The Sun. — 1829-03-23 (London, England)

THE CRIMINAO ORDERED FOR EXECUTION. Charles Goodlad, who 422 years of age, was tried for robbing his master, Mr. Arthur Geddes, a merchant, of No. 6, Staff rd-row, Buckingham-gate, of different articles of plate. The prisoner was in Mr. Geddei's service as footman, where he was engaged on the 19th of November. On the 22d of December Mr. Geddes I•ad a party to dinner at two o'clock, and the prisoner had received directions to have the table laid by that hour. At halfpast owe he went into the kitchen, took some lunch, and then, taking up a pitcher, said he wanted to go and obtain some water for the cook. Shortly after he left the house, lie put the pitcher dower at Buckingham-gate, and made all the haste he could into the park, going in the direction from Stafford-row. Immediately after, the plate abovementioned, which cost Mr. Geddes 1701., was missed. The prisoner was apprehended by Taunton, the Bowstreet officer, on the 2d of February, at Southwell, in Nottinghamshire. Taunton asked him what made him leave Mr. Geddes's situation, but he made no reply. He was then asked who gave him a character to get Mr. Geddes's situation ? He replied, that lie got acquainted with some person in London, who persuaded him to get a written character, which he sent to his mother at Haverill, near Chesterfield, and his mother sent it to Mr. Geddes. He said, that he had sold the clothes which he took away from Mr. Geddes's house. He then alluded to a charge of horse-stealing which had been preferred against him, and said he thought he should he hanged if he were taken up fer Mr. Geddes's robbery. After the Jury had pronounced the verdict of guilty, the prisoner was recommended to mercy by the prosecutor, on account of the aversion he bad to take away human life, except for murder and treason, and believing, from inquiries lie had made, that the prisoner had very bad parents. Thomas Birmingham, aged 21, Joseph Redgard, aged' 23, and William Kelly, aged 21, were indicted, with Thomas Langham, for robbing George Monro, on the King's highway, of a watch, chain, seals, and key, value 50/. The prosecutor, Mr. George Monro, who is a gentleman, and had been in the army, resides at Kirby-street, Hatton-garden. On the night of the 18th of January, about half-past twelve or one o'clock, he was coming home from the King's Arms public-house, Leadenhallstreet, where he had been dining and spending the evening with some friends, and although, he said, he had taken a few tumblers of punch, he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. When lie got nearly opposite Fleet-market, the prisoner and another man followed him. They affected to be in liquor, and took bold of the prosecutor's arm. They followed him from Fleet-market into Kirby-street, where they surrounded him, and one of them knocked him down by a blow on the chest. Some of the gang then held him down while the others robbed him of his watch, Ecc., and they all, except Langham, ran away. Although the prosecutor and the other witnesses swore to Langham being one of the party who committed the robbery, the Jury considered that his not running away was strong evidence of his innocence, and he was acquitted. On Wednesday night, when the report arrived at New.. gate, the dreadful intelligence was immediately communicated to the wretched men. Goodlad did not express the least surprise, and said it was what he expected ; since that time, however, he has been afflicted with fits, and has been bled several times.  Birmingham, when informed of his fate, said that his life had been sworn away, and call, d out to his companions, " What's the use of fretting ? If we are to be hanged, why we can only die once." lie has, however, become greatly altered since that time; has confessed having been concerned in several other robberies, and expressed his surprise that he has so long escaped punishmerit. Lie was on Saturday visited by his father : the poor old man bitterly lamented the sad end of his son, and said, " Now, I have nothing to do but to chuck myself into the grave !" Birmingham and his two companions have, for a long time, formed part of what was called the " Field-lane gang ;" and, according to Birmingham's confession, they have been engaged in several daring robberies.