Old Bailey, Tuesday, Sept...
The Times, 1824-09-22T00:00:00

James Baker was indicted for stealing a bay gelding, the property of John Rolfe. The prosccutor, who lives at a farm near Beaconsfield, proved that on the morning of the 7th of September. he was told his horses were loose, and finding two of them missing, he immediately went in pursuit of them. On Ealing-coinmon he overtook the prisoner, who wa, riding on his gelding and leadling another. Witness asked him where hegot the horses, and vhat he was going to do withi them ? He replied that he had not had them long, and wats going to take them to town. Wnitness then appreltendeel him. The prisoner, in his lefence, said that he was coming front Bir. minghain to Iondon. On this side of the bridge, as lie was walking beside a hay-cart, he was ovcrtaken - by a person, wvho saik he wantedi a horse, and after somnc conversation with thv pri- soner, the stra nger gave him his card, nnd told him if he coutld finid a horse that would suit him, he might bring it to his house. WViten the prisoner got near Ealitig.comt:non, he was overtaken by a gentleman riding a horse, and leading two others. On stopping at the Green 1an at Ealing, this person cngaged the prisoner to take both the horses to the aNag's Head, in Oxford-street, for which he gave him 7s. The prionser was on his wav to that place when he was stopped by the prosecutor. James Clark, of No. 6, Glocester.place, Vanxhall-walk, a car- penter, the person alluded to by the prisoner as having given him the card, corroboratedt the statemcnt of the prisoner, as to the conver. Nation respecting the horse andl the card. The prisoner had no liorses with hiim at this time. Afterwards lie saw him at thc Grecn rAlan at Ealing, vhen a gentleman came up, leading twvo horses. lc ssaw this gentleman converse with the prisoner, and give him some tno- ney ; immed?iately after which the prisoner set ofs towards London with the hurscs. This witness underwent a cross-examination, witich dlidl n ot in any degree shalke Itis evidence. MIr. Justicc 1LlITT LEDAJ.E summe( ttp, and said, that if the jitrv entertained the same opinion as ite did of' the testimony of the last witness, wlhich was uncontradicted and free from suspicion, they would acquit the prisoner. The Jury immediately found him Guilly. Therc was a second indictment against the prisoner for stealing the other horse which vas founti withi him, the property of a different person. It was ordlered to stand over iuntil to-morrow, that it miglht be tried by another ju1ry, on the zround that the presentjuiy, having giren a verdict so entirely at variance with the opinion of the Judge, the prisoner could not hare an impartial trial. Bfcjhre Mr. 3Serfrmtt A RABIN and a London Jury. Johin Robitiso,s was capitally inidictede for stealing, in the month of July lAst, in Colney Hatcb, a gelding, vahte 201., thc property of a Mlr. IIlart. - The evidlence adduced being very mcagre, atid entirelv insufficient to prove the theft as against the prisoner, though it inplied a guilty knowledge in itim, while in possession ef the animal, that it hatd been stoles, M r. Sergeant A n.AsB charged the jury accordingly; and the Jiiry returned a verdict of JWot Guilty. The prisoner was then discharged, after a sultable admonition from the learned Judge, wiho lamented Itis evident connexion with a desperate gant- of horse-stealers ; and warned hiim of the fatal aonse. quenccs of his evry appearing in trhc dock again. Jan,c., otherwise Roberr /larrison was put to the bar on an in- dictment icharging him iritb ltvinig unlawfully returned from trans- portation, and being at large in this country, before the expiriation of hiis sentence., A polircetcer swore that some little thime ago he saw the pri- soner standing at the Elephant antI Castle anti I having hearti that he hadl becn tltree or foir years since tried for and convicted of a felony, and transportedl, he deterined to look after hins; and when lie again sawv him, which was in Fenchurcl-street, secured hirn. Saw:yer, another offcer, anti formerly attached to tiie citY eats- blishtmcnt, identified the prisoner, whom he knew to hare kern sentencetl to transportation at the Old Bailey Decemtber Sessions in 11i21. X'iusuess hail met him twvo or tlhrcc ti.ails since, and hiad *both shaken his head anti his Host' at the prisoner, to intitiiate to hlim that hle was in dlaiger. The record of flarrison's conviction for ahighv,aY robbery inLon- dlon vas ther2 produced and read in couirt. The plisoner, is his defenice, saiul that lie was inot the m an the officers took hlti for; that there were maisv prrsnns like himb and that the officcrs acted witl a vicv to the rcwaril which was paid to them in such cases. The olficer last examined here steppel orward, and said, that to disprove this imptitation, lie voluntarilv gave utp any rewvard that mnight be luitc n case of a verdict against the prisoner, to atty fund tile Couirt mnight name. Mr. Sergeant Aitelit N said, no imputation at all could attach to the officer ; anti having summed tip, the Jury rceturmied a verdict of gui/taf. OLD BAILR Y, _rusDnA Y, Se. 21.