Old Bailey, Saturday, Jul...
The Times, 1824-07-19T00:00:00

At an early hour this morning, the Court was crowded in every part, and also the avenues leading to it, by persons who were anxious to hear the trial of this young man. Ten o'clock was the hour ap- pointe(d by the Judges for the prisoner to take his Drst trial but before that period arrived the boxes in thebody of the Court and the galleries were filled, chieAy with well-dressed females. The prisoner vias brought to the )arat nine p'cleck, and pleaded to seven different indictments, charging him with r6bberies i tile shops of different tradesmen. He pleaded "not gailty" to all of them. AU witnesscs were ordered out of Court. Jr. Clerk, the.DeDaty Clerk of tBe Arraigns, stated to the jury that the prisoner, W.R. Robinson, stood indicted for stealing in the dwelling-house of Thomas Denham, iH the parish of St. James, Westminster, on the 6th of AMay last, two books, with locks and keys, called Albums, value 41. Al r. l,AW stated the case to the Jury. Aliss Lucy Denhamn sworn-I live with my flathef In tement- street, and my sister Ann lives there. On the 26th of May C and my sister were in my father's shop between nine and ten o'clock. lIly father was not at home. The prisoner at the bar caine into the s.hop. (Witness looked at thc prisoner). I ani sure the prisoner is the person. Betore he can einto,the shop he walked before she door for about five thinutes, and I well obsetred his petsoii 'When he entered, he said lie wanted to look at some of the ladies' albums in the window, as he wished to make a present of one to a lady. I showed him one, price 11. I4s., and he said he should prefer one with an embossed lock. I produced one, which I told him was 21. 7s. The prisoner then saidl, "1 I want a purse," and pointed to the corner of the window. Whilst I was reaching the purse, the prisoner and the albats disappeared. Mly sister did not see all this transac. tiom, She hdd an opportunity of seeing the prisoner, and observina his person, when he passed seven or eight times before the shop. There was a strong light at the time, so as to enable her to see the Pris0ner's teatures distinctly. I did not see the prisoner again till the 8th of June. I went up to him and said, " Sir, yoa are the person ivho robbed me in my father's stlop." The prisoner said, pushing violently against mne, " Don't insult me, or disgrace me by raising a mob about me." I said "1 You are the person." A hackney- coach was called, Sehcolcield an officer, arrived, and the prisoner Ucoinpanied us In it to a wachhoase. He gave his uname William Ramsuden Robinson. Ann Denham sworn.-I ami sister of the last witness. I was in my father's shop in Regent.street, on the 26th of May. I saw the risoner. I saw Mlt on the night of the 26th of Mlay, walking be- fore my father's shop; it w7as about half past 9 o'clock; the prisoner passed the shop several times; my sister said something 1o me In consequence. I saw him enter the slhop; the circumstance of his passing by the shop repeatedly did not more particularly call my ob- servation to him; I retired into a parlour adjoining the shop as the pTisoner entered; my observation was directed tohim at the time he and on his entering only; he assed the shop before least seven or eightftimes *we had had albums in the intdow. MIy attention was directed froni the--alour to the shop by my sister crying out" Watch i" rsaw the prisoneragain at Marl. borogh.street ffice about three weeks after-. Cross.examitied....j did not see the prisoner until his second exa- mination at harlboreugRI.street; myXsister had told me of her hav- iog catised the isoner to be apprehended- Re.examineK...My kqowledye o the prisoner was from. my own observAtion, and not from wh,at my iister told me. Henry Flower Fenpir sworn,-I;am shopiiman to Mr. larrison% pav,nbroker, int gat~teuiam.eourt-isid; I have seen the prisoner pass Our shop more tban Once on dixFRrent days. On the 27th of' May the prisouef came to our ?silo; -witgh a boqk, and said- he waited to tol it; it was abouhs with b lu ernoro ceo, and had a plain brass lock it a b elUbotu1. .I;e toldsme it was for writ- ing extracts or mcmorans'lums~ dii. 'nrI'herr was a key to it. . le 4ike:i8O..t6 35s; toi it. I refused to vt?rchaae it. - I have eveTry fW4a torfbelieve the prisoner is the man who ofFered the book for aale,'thougli ha was i6eni dressed ve. vdifieretiy fronm what he is n6l. Hebad then i blleak coat and trousers on. I saw him again at Mdrlboroughstreet, and thought I knew hiin. Cross..exrnniued.. -Se was betwecn 3 and 4 o'elock when the person l believe to he the prisoner came to seQl the book. The shop-window was filled writh gool, which in some degree 1darkens the shop. I catnot say from my own observation ot' the prisoner, wthat colour his coat vras, or his trousers. 'They may have been black, or blue, or brown. I did not notice if the collar was velvet or cloth. His coat vas very fashionable in the cut; but I cannot speak to the colour of his clothes positively. Re-exammed.LI noticed his features more than his clothes. i have no doubt of the prisoner being the man. lr. Justice BunstosUGH.-Prisoner, now is the time for you to address the jury, if yot think fit; or you may leave your case in the hantds of your counsel. Prisoner.Aly lord, antd gentlemen of the jury, I declare to you Lhat I am the victim of circumstances; I am innocent of the crimes imputed to met and I shall be able by witnesses whose testimony ;annot be doubted, to prove what I assert, before this honourable court, in whose hands I leave my case, William Alills sworn.-I amn a ghopnan to Chaffer and Mills. pawnubrokers, in (}reek-street, Soho-5quare. On the 27th or 28th f Mtay, shout a quarter of an hour before I heard of AMr. Den- ham's robberv, a person like the prisoner camc to our shop and offered an album for sale. It was bound in blue morocco, and had a brass lock and key to it. I refused to purchase it. I re. ceived a handbill soon after he left the shop, which informed me of the robbery at bMr. Denham's the day before; I am satisfied that the pri0oner was not the person, though he resembled him; he was a little shorter, and not quite so fair: about a fortnight after, the same person called again at our shop, and offered a pair of razors for sale, and I kept hlim in parlev, intending to take him into custody. As soon as I put my hand on the fl.ap of the coun-. ter to go round and seize himn, he, probably being aware of my in- tention, ran out of the eshop and escaped, leaving the razors with me; 1 gave informnation of the transaction to Gook, an officers and pro- duced the razors at Marlbnrough.street office, where r stated what i now have stated. The razors were owned at the 2olice-office bv Mrs. Clifton (one of the prosecutors in another irdictment) Cross-examined bv Mllr. LAw.-! was alone in the shop when the album was brought'for sale. When the razors were !eft, I gave an alaim to Mr. Mills, one of the partners. It was Gook, the officer who brought the bill on the 27th of May, and it was he who solicited nle to go to 'ariborough-street and say what I knew. Re-examined by Mfr. A2?DntEsV5.-1 am convinced the prisoner is not lhe trims who brought the album and razors to my nset-er's shop. GEerald Fitzgerald swvorn..-. am an officer in the Freunh army. I was at the corner of tlnion.street, Cleveland-street, on the 8th of Junue, wben I sawr the prisoner anti a young lady Cross the road. They: came towards me. The lady said thc prisoner had robbed her. Il said it w as a serious charge, and she s,hould be careful what she said. ' The prisoner did not obffler to eseape;* he conductedl himlself with great propriety. Observing the beh]aviour of the prisoner, and his. respectable aprpearance, I offered to go to his friends and inform them of the circumstance.I MWrs. Mary Hfudson sworn.-!l live in CarburtOn.street. The pri- soner lodged with me on the 26th of Meay. I remember that even- ing from a variety of circumsteinces. The prisoner came home that evening at seven o'loc;k. The servant let htmn in, and lie went into the back psariour, and remained thlere about ten mninutes, wvhen he sent to speak to me; r went to hlim, a.ntI afterwvards ordered the ser- vant to take him coftee. Candies were afterwvardsrung for, eand I or- tieredl *hem to be sent. The prisoner supped at my house that nigtht,j about a quarter paSt nine; I remember lie hawd a little ham for supper. Susan went out of the hottse to fetchl it; after he ate lid stipuer 1 heard him in the house. HSe did not go our . f tile ittitie till ;:hter breakfast nest utornsingZ. I Caunot be mistaken as to thle night. E;xamined by Air. IeAwY.. _I did not see the prisoner after seven o'clock thtat evening. Mlr. F itzgerald called on mue to tell tme of rthe; prisonier's apprehension. Ott tile 25th of Mhay the prisoner did nuti comae btome till late: it was thle night thec balloon ascen;1ed,! and he Was out. O)n the 27th1 oF Miay the prixoncer catctI home early end took tea. I do not linow what he had for| supper on the night of the 25th or the 27th of Dlay. Il kno w the prisoner was at home early on the nighlt of tbe 26th of MIay. T7his was in Term titne, and the prisoner is clerk to an attorney. The prisoner has a good change of apparel; hebias blue coats :and a green one, and white and ilal-ck trousers. I never knew him to wears babck coat. JMy husbatnd and servants were itn the house on the 26th of Mlay;* they are all here. I sw-ear I did n.ot send the prisoner a black coat to the watcs-house on the evening after his apprehlension. I sent h1im his beat blue one. Our front door opens with a spring latch ; I *as int the tront parlourn and must have known if the prisoner had left the house. I swear that MUr. Abraltams tild not send for or take away any articles wltatevcr front the prisoner's room after his apprehlension;* and rll that was senit to the prisoner wzas a coat, trousers, handkerchief. and shirt. Susan, my servant, took these things. I opened the prisoner's box on the morning of the 27th, in the presettee of Scholefield, the officer. Cross-examined by Ur. Andeews._Two officers searched the pristoner's lodgings on the 27th of Dlae, in the morning: they found nothing belonging to any person hut the prisoner hiimsel? The pri- sonter's character and condiuct were always of the best description. Susan Hudson sworn.-Il am aervaslt to la*st witness. I remnem- her the night of the 20th of Ma1y last, it wlas the evening after the fatal occident which happened to Mlr. Harris. Tbe prisoner came home about 7 o'clock - I took him coffe~e by my aunt's (the last wit- ness's) direction; the prisoner was itt the front parloar at the timne. I went out to purchase somne beet for him about nine o'clock. and I tooi; candles to him 'OY my mistress's orders. I am sure he did not leave the house till next morning after breakfast- Cross-examined.-I know the day, because my aunt went to XVestminscer to see anothter aunt. M1y mistress took her food generally in the kitchen; sometimecs she took tea with the prisoner. On the night of the 26th mry aunt, Mirs. Hndson, spent the evening with MAisc Grizello; I do not remnember the prisoner basirng beanv on any other evenin g. I took the coffee and hamn into the front parlour to the prisoner; I did not see the prisoner that night in the back parlonr. Rte-examined by MIT. BetoDRItCX.-I received 6d. feat-n Mlrs. hudson to bug the ham: she received it from Dir. Hudson. I was in the kitchen wvhen Mlrs. Hudson saw the prisoner about the coffee, and therefore cannot say wzhat roome she asyw him isi: I took botb hatn and coffee to him in the froat roomn. By Dlr. LSAW.-! bought the ham at the corner of an adjoinin street wiith the sixpence. Mgr. Gfeorge Frederick Abrahatns sworn.-- am an. attorney in Mtar.lborough.street;* the prisoner was articled to me at Lady.day, 1822; 1 have foundt him honest, industrioa5, and correct itn business; he hag prope?cy settled upon h1im, and had no waist of money at an} time;* he could have ha d money at any titnc on applyinig to use; hte was made a ward in Chasncery by me, and the Msaster allowed bint J01. a year. I took active steps after the apprehension of the prisoner, and advertised in the papers a; description of hts pterson, inviting those wtho had been plundered to csome forward and sue him, that his guilt Or innocence mnight be substantiated. MSilne and C;o., pawnbrokiers, of Hanway-yard, catne forward, atnd prodtuced the razors, in conse- qtuenceof the advcrtisement. I never saw the prisOner dressed in a frock coat or drab duczk pantaloons. I heard of his apprehension an hour after it took p lace, and brought forward witnesses to prove atn alibi.. I did nor .1o it on others' advice, but from a belief of his innocenJce, and my opinion has not been shaken; I would gladly take the prisoner again into my employ; I have seen twfo persona in custody very niuch resembling the ptrisoner. Cross-examined by Dlr. I,Aw.-On the 26th of MIay the prisoner obtained a rule in a case, and in the evening served it at Staple-inn; he did not return to my offlice till next morning; I do not know of my own knowledge, thottgh I believe tbat the prisoner served the rule itt person;* the prisoner was very attentive to comsmon law bu- siness in term;9 he was very clever, and had made great proficiency in his profession. Mlr. Justice BURttOL'ul then commenced his address to the jury; he read the whole of the evidence, and comumented upon the most important points of it as lhe proceeded. lThe jury were absent about 20 minutes-V,erdict, Nrot gilty. The prisoner w as egstin indicted for stealing 20 printed books in the dwilhing.hoose of Dlr. Samuel Dolby, bookseller, 9a, Wa.rdour- street, his propettv, on the lst of MIay last. Dfr. !As(' stated the case to the jury. - AMr. Samuel Dolby sworn.-1 live at *.a, west slue oD v, -ruour- street ; I keep a shop in which tobacco and snuff is sold, whlich com- municates with a door to a stationer's shop. I saw the prisoner on the morning of the Ist of May last. He came into my stationes's shop with a list of publications, and requested me to look them oat, but not to trouble ms-self with getting those which I had not got by nle. Hie left the written list, and said he would call in the evening. lie called again between 7 and gi o'clock in the evening, and aldress. ed my wife. l dill nothear what he said to her. I was originally in the snuff-shop when he called, but I saw him in the stationer's-shop through the glass door. Ml.rg. Dolby came to me and told me of the prisoner having ..a'ed,and I took thelist which he len in the morning out of mydeskand save it to my wife, and she went to the prisoner. x told hertoiuform him that T hadnot looked out thebooks. I aterwards entered the stationer's shop, and saw thc prisoner sianding outside thc counter, and Mrs. Polby was looking out *he publications. The prisonerwas under my observation in the shop for ten or fifteen mi- nutes. I knew that the person whio called in the evening wvas th_ sante who left the list in the morning, and the prisoner is the per- so(n who called in the evening. I went into the snufr:shop, and soon aftertards heard an alarm given by Mlrs. Dolbv; f went into the shep, and found the prisoner had tiectmped with the books and the list also; I see the prisoraer at the bar, and have not the least doubt whatever of his being the person who committed the robbery. 31y shop in Wardour-street is distant perhaps five hundred yards from 11aprlbnorough -s treet. Cross-examined by Mr. ADsiEwvs.-I have not recovered any of my property ; Mrs, Dolby looked out the books ; she saw the prisoner enter the shop in the mornine. Re.examnined.-The books stolen were value lOs. h Mrs. Charlotte Dolby sworn.-I was at home at 1I o'clock on the morning ofthe 1st of May: the prisoner entered the shop, and gave MIr. Dolby a list of periodical publications,; he was about two nii nutes in the shop, and I looked at the prisoner the whole of the time; I saw dlie same person in the eveninig abouLt eight o'clock when he entered the shop he askedl me! if thle things were ready he .ordered in the inorning: I sold him I would inquire, anid wenit into the snuff-shop and asked Alr. Dolby; he gave me the listtthe prisoner had let', and asked me to look out the books. The prisoner, in a raised ton.e of voice. asked me why they were ntot ready, and said he would waft while I looked out whkt I had got by me. Ihaving look- ed them out, I told the prisoner that I believed I had looked out nerl th hole of'the works on the liss,and placed them before him on the counter. Hen then said I want the l9 first numbers o Dol- by's acting plavs; I gaave them to the prisoner, and be then said he wanted numbe'rsland 2Uof the same work,and while I vias so the act of taking them from the cupboard, the prisoner cleared the counter of all the property I had looked out. I am positive the prisoner at the bar is the person; I gave a correct description of him before I saw him at Mlarlborough.street- Croass-examined-.a was in custody when I saw hsiin after he left our shop, and that was six weeks afterwards. icholefleld, an officer, sworn.-I apprehended the prisoner. Cross-examined.-I searched his trunks the day afPer I appre. hended him, and found none of Dolby's acting plays there. Re-examiined.-It was near six weeks after the ist of May wher I searched his lodging.R. Ir. Justice BusRouGH called upon the prisoner for his defence Prisoner.-Gentlemen of the Jary, in this case as in the last I have been mistaken by witnesses for andther person. You will havi clear and distinct eviilence laid before you proving an alibi. Witt these observadonse I confidently leave moy case in your bands. Mr. Fenton Robinson sworn.-I am brotber to the prisoner. I re side at Ebury.terrace Pisplico. The prisoner took tea with sne, ant spenttheeveningon tle Ist of May. I-fedidnotleavemse ll elevev o'clock on that night. Aly servant, Thomas Cheesemran, was witi meon that day. , Css.soxawined by AlMr. LAwV.-I mteS my brother in Hydeparl tht afternoonr, about-baifpgot four; I believe it to be- the Ist-c Mlay, becaihe that Wasthe t.y the pribner toDsk tes ati suppe4,an& did not dine.witli-me- ' )k femaIe swivantri, .ausedZlI3 YSadler, waz in rnyhouseont hat.day. I didnor hzippen to Imow tt ilaywav Terrnminme. Re_examinedA..It was ;t Marlborougb-street when, my brotber was examinred, that, on consideration of he odays that my brother visited me, I was positive he took tea with .me on Saturday, the 1st of May. Thomas Cheeseman swom.-l ;was servant to last Witness. 0R the Ist of Mlay the.prisoner came bome about sai o'lock to myn master's, and remained tiU e]tven. Cross exarnieoL.-The prrsoRer had taken tei'haif ,, ldozen tiraf at the house of last witness. I have no reasonto believe it swas the 1st of ,lay, except that on that day he toek te;ea icldid not-dine. I metioned to my master, after the prisoner's apprphension, the cr- cusnatance of the prisoner taksng tea on that da. Mly master mentioned that reason fi-st, and I was of the rame opinion. Mary Sadler did not give the same reason as I k-now of. Re-examined.-lary Sadler did not wait on m;y master , i-opened the door, and waited at table, and Sadler did not tee the prsoner in tbe parloar that day. Ephraim lelaUr, shopman to 31r. John Bannister, glover and mercer 98, Strand, sworn.-Early in June a youngman, something resemb'lin- the prisoner, came into mSy master's shop, and asked fsor handkerchliels, and I showed him some; whilst reachin&iother goods, the prisoner ran off with the handkerchiefte WVhen the prisonerwas atMarlborough-streetoffice, Iwent to see him, androundhe was rerv much like the young man. The man who committed the rob- bers was dressed in a blue coat, gilt buttons, black silk waistcoat, md dark mixture small clothes. Mr. Butler, the clerk to lir. Harmer, the attorney, was exansined, Lo account for the last vitneas not havinig been called ot the former trial. He saiti that the witness did not communicate the facts he could prove, dll within halt an hour of that tirue. B. 11aller re-examnined by Mr. LAv.-Ue saw in the newspapers a deseri tion of the prisoner's nerson, and he wrote to Mr. Abrahams, to in fo'rm him that such a persOn committed arobbery in his Masute's shop. He went to see the prisooer at -i!arlborougb street, andrt ew he was not the tsame person who committed the robbery. The same witnesses as in the former case were again called S character. Mr. Justice BtRRouGGH summed tip tle evidence, and remarked upon the case beirn, like the last, one of a very extraordinary de- scription. Two persons had swom in the most deciotd manner as to the identity of the accused; and evidence bad been called to prove he was elsewhere at the time, and that another young oan, strongly resembling the prisormer, was going about towo committing felonies of this description. He read over the evidecce, and left it to the jury to decide upon tbe nrisoner's guilt or innocence. Thejury consulted for a few minutes, and returned a verdict of- Gutilty. 'I'hc prisoner expressed the utwnost astonishment at the result of the trial; and a feeling of disappointment was very general through. out tle court. After the return of the verdict. Afesqr-. Andrews, Broderick, ancl Phillips, the counrsel for the prisonrt, held a consulta6on with the .Judges respecting the remainder of the indicttnents against the pri- soner, and expressed a wish that he should be tned upon tnem, to give them an opportunity oi proving the prisoner's innocence of these charges, and also, of the one apon wlhich he bad, to their surprsc, been found guilty. 51r. Law being oat of court, the Judges did not give a decisien upon the subject. The prisoner was removed from the bar, and it was stated that he would be tried on Monday on theremainder of the indictmr.ents, for the purpose of putting the question of bis guilt or intocelce beyond all doubt. Daring these tr.als interse nx"iety was mnanifested on the part of the spectators. ln the course of the day many nobleien and gen- tlemern of distinction were on thc bench and in the coart: most of the Aldermen of london an't policc Magistrates were present darirg boiic part ot thc insesti. r OLD BAILEY. SATURDAY, JUILY 17. TRIAL OF WN. RAMISfLE ROBIN802.