The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-08-26 00:00:00

OXFORD CIRCUIT.

MONMOUTH ASSIZES, AVOUIT 24.
Myhre Mr. Jurike Pan'.
EXTENSIVE HOICSE-STEALING. ••• • '
nears MotArles, a must respectable-looking young man, aged
24, was indicted for stealing a pony, the property of Thema Price.
Mr. I:. Pit t v.v.' rs stated the case. and called
Thomas Price, rho stated that he was a collier at I.knower, and
that an the 25111 of June he plated his 'ony in a field of Mr. Phil-
lip! to " tAck " aced hire), and that on the night of the 22411
of June it was stolen Irian the
Titus Morgan stated. that he was the person employed to slier
' Rauh-kb Castle, and that on the 30th of June the prisoner sold
' him a pony, which proved to be the property of the prosecutor. for
15s, lie not haying money enough in his pocket. paid a pound
' in.part, for which Si" prisoner gave • roceipt, which he signed
tt jeirn
The prisoner made no defence, but three witnesses spoke to the
respectability of his faintly.
The Learned Junta: summed up the evidence.
Verdict—f;sl/ty.

The prisoner was then tried on • similar indiciment, the pro.
secutimt conducted by Mr. 51Ar LE. Oh 1/1...:11 Ile was likewise
found and Mr. l:Aknitiorost was proceeding to open
II a thirst charge, when Mr. Jll‘fiCti PARK 111:1111Uted that lie
thought It superfluous to try the primmer on this. or on a
fourth charge, which remained against him; arid stated that he
must consider whether it were possible tot the prisoner's life to be
spared ; for, b.-sults the four very clear cases bilnlrilt forward
against hint, there was another prisoner in the calendar who was
charged with two other °Hawes of this kind, which eimvineed him
that the crime of hurse.steaf.ng laid attained a great height in that
county.
The trial excited immense interest among the persons residing
ticar Abeigavenny, and the Court was crowded to excess with
Welch persons, as upwants of fifty horses hail been stolen from
that neighbourhood within the lasi four months.
The prisoner preserved the moat pertbet composure throughout
the whole of the procaslings.
Johl /foster was indicted for breaking into the dwelling-house
of William Junes in the day.tlitie, no person being therein, and
stealing therefrom a pair of trowsers. a pair of shorn, and a variety
of other articles.
The prosecutor stated that on Thursday last, at live o'clock in
the morning, lie left his house locked up for the purpose or going
to work, and on his taunt w breakfast at seven, he found that his
cottage had been broken into and rubbed of the articles in question.
On the ensuing tiatt.ntay heti/snored a warrant to search the poi.
sorter's NMI!, and rot doing so he found the shoes and the breeches ;
as soon as the breeches were found the prisoner ran away, but
the constable pursued and took him.
The wife of the prosecutor stand, that she went out to work with
her husband, and locked the door of the house.
James PrOltleT, a constable, proved the searching of the house.'
and the finding of the shoes and in:elicit, which were idwatificd
by the prosecutor.
The prisoner made no defence.
Mr. Justice Prins summed up the eridence
Verdict—Gui/ty. Judgment of drith recorded.
Mather "...pa aged 111, Jame: Pierre. aged 17. anal Thowrot
Ilfadd,x, aged 14 were indicted fur picking the pucker of Will.
Ili#rfilep.
Mr. Jraw tct loafed the case, and called
11 ns II ighley, a sallUw miserable looking man, who said, lam
labourer at Ttntern slblicy Iron-works, and on Saturday, the
7th of August, had been sent on business to Troy House. I had
been drinking at the Ilerefordshire House, and at seven o'clock in
the evening I came through the church-yard, and saw the three
prisoners sitting on a tomb-stone. At that Mlle 1 had about nine
shillings in my pocket, and a hunting watch. The female prisoner
asked me to treat her at the Coach and Ilorses piffiliabouse, but
I would not, and took her to the Chary Tree, which is over
Mnunow.bridge. Soon after the Other prisoners came in, but
did not join c impany. I went out to get a beef-steak fsr supper,
and the three prisoners followed, the youngest lad with the girl,
and the other "walked sulky." The female supped with site. but
the men did not. I went on my way home, ar.d was accannpanied
by the female, but I saw no more of the men. %Chen I got into
the second field from the Cherry Tree I lay down on sonic hay and
fell asleep. I know nothing more, except that when I awoke I
discovered that the female prisoner r. -us gone. and that my pockets
haul been picked. I returned to the Cherry True, and got the as.
instance of a constable; and on going to the Coach and Horses, I
found the three prisoners. I asked them for my watch, and they
denied all knowledge of it. They were searched by the constable,
but nothing was found upon them.
Ladies were now desired to withdraw.
Examined by the Learned JUDGE.—T was not very drunk; I
was able to walk and talk. I went on the Sunday to search at the
hsy, but found nothing there. I swear that I never took my
watch out of my poeket..and laid it on the granted. was scher
enough to know that I did not give the female prisoner my watch
or any money, and she never asked me for Tither.
John Juries, a Maple's officer, said-1 apprehended the prisoner
on the flth bf August. They were both together then. I took
them before the Mayor. When I took Maddox lie said, " This is
about the wikteh, is it ?" I told him it was. The female prisoner
was present; and he, pointing to her' said '•she has got the
watch, I saw her take it from the man, and Hide it." We went to
the field to search for it. The female prfgcr pointed out the
field. We fouml nothing there. I took toem before the Mayor.
and Maddox said that he saw the prisoner take it. Pearce at tirst
denied it, but at laid amid he would tell all about it. I said I did
not want to hese ray thing about it, but I was confident that he
had got the watch. Ile then said " I have." I asked him where
it was, and he said it was at his lodging. I went with hint, and he
gave it me.
James Havis sald-1 was at the Cherry Tree. I saw the prose.
cutter and the three prisoners; and saw the prosenonr and' female
'prisoner go out, the others stayed about ten minutes longer. It
was light. The male prisoners went the same way that the others
had gone, and a short rune after I saw the female prisoner return
arm and arm with the two men.
. . .

The prisoner 111sddox, hi his defence, said that he 1:-.41 seen the
arch taken.
Pearce said that he found the watch Li the th.ld.

Heather Phelps said she never saw the v. men.
The Learned JUDUC summed up the evidence, and left it In the
Jury tufty whether all the prisoners joined in the actual taking
of the watch t for unless the male priaoners were present at the
taking, they would not in law be guilty as principal felons.
Verdict—All Guilty. Sentence—Transpurtation Inc the term of
their natural lives.