish's house.
Cross-examined. Q. You mean the woman who opened the door when you found Cornish in bed? A, Yes.
THOMAS GREEN (policeman, H 136). On Sunday night, the 15th, between nine and ten o'clock, I went with Kelly and Barnes, to 1, George-court, and found Lovell there, and also Cornish in bed—under the mattress of the bed I found this case of mathematical instruments (produced).
THOMAS BARNES (policeman, H 88). I went with Kelly and Green to Cornish's house—I found five knives and four forks in his room, and a coat which he said was his—in the table-drawer I found a German silver spoon, and a small book—after taking him to the station, we went to Welch's, and found James Welch in bed—in a box at the head of the bed, I found six knives, four forks, and a silver spoon, and between the bed and mattress I found a life-preserver—I also found a small screw-driver.
Cross-examined. Q. Are things sold in Petticoat-lane a good deal of a Sunday morning? A. Yes; there is a sort of open market there—they are chiefly Jews, and sell on Sundays.
WILLIAM TRIGGS (policeman, N 287). I produce a pair of boots, some blades of knives and forks, a boy's coat, a fork with a silver handle, and a large centre-bit (produced), which I picked up about seven o'clock
on Sunday morning, 15th Dec, in a garden about thirty yards from Mr. Pitman's.
THOMAS KELLY re-examined. I found this chisel (produced) on the table at Welch's house—I have compared it with the marks on this desk (produced), and find a dent in the chisel, it is not quite even, and that corresponds exactly with the mark—I have had the chisel in my possession ever since—there were six desks broken open, and they all appear to have been done in the same manner—this is the only one here.
Cross-examined. Q. When did you first make the comparison? A. This morning—the robbery was away from our division—we had nothing to do with it, but taking them into custody.
EBENEZER PITMAN . I reside with my father, Mr. John Pitman—one of those coats belongs to me, and the other is my brother's—this case of mathematical instruments is mine, and on the night in question was in my desk which was broken open—I was in the front kitchen about twelve o'clock that night, and left it quite safe—I did not go into the back kitchen—every one else had then gone to bed—I did not open any of the windows or drawers—the two young ladies had been gone up some time.
LYDIA OLDHAM re-examined. These knives and forks, and all this property is my master's, and was safe on the night in question—the spoon is marked, and the knives and forks have been rather worked—I used to clean them.
JANE WELCH, ELIZABETH LOVELL— NOT GUILTY .
JAMES WELCH— GUILTY . * Aged 21.— Transported for Ten Years.
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Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1828 - Yes, date unknown
