| Name |
William SPELVIN |
| Birth |
Abt 1827 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Conviction |
19 Aug 1850 |
Old Bailey, Central Criminal Court, London, England, United Kingdom  |
| Horse Stealing and Sentenced to 10 Years Transportation |
- Transcript from The Old Bailey:
JAMES KNIGHT and WILLIAM SPLEVIN , stealing 1 gelding, price 20l., and 1 horse-collar, value 3s.; the property of Thomas Shirley: 2nd COUNT, charging Splevin with receiving.
MR. EWART conducted the Prosecution.
JOHN BARFOOT . I am ostler, in the employ of Thomas Shirley, a liverystable keeper, in Whitechapel-road. On 8th July, in the middle of the day, the prisoner Knight came to the yard with, this order—(read—"July 8th, 1850. Mr. Croft,—Sir,—Please send by bearer a horse for a chaise for C. Ruck and Son. W. Lucking")—Mr. Lucking is a customer, and is in the habit of having horses on hire—I gave the order to the foreman, and he gave it to the hackerman, and told him to let him have a horse—a halter and collar was to be given with it—I next saw the horse on the Thursday following, in the possession of Knock the officer—it was worth 20l.
RICHARD PLEDGER . I live with my father, a farmer, at Maiden. On 9th July, I saw the prisoners there—they offered a horse for sale—Splevin ran it to show its paces—they asked 10l. for it—my father said he would give them 5l.—they said that was too little—afterwards Splevin said he would take 8l., then he came to 7l., and at last he said he would take 5l.—we thought all was not right, so we sent them on about a mile and a half further, and said we would meet them there with the 5l. if it was all right—we gave information to the police, and gave the horse to him—there was a collar with it.
FRANCIS KNOCK . I am superintendent of the Essex constabulary. In consequence of information from Mr. Pledger, I apprehended the prisoners at Blatchenden, about four miles from Maiden, and charged them with stealing a horse—Knight gave his name as James Phillips, and said he had the horse to sell for a person of the name of Booker, a grocer, of Elizabeth-terrace, Tooting, Surrey—they both said so—I said I should go to London that night, or next morning, and ascertain whether that was true—about half an hour afterwards, they sent for me, and Knight said, "It is no use; it will only aggravate the case by telling this falsehood; we did not get the horse of Mr. Booker; we got it of Mr. Croft, of Whitechapel"—that Splevin wrote the order for it in the name of Ruck, signed, "Lucking"—Splevin was present when he said that—Mr. Pledger handed me over the horse, which I gave to Mr. Shirley—on searching the prisoners, I took a bottle from Knight, which contained morphia, and from Splevin I took a quantity of skeleton keys—when I took the morphia from Knight, he said, "I had this from Splevin; he
took it out of his pocket while riding the horse, because it hurt him"—I asked Splevin where he got it—he said he found it—he also said he found the keys which I took from him.
Splevin. I was not present when Knight made the statement; we were taken separately into a private room. Witness. They were both present, and quarrelled about it—Splevin denied what Knight asserted—they made the same statement on several other occasions.
WILLIAM LUCKING . I am a commercial traveller, in the employ of Ruck and Son, provision agents. I have been occasionally in the habit of bring horses at Croft's livery-stables—Knight was formerly in our employ as porter, and was discharged—this paper is not my writing—I did not authorise Knight to take that to Croft's to get a horse for me on 8th July—he had no authority to get a horse for me that day.
Knight. I had notice to leave, but had not left; I should have been at work that week. Witness. He did not come near the place to work as be ought to have done—I was on a journey at the time—he has been five or six months in the employ—I should think he would not have been taken without a character—I think he had previously been for a few months with a brother of Mr. Ruck—I never heard anything against him.
Knight's Defence. I had unfortunately been out with my fellow-prisoner on the Sunday evening, and we stayed out all night drinking; I ought to have been in business at eight o'clock in the morning, and it was past sine when I found myself asleep in the public-house; I was ashamed to go then, indeed I was not in a condition to go; I was going home, when I was told to stop, and take more drink, which I did: soon after, it was proposed that we should spend the day by taking a drive; and Splevin said if I knew where to get a horse, he knew where there was a nice cart and harness; I said I did not; he said, Did not my governors ever have a horse; I said yes, and told him where from; he wrote the order, and I went with it; he stood outside while I went in and got the horse, and we went away together; we could nut get the cart, and I wanted to take the horse back; Splevin said he would go on and sell the horse; he wanted to get away, and wanted a few pounds; I did not know what to do then, I was very anxious to take it back; he said he knew a party lower down who might lend us a cart, and when we got there he said it was no use going any further; we did not seem likely to get a cart; I was very much intoxicated; it was proposed to put the horse up for the night; after I went up to my bedroom, I found all my money gone from my pocket, about 7s.:1 asked Splevin about it, and he said he had taken it on purpose to keep me from going back; I told him I should go back, and, if possible, take the horse with me, for I was very much afraid we should be found out; I had no idea of committing anything wrong, or of, selling the horse; my idea was, if I used the order that I should not have to put down any deposit; I had only a few shillings in my pocket, and Splevin said I might go afterwards and pay for the horse as if I had come from my master; I am very sorry that through drink and persuasion I have committed myself as, I have done.
Splevin's Defence. I was given to understand that the horse was the property of a bankrupt residing at Tooting; I met Knight promiscuously, about four days before the transaction, and he represented to me that he had to sell it; we were together all Sunday night, and on the Monday morning he left me near Spitalfields Church, and went away, not telling me where he was going; he fetched the horse, and we went to Romford, but there being no fair there, I took him down to some friends in the country; he had but half-
a-crown in his pocket, and I had 6d. when I was searched; we did not sleep in a bed, we slept in the stable; the keys found on me were common keys, the others were not found in my possession.
RICHARD PLEDGER re-examined. Knight came to me first with the horse—it was Splevin that asked 10l. for it—he led the horse—Knight said, "The other young man has got a horse to sell," and that they were recommended by their cousin, whose name was Birchell.
Splevin. That is a cousin of mine residing there; I took it to him, as I was authorised to sell it by Knight, and he was to pay the expenses, and he referred me to this person.
Knight. That is a great falsehood.
KNIGHT— GUILTY . Aged 23.
SPLEVIN— GUILTY of receiving. Aged 23.
Transported for Ten Years.
- Role: Co-Defendant
|
| Conviction |
19 Aug 1850 |
Old Bailey, Central Criminal Court, London, England, United Kingdom |
| Receiving Stolen Goods and Sentenced to 10 Years Transportation, which was Later Communted to Imprisonment |
- Transcript from The Old Bailey:
JAMES KNIGHT and WILLIAM SPLEVIN , stealing 1 gelding, price 20l., and 1 horse-collar, value 3s.; the property of Thomas Shirley: 2nd COUNT, charging Splevin with receiving.
MR. EWART conducted the Prosecution.
JOHN BARFOOT . I am ostler, in the employ of Thomas Shirley, a liverystable keeper, in Whitechapel-road. On 8th July, in the middle of the day, the prisoner Knight came to the yard with, this order—(read—"July 8th, 1850. Mr. Croft,—Sir,—Please send by bearer a horse for a chaise for C. Ruck and Son. W. Lucking")—Mr. Lucking is a customer, and is in the habit of having horses on hire—I gave the order to the foreman, and he gave it to the hackerman, and told him to let him have a horse—a halter and collar was to be given with it—I next saw the horse on the Thursday following, in the possession of Knock the officer—it was worth 20l.
RICHARD PLEDGER . I live with my father, a farmer, at Maiden. On 9th July, I saw the prisoners there—they offered a horse for sale—Splevin ran it to show its paces—they asked 10l. for it—my father said he would give them 5l.—they said that was too little—afterwards Splevin said he would take 8l., then he came to 7l., and at last he said he would take 5l.—we thought all was not right, so we sent them on about a mile and a half further, and said we would meet them there with the 5l. if it was all right—we gave information to the police, and gave the horse to him—there was a collar with it.
FRANCIS KNOCK . I am superintendent of the Essex constabulary. In consequence of information from Mr. Pledger, I apprehended the prisoners at Blatchenden, about four miles from Maiden, and charged them with stealing a horse—Knight gave his name as James Phillips, and said he had the horse to sell for a person of the name of Booker, a grocer, of Elizabeth-terrace, Tooting, Surrey—they both said so—I said I should go to London that night, or next morning, and ascertain whether that was true—about half an hour afterwards, they sent for me, and Knight said, "It is no use; it will only aggravate the case by telling this falsehood; we did not get the horse of Mr. Booker; we got it of Mr. Croft, of Whitechapel"—that Splevin wrote the order for it in the name of Ruck, signed, "Lucking"—Splevin was present when he said that—Mr. Pledger handed me over the horse, which I gave to Mr. Shirley—on searching the prisoners, I took a bottle from Knight, which contained morphia, and from Splevin I took a quantity of skeleton keys—when I took the morphia from Knight, he said, "I had this from Splevin; he
took it out of his pocket while riding the horse, because it hurt him"—I asked Splevin where he got it—he said he found it—he also said he found the keys which I took from him.
Splevin. I was not present when Knight made the statement; we were taken separately into a private room. Witness. They were both present, and quarrelled about it—Splevin denied what Knight asserted—they made the same statement on several other occasions.
WILLIAM LUCKING . I am a commercial traveller, in the employ of Ruck and Son, provision agents. I have been occasionally in the habit of bring horses at Croft's livery-stables—Knight was formerly in our employ as porter, and was discharged—this paper is not my writing—I did not authorise Knight to take that to Croft's to get a horse for me on 8th July—he had no authority to get a horse for me that day.
Knight. I had notice to leave, but had not left; I should have been at work that week. Witness. He did not come near the place to work as be ought to have done—I was on a journey at the time—he has been five or six months in the employ—I should think he would not have been taken without a character—I think he had previously been for a few months with a brother of Mr. Ruck—I never heard anything against him.
Knight's Defence. I had unfortunately been out with my fellow-prisoner on the Sunday evening, and we stayed out all night drinking; I ought to have been in business at eight o'clock in the morning, and it was past sine when I found myself asleep in the public-house; I was ashamed to go then, indeed I was not in a condition to go; I was going home, when I was told to stop, and take more drink, which I did: soon after, it was proposed that we should spend the day by taking a drive; and Splevin said if I knew where to get a horse, he knew where there was a nice cart and harness; I said I did not; he said, Did not my governors ever have a horse; I said yes, and told him where from; he wrote the order, and I went with it; he stood outside while I went in and got the horse, and we went away together; we could nut get the cart, and I wanted to take the horse back; Splevin said he would go on and sell the horse; he wanted to get away, and wanted a few pounds; I did not know what to do then, I was very anxious to take it back; he said he knew a party lower down who might lend us a cart, and when we got there he said it was no use going any further; we did not seem likely to get a cart; I was very much intoxicated; it was proposed to put the horse up for the night; after I went up to my bedroom, I found all my money gone from my pocket, about 7s.:1 asked Splevin about it, and he said he had taken it on purpose to keep me from going back; I told him I should go back, and, if possible, take the horse with me, for I was very much afraid we should be found out; I had no idea of committing anything wrong, or of, selling the horse; my idea was, if I used the order that I should not have to put down any deposit; I had only a few shillings in my pocket, and Splevin said I might go afterwards and pay for the horse as if I had come from my master; I am very sorry that through drink and persuasion I have committed myself as, I have done.
Splevin's Defence. I was given to understand that the horse was the property of a bankrupt residing at Tooting; I met Knight promiscuously, about four days before the transaction, and he represented to me that he had to sell it; we were together all Sunday night, and on the Monday morning he left me near Spitalfields Church, and went away, not telling me where he was going; he fetched the horse, and we went to Romford, but there being no fair there, I took him down to some friends in the country; he had but half-
a-crown in his pocket, and I had 6d. when I was searched; we did not sleep in a bed, we slept in the stable; the keys found on me were common keys, the others were not found in my possession.
RICHARD PLEDGER re-examined. Knight came to me first with the horse—it was Splevin that asked 10l. for it—he led the horse—Knight said, "The other young man has got a horse to sell," and that they were recommended by their cousin, whose name was Birchell.
Splevin. That is a cousin of mine residing there; I took it to him, as I was authorised to sell it by Knight, and he was to pay the expenses, and he referred me to this person.
Knight. That is a great falsehood.
KNIGHT— GUILTY . Aged 23.
SPLEVIN— GUILTY of receiving. Aged 23.
Transported for Ten Years.
|
| Death |
Yes, date unknown |
| Person ID |
I2269 |
Australian Convict Ship Project |
| Last Modified |
8 Dec 2024 |
Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1827 - Yes, date unknown
