The National Register.
London, England, 1817-01-06 00:00:00

LA IV IN7'ELLIGENCE.

SHERIFFS' COURT.:-FRIDAY, JAN. 3.

THE /101.3THWARE BRIDGE COMP iNY AND THE MERCHANT-
.

TAYII.ORS' COMPANY.

This was the first cause tried in the city of London under
this act of parliament, and therefore excited a considerable
degree of interest. The property which was the subject of
the present trial comprehends the line of buildings on the
east-side of Queen-street, from the corner of Upper Thames-
street down to the river, and includes in it Three Cranes
wharf. For the freehold of this property (the greatest part
of which has subsisting leases, of different periods 24 to
duration upon it) the Merchant-Taylors' Company demanded
the sum of 25,0001., and for which the Southwark Bridge
Company offered the sum of 15,3301.....
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL, on the pert of the plaintiffs, en-
tered somewhat at large into the nature of the question be.
fore the Court. He expatiated em the great value of the land
in question, which consisted, principally, ola wharf along the
banks of the river, and contended that the sum demanded by
his clients, viz. 2-1,09ta- 176- was not too high a valuation.
The paltry sum of 15,3311 was indeed only othrcd by the
Southwark Bridge Company, allowing for all expenses ; but
he would call most respectable surveyors, and other witnesses,
who would without hesitation state, that the sun, demanded
was a just and fair valuation. His clients did not wish to
part with the property, but the law had directed that they
must do so, and then it world be for the July to take eine
that private,iodividuals should not in these great me-
dertakings.
Mr. Nlairyatt and Mr. Gurney on the same side, called
several witnesses in support of the case the first
of whom was Mr. Shlllll4l Robinson, a surveyor, who proved
that he had been called upon by the Merchant-Tay Im's Con -
pany to make a fair valuation or the property. The estimate
was made first upon the present rental; next upon improved
rental; alien the leases now granted to several persons were
expired, much of the land haying been let upon building
leases; and lastly, ul the fair and just value of the %thole,
taking the repairs and other circumstances into C4lllSilli'latioil.
On these principles he had found the ;fluent amin.l rental
to be 3161.; had estimated the improved rental at 2,02:31. 15..
and the whole value oldie property at 21,9901. Hs.
The sr cowl witness called was Mr. W. Montague, also a
surveyor, who differed in a slight degree (roll, 4111: statement
of ittr. Rubinson, and n he, taking the present rent to I,ts
311ii.i and hat ing estimated the improved rent to be 2,015'.
the total would be 21,5131,
Upon eross.examination, he said, that the Corporation of
the city of London, often not compelled to sea land, had ott,

6.

JANumtV
trilled 224 years' purchase; hot *lieu oblige rell, k only
obtahoe3 from 14 to lli years' purchase.
Mr. Cr. Smith, and Mr. liuggurt, also surveyors, proved to
the same effect. •

Mr. Hobert Smith, Mr. Barber, and Mr. Hall, wharfingers,
estimated the Three Cranes what which is part of the pro.
perty in que:tion, to he wotth 1,2001. a year, although this
part of the property was sold by auction for 6,0001., yet it
vac worth 1,2001. a year; and they would give it.
The case on the part of the 'dahlias twin: here closed, Mr.
Sergeant Hest midi cared the Joryau behalf of the Southwark
Bridge Company. He coateaded that the calculations of the
gentlemen who had been employed to sorvey this property
were a ild and impossible robe credited. How was it possible
to form auy guess of the worth of buildings 25 years hence?
Could any person pretend to give his Judgment upon it %WI
any degree of accuracy? And yet these gentlemen, with all
the coolness imaginable; boldly told the court that they
had formed an estimate, and pretended to have been able to
calculate to a shilling the value of such property; and had
detrn mined, that what Now was worth only 5161. would, hi 2.4
years hence, be weak 2,01611. Ile concluded rather a long
speech by endeavouring to persuade the gentlemen of the
Jury that the sum of 15,0001. offered to the Company was
amply sutlieirmt.
After a recapitulation of the evidence, the Jury retired
fur about a quarter of an hour, amt returned a verdict of
21,5001.

POLICE.

now STREET.

Pty 1t EXAMINATION AND COMMFFFAL OF TILE ELDER
WATSON. —TharstlAy curiosity aiti4eied a ereat many per.
sous to the office in consequence of a report having heen pro-
mulgated, that the elder Watron was to undergo a ptivite ex-
amination. In this expectution, however, they were disap-
pointed: and, indeed, so secret WAS the business kept, thrt
even those w:io acre coaccrned, sad hronclit here to give
their evidence, did not know that Mr.Wutsou was iu or about
the office.

The magistrates who attended io the course of the mornieg
were, Sir N. Conant, Mr. Hirnie, Mi. Sketchley, and Mr.
Hicks. hut the examination of Watson devolved to Sir N.
Conant alone, ir wis the magistrate that ta mmitted
al persons evattcd at the °thee until past 3 ~'clock, and
there being at that time no appearance of ifaison, or an
exantioation of him, th'ey separated tinder a firm confidence
that what they hail heard respecting I • was a mere fabri-
cation. _

At hall-past three o'clock, the office being perfectly clear,
Sir N. Conant gave instructions to the vi itnesses concerned
is the examitiatiou of Watson to att-nd in Mr. St., ford's
diawine.l4,uto, to which Sir Natlcinici. Mr. Stafford, air.
Watson, Mr. Cannon, Mr. IVatson's solicitor, Miles the horse-
patrule, and Pliodes and Goulding, the two persons who were
stabbed, adjoin twit:
. .

. „
IVatson appeared indisposed, and was permitted to sit.
The evidence of Jir putrele Milt's, was first read by Mr.
Stafford; but as that eliarge has been abandoned, it is almost
unnecessary to detail it in the present report ; it will be suffi-
cient to state, that at first it was considered expedient to com-
mit liiiu upon the charge male against him by aides, as will
be seen by the following
When Watson was brought to Bow-street, on the 3d of
December,(the day after the riots), the sitting magistrate (H.
Birnie, Esq.) referred the examination of him to Sir Nadia
oriel Conant, at Wh!ti ball, and the result of that examination
was, that Watson WaC Collllllitted to the Douse of Correction,
under the following charge:—
" To the Gavernor of the House of Correction, Coldbittli-
fields, his Deputy, &C. Receive into your custody, this 3d
day ~f December, halti,the body of Jaunts Watson the elder,
upon the oath of Charles Miles, on suspicion of being con-
cerned with two other persons, not yet lake'', in feloniorisly
*hooting at tlw sail Miles, with intent to kill and miirds r I ,
the said Charles )lilts oi. do him sonic grict ous bodily Mum;
and to keep the said James Watson 1111111 he Shad he dis-
charged by due course of law; fur which this shall be your
authority.
" Given under my hand and seal, &e.
" N. CONANT."
After the examination at the Secretary of State's,• Watson
was fiasco to the House of Conreetiou upon the authority of
the above warrant, and lie had not been examined 'lThors•
day, although the depositilier of Rhodes and Goulding weir,
taken and sworn to on that slay. Mr. Statinid read them to
Mr. Watson, and his solicitor: they are in substance to this
effect _Rhodes and Goulding ale plumbers and glaziers at
Hampstead, and on 31onilay, the of December, had been
at work at 1.oi•il Maiedickls : ou heir return house, they went
into the White Limn and public•limisc, at high-
gate, to get -something to drink. About II teelock they were
alarmed by the cry of Stop-thief!" and they iii cause-
sprence ran into the street, and saw a horse-patrole sitting on
his burst., with a man strode:et by the silo of his horse.
Goulding said to the parole, " it, it lig don't you go •
after the rest of the rohirersi- The mantle said lie COlll4l 110,
as lie hall 11.04! of them in custody. Goolding rejoined, "If
Non go after the others, we will secure the one you have."
The Wilde then inquired el the landlady it' she knew
Goulding and Rhodes; being mist% civil in the affirmative, he
gave the Isamu (who proved to he Hr. Watson) into custody.
They then laid hold of him, while the patrole went in pursuit
of toe others. Mr. Watson Oleo drew a dirk from his stick,
mid •:t id, " If you don't leave ell, I will rani )(pie through,"
and struck at Gouldiem with the dirk, which perforated his
great coat, but only scratched his skin; he then attacked
Rhodes, and stabbed hint in the thigh, but not to any danger-
ous extent. A struggle ensued, and they all till into the ken-
mei together. The patrole at this juncture retartied, having.
ineffectually poiroacil the other two, and 311.. Watson was
*mired, and a pistol and a great many papers were taken I
flan, him. _ .

.......
Sir Kittumid then intimated to Watson and Ms solicitor,
that this was the charge upon wkich be should think it his
duty to commit him for trial.
Time witnesses were severally cross crxamitied by W:itson
and his solicitor, the latter of whom put the following 1111(.5-
'oon to Rhodes 4ffil Goulding :
" Did Miles, the ;nitwit., give Mr. Watson into vonr cus-
tody in the name of the King—by what authority did he give
Lim into your custody i"
They Melt seplied generally, that Miles, on coming up to
the door of the public-hunse, asked the landlady if she knew
them kid/odes and Goulding), and upon her saying she did,
31iks toil them lie had a prisoner, whom they were to take
care ofwhile he went after twa others, who had ran away
Added to this, they knew 11iles to be um of the patrole ; he
did not, however, uac the viurdo, "li2 the MUM: of the Wag
1 chaise you."

tying
that charge hail been abandoned.
bir Nathaniel ennant stated to Watson, that his motive fur
not having had hint up for examination before was, that lie
considered that lie experienced superior treatment in the
House of Correction ; hut in consequence of the approaching
gaol delivery and .general removal, lie had considered it lie-
resulry that a commitment should be made oqt, in ostler that
he inav know what to defend himself against, and that lie
mi ghat have an opportunity to consult his legal advisers thereon.
Awl, upon farther consideration he had done it with a view to
es tend as much favour as possible to Mr. Watson, and to ren-
der his situation as comfortable as possible tinder existing cir-
cumstances.

Watson thanked Sir Nathaniel for his kindness towards
him.

A coach was then ordered to be in readiness to take him
to Newgate.
Watson, however, requested that the Magistrate would ex•
tend his kindness towards him by sending him back to the
Honse of Correction until Monday next.
Sir Nathaniel said, that as he (Watson) considered it an
accommodation to himself, he could not deny hien.
Waist). observed, that as far as comfort could be expected
in a prison, he had found it ; indeed he had no cause to com-
plain ut ill treatment, but he felt much hurt at the attempts that
had been made to put such a complexion on his conduct as
that which, in the knits of the law, was described murder:
this, however, was only the phraseology of the law, and as far
as it related to himself 1w was quite indifferent; but with re-
gard to his fami:y dud character, something more might he
said, and acutely felt. His own prospects were so bad, and
the general state of society so degenerated, that were he
stain sent into the world, he could not feel much satisfaction
or enjoyment. Knowing, however, that his principles were
just, and that he WAY immeent of those heinous crimes with
which his name had been branded, he should feel it a dimly he
owed, not only to society, but to his own character, to bear
imp a;ainst all his enemies. lie would not cringe to an one,
nor Would he ask a titvour front those in power , all he want-
ed, all he demanded, was justice.
Mr. Cannon was &sienna to know, if any other indictments
were to be Kele' red against Mr. Watson.

Sir N. Conant said, that he understood the Attorney and
Suliei.or • Gestural would superiuteud the framing of the in-
dictments; he uas not aware of the steps they were likely to
take, but he assured Mr. Cannon, that he should have every
oppoi toothy aff'.u•ded him immediately he (Sir Nathaniel Co.
neat) receis inf'w•ntation of the wanner in which Mr. Wat-
son would be proceeded against.
The Solicitor and Watson in the wannest terms ackuow-
le•lt;ed the kindness of die worthy Magisti ate.
Mr• Watson was then committed for trial at the next Ohl
Bailey Sessions, for having l'elonionsly, wilfully, and inaliei-
uuslv indicted cerain wounds upon the persons of James
Goulding and Thomas Rhodes, with a sharp illitt 1111 l ent. with
iAteut to hill the said James Goulding awl Thomas Rhodes, or
with intent to do tlicv some grievous bodily harm, against
the statute made and provided, se.
Mr. Cannon then applied to the Magistrate fur an order of
admission to Watson in Newgate, and Sir Nathaniel gave kiln
the following

"fo Mr. Newman.

The hearer is Mr. Cannon, solicitor to Mr. Watson, and
I Frre.unie there is no objection to his seeing him in prison.
" Jag. 2, ISt 7." N. CONANT."
Lack tie gaoler, then put the handcuffs colt kl'alson's hands,
and accompanied in a coach to the House of Correction,
ptepsrator) to his removal to take his trial.

leaving every thing Ia the neatest order behind us.;
share amounted to about 77 pounds of tea. Some tea be-
produced in the office, Curtis said, it was part of that
m by him and his party from the ship in the Docks. I
was concerned also in getting hold of some gold, silver,
and muslins, about three or four years ago, in the East India
Docks, and every one but ourselves was in the dark about it.
Mutton, Gidduns, Brown, and I, met Curby at the Cherry
Tice, at Bromley, where we planned the robbery, and after
its perpetration we met at Corby's house, where we divided
the spoil. I took my gold to one Cohen residing near the
Raid:layer's Arms, who gave me upwards of 1301. for it. But
the first case in which I was ennaged in the East India Docks
was a little more than four years ago. Brown, Curby, Hat-
ton, Pegg, who was hanged. Giddons. Mills, Turner, and
were all in it. We got some boxes of row silk, which lay
packed up amongst bales on the quay. We unpacked the
bales, took as much out as we were able, re-packed the bales
iu regular order. and returned the next night and took away
the rest. We entrusted a Mrs. Turner to dispose of it, bat
she was exclierineied for having it in her possession, and we
made little by the enterprise."
Giddous said he had other things to speak of, of vastly
greater consequence thou the Dock robberies.
The magistrate having expressed a wish to hear him, he
said—" I was concerned in the murder of Lientenant John-
sun, in the Kent-road, eight years ago : Hatton, who is now
in custody ; Raines, who was lately working as a bum-boat
man at Chatham ; and another mau, a stranger, were con-
cenwil with me iu that murder. In the afternoon on which
the murder was committed, Hatton, Raines, and the other
man, told me they were going to London to get impressed on
board an East Indianian. I went with them, and we went to
the Swan in Leadeuliall-street, where we had three half-
pints of gin and some beer. Raines asked a Jew Crimp, if
he knew of a ship for lone people.—The Jew said, No. After
the Jew was gone, Raines said, he'd take another day for it.
We then left the Swan, and wed 01/ to Deptford. When we
got below the Half sway Howe, Raines picked up a stick.
We heard a man coming behind us. Raiues said—' Here's
somebody miming, what do you say for having his money.,
We all agreed ; and when the gentleman came up to us, we
stoppcd him, and asked him for his money ; the gentleman
leplicil, He had none, and if he had he would not give it
its.'--Raines said, ' If you don't give it us I'll knock you
dowu.'—'file gentleman snatched the stick out of his hand.
and made a blow at me with it; I put my hand up, and re-
ceived hi: blow on my Is rist, which broke my wrist.; he then
gave me another blow under the right eye, and across the
temple, arid knocked me into a ditch, where I lay about a
quarter of an hour, when Hatton. Raines and the other man,
picked me out ; they then told me they had done the
job, and got his money ; they said they had pulled hint into a
place out of the road an dose his job, by which I understood
they bad killed him.—They asked me if I could walk t I
told them no ; they took toe into a field and left me ; they
told me they would call un me next night; I staid in the
fields about two or three hours, and then was able to walk
hoine.—Hatton, Raines, and the other man came to me next
night at my lodgings, and gave me 21. They did not tell toe
what the gentleman had; said they were going to Northfiteti,
to see if they could get work on hoard au Indianian, and went
away. Hatton came back in a little while, and asked me if I
hail heard any thing. I said, " Nothing particular." "%Viten
they suet at my liousz, Hatton and Raines said they killed
the man. I saw Hatton in the course isle week, and he had
rammed to his work as usual. I did not see Raines fur about
four or five days, when 1 met him at Chatham. I went to a
ts Batimeae, and got some stuff for my arm; but it
was never set. We picked up a woman at the Bricklayer's
Arms, and she went down the road with us; she was with us
%lien the gentleman was stopped, but I did not see her aftee-
wards."

Raines (who was apprehended in consequence of the in.
formation given by the last witness) was then put to the bar,
and Mr. Kinnaird told him, that Giddons had peremptmity
sworn that he (Raines) was not only concerned in the war-
der, but that he was the person who had first suggested the
robbery of Lieutenant Johnson.---The prisoner asserted his
innocence of the charge, and said, he could prove that he had
been industriously employed from the age of 17. He admitted
his acirainlanee with Hatton, but denied that lie had ever
been engaged with him, or any other person, of which he
had reason to dread the consequences. " If," added the
prisoner, " I was accused of robbery, I should not feel as I
now do ; hut to be directly charged with murder, is Inure
than can be well induced by any poor honest man."
Raines did not, throughout the examination, betray the
slightest agitation; but this was not the case with Hatton,
rho turned pale at the mention of Lieutenant Johnson's
name.

The prisoners underwent a private examination at tl►e New
Prison, Clerkenwell, before they were brought to the office.
Hatton has been sent to this House of Correction as a place
of greater security.
The above is the extent to which we are at liberty to go
in the present state of the investigation.—lt is nectlle.s to say
the prisoners were scut back to prison.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER
Watson particularly examined Miles as to the time of night turned.
when the iiivtol was fired at him but he refrained ti•om so rty shari
doing. when his solicitor told bins it was an unneec%sary course tog Pro,
to pursue, Sir Nathaniel Conant having lammed him that stolen b