Chester Chronicle – Friday 19 May 1826
CHESTER
POLICE COURT. SATURDAY, May 13 Present, Aldermen Larden, Newell, and Francis.
The Mayor, being indisposed, was absent.
A WATCHMAN "AT FAULT." Last week, a man from Manchester was committed to
the city gaol, charged with stealing a hat and a silk handkerchief, during the
race-week, the property of a constable
named Wood. The hat was found in his possession, but the handkerchief was
not, although, he had been seen with it in his hand with the hat This morning, a
watchman named Johnson was accused
of having pawned, or caused to be pawned, the handkerchief said to be stolen. He
admitted the fact, and said he found it in Foregate-street. It was also proved
in evidence that Johnson knew the handkerchief belonged to Wood at the time it
was pawned. The Court ordered him to be suspended in the mean time, in order
that the case may be laid before the Commissioners. Johnson said he would save
the Court any further trouble and
resigned his office.
Chester Chronicle - Wednesday 21 June 1826
CASE
OF GEORGE JOINSON. Cheshire Quarter Sessions [FROM THE COURANT] Our readers will
remember that this prisoner was indicted at the January sessions, for stealing
some poultry, the properly of Mr. Woolliscroft, of the White Lion, in this city.
His trial was postponed on that occasion, in consequence of the absence of Betty
and Mary Robinson, the sister and niece of the prisoner, who were sworn to be
material witnesses for the prosecution. At the last April sessions these
witnesses were still absent, and the trial was further postponed until these
sessions. The witnesses contrived to continue yet undiscovered, and the prisoner
was put on his trial on Friday. Mr. Deacon stated the case for the prosecution,
and Mr. Ashworth and Mr. Cottingham defended the prisoner. Richard Davies, Mr.
Woolliscroft’s man proved that he identified one duck when the prisoner was
examined before the Magistrates, as the property of his master. He knew it by a
broken leg which he himself had spliced and set when the accident occurred.
George Dawson, police officer, Chester
- I went to search the house of Betty Robinson, the prisoner's sister, at
Trafford, about ten o'clock in the morning of Monday after the ducks were lost.
I saw a large iron pot on the fire with water in it; there was a feather on the
surface, and the water had a greasy appearance. Betty Robinson came out of an
adjoining bed room with blood on her hands.
Hill, a police officer, and myself,
went into the room, and we there found a quantity of ducks which another woman
(sister of the prisoner) was in the act of plucking and drawing. In another
bed-room on the same floor, we found a number of other ducks and eight turkeys
ready dressed for market; the turkeys had a few black feathers on the heads, and
dark legs. We found two hampers marked G. J. which are the initials of the
prisoner; Betty Robinson and Mary Robinson were examined before Mr. Morrall and
another magistrate. The former said in the presence of the prisoner, that she
was coming to Chester, between nine and ten o'clock on Sunday morning, when she
met the prisoner with his horse and cart and two hampers going to her house. On
her return home she found the ducks and turkeys at her house, and directions to
have them dressed for Manchester market as quick as possible. Mary Robinson said
that she was at home at ten o'clock on the Saturday morning, and that the
prisoner (her uncle) came to the door
with
his cart and horse and two hampers, containing the 8 turkeys and 28 ducks, and
gave directions to have them dressed for Manchester market. The prisoner said he
had bought them of W. Watson and W. Tasker. He
said he was not then prepared to prove the fact, but that at another examination
he would bring forward two persons to prove that he bought them and paid for
them.
[Considerable discussion arose between the learned counsel as to the
admissibility of parole evidence of
the declaration of the women, and the prisoner himself before the magistrate, in
consequence of its being taken down in writing. Owing, to a misapprehension of
the Chairman as to the time when it was reduced to writing, it was at first
received
as detailed above, but subsequently struck out of the Chairman's notes, and the
depositions themselves put in evidence— being precisely the same in substance,
we have suffered the above to remain as part of the evidence of this witness.]
When I was in the act of taking the prisoner from the City Gaol, he told me he
could prove satisfactorily where he had got the fowls, and that a man then in
the City Gaol, W. Watson, was one of those from thorn he had purchased them, and
that he could produce a man named Owens, of Manchester, who was present when he
gave a high price for them to Watson and Tasker. This man was not produced
before the magistrates at either examinations. In the passage leading to the
magistrates room, the prisoner spoke to me saying, "if you will suppress or
withhold any thing injurious to me in your examination, I will give
five
pounds, and the person with you (Hill) shall have pounds” or words to that
effect. Cross examined by Mr Ashworth – The prisoner has been a very
considerable dealer in poultry, vegetables and fruit for some time past, and has
been in
the habit of attending the Manchester market There is a great poultry market at
Manchester just before Christmas day, and persons who attend that market would
probably have a larger supply the usual for market. There is not any thing
unusual in persons bringing fowls ready dressed for market, if the fowls were
killed in the usual way. These fowls were not killed in the usual way, but their
necks pulled out as if done by parsons. Who steal fowls. The conversation with
the prisoner which I have before stated, is in substance is what he said to me.
John Hill, police officer at
Chester—I went with Dawson to search
Elizabeth Robinson's house, at Trafford; I found in one of the bed-rooms eight
turkeys, partly dressed and covered up with a cloth. I found part of the
feathers in a basket, and what appeared to be the remainder on the tester of the
bed, in an old sack, wrapped round with a bed-quilt. I got on a Manchester
coach. I met the prisoner on his pony going in the direction of Trafford, and
took him into custody. I told him the charge. He pretended to know nothing of
the charge, nor of me, although he knew me very well. I took him to the city
gaol, and went to search his house at Chester, where I found one duck, ready
dressed for the spit. I searched under a flag in the yard, in consequence of
what the prisoner's wife told me, and found the drawings of a couple of ducks
and the feathers. I was with Dawson
in the passage leading to the Magistrate's room, and the conversation, as
related by Dawson in his evidence, is in substance, what the prisoner then said.
Mr. John Wooliscroft, the younger—I reside with my father, the prosecutor in
this case. I remember the fowls stolen from my father. I went with Dawson and
Hill to Elizabeth Robinson's house. I believe the turkeys found at her house
were the same that were stolen from my father; they had black heads, and black
legs, like those of my father's. Prisoner said to my father in the Magistrates
room, if he would not prosecute him, that he should lose nothing by it, or words
to that effect. Cross-examined by Mr. Ashworth—The other feathers were all off.
Black turkeys have always black legs. I never saw them with any other. Mr.
Thomas Parry solicitor, was next sworn—I was before the Magistrates. I
officiated as their clerk on the Monday, when the depositions were taken against
the prisoner. The papers now before me, purporting to be the examinations of the
women Betty and Mary Robinson, are the declaration of the prisoner are the same
as then taken. The written depositions of the Robinsons were then put in; they
stated the same facts in substance as were elicited in that part of Dawson's
evidence which relates to these women. The declaration of the prisoner before
the Magistrates were also put in; it stated that what they (the several
deponents,) had said, was true, but that he could not account satisfactorily how
he came by the fowls. This closed the case for the prosecution. When the
prisoner was called upon for his defence, he confined himself to accusations
against Dawson and the police, stating that Tasker was in the pay of the
officers, and suffered to commit crimes with impunity, in order to entrap
others. Owens, the Manchester man, whose efficiency was thought to be so
important to the prisoner, was called, but he did not appear; although he had
been in Court in the course of the morning. Search was made for him throughout
the town, but he was nowhere to be found. A person named Hopley, who is allied
by marriage in some wav to the prisoner, was called to give him a good character
previous to this affair. The Chairman recapitulated the evidence with great
minuteness and the jury without hesitation found a verdict of guilty. The moment
the foreman pronounced the verdict, the prisoner fell down in the deck, and
groaned in a most piteous manner. He was taken away by the officers in
attendance, without receiving sentence of Seven Years Transportation which was
afterwards passed upon him, in a most impressive manner, by the worthy Chairman.
{The Chairman in proceeding to pass sentence observed, that his case was a very
aggravated one independent of his conduct in getting the witnesses out of the
way: that he was a man of very bad character, and a general receiver of stolen
goods; and his house was the hot-bed of crime—Sentence of Court Seven years
Transporting in the usual manner.}
Chester
Chronicle - Friday
14 July 1826
CHESTER POLICE COURT. MONDAY, July 9th—Present, the Mayor, and Aldermen Newell,
H. Bowers, Williamson, and Massey. WILFUL
STABBING. This morning, John Suddones, a
watchman, preferred a charge against Andrew Scalion, a private of the 57th
regiment of foot, of wilfully stabbing David Rogers, on Saturday night last, at
the Coach and Horses Inn. The Court was informed that Scalion was in custody at
the Guard-House in the Castle, in the mean time—that he was not stationed at our
barrack —but had merely come here as an escort with ammunition.
Mr. George Harrison, surgeon, stated
that he had attended Rogers, and found him to have received a bayonet-wound in
the right side—he considered his life to be now out of danger, but was not so
far recovered as to be able to attend to give his evidence to-day. The point of
the bayonet very fortunately had bit against one of Rogers's ribs, and his life
was thereby saved. The Mayor thought
the depositions of some of the persons who saw the affair should be taken, in
order that a warrant might be granted to bring up the soldier to answer to the
charge. Ann Hooley, wife of John
Hooley, landlord of the Coach and Horses Inn, being sworn, deposed that Andrew
Scalion was quartered at her house, and, that he went out in the evening, and
returned home about a quarter before twelve o'clock at night. Finding the front
doer locked, he kicked at it in a very violent manner. The deponent did not then
let him in, but asked her husband to go out at another door, and speak to him:
he did so—and in a minute or two the deponent heard them at high words, the
soldier swearing the most dreadful oaths. She then opened the front doer, when
the soldier rushed in, and ran up stairs. In going up, the deponent heard the
soldier threaten to fetch his bayonet and stab her husband. The latter followed
the soldier up stairs, upon which the deponent became alarmed, and ran into the
front parlour, where David Rogers and a number of others were drinking, and said
to them, "for God's sake go up stairs, the soldier is gone to get his bayonet,
and says he will stick my master!"—upon which Rogers and some of the other men
went up to the assistance of Hooley. In a few minutes the deponent saw Rogers
come down stairs; he held his hand to his side, and looked very ill; she
enquired of him if he was hurt?—he answered “not much ;" he then began to look
worse than when he first came down, but appeared not to wish deponent to know
that he was so bad as he really was. John
Suddones, the watchman of the station, deposed that upon hearing a noise at
the Coach and Horses he went in, and proceeded up stairs. He there saw Scalion
standing a little way within the door of a bed-room: he had his gun in his
hands, which he loaded, swearing he would shoot the first person that approached
him. David Rogers, Mr. Hooley, with a number of other persons, were standing in
the lobby, endeavouring to pacify him: he, however, continued to swear and
curse, and exclaiming
“be
off you b.......s!" and charged them with fixed bayonet.
The deponent saw the bayonet enter the side of Rogers. Mrs. Hooley further
deposed that Scalion, after he came down stairs, was very boisterous, and swore
he would blow her husband's brains out if he did not instantly fetch him a drink
of water. He (Scalion) was not intoxicated at the time. The Mayor granted a
warrant for the apprehension of the offender, directing the constable (before he
served it) to get it backed by a county magistrate – In the evening the warrant
was served, and Scalion was escorted by a file of men from the Castle to the
City Gaol, where he was safely lodged.
DISORDERLIES.
John Queen, a little old-fashioned
fellow, stripped to his shirt, and with a beard of “informal growth," was
brought up, charged with being drunk during divine service on Sunday morning. It
appeared, that the defendant, in “the hey-day of his blood," as in duty bound
(having been a queen) devoted his
services to the king: he became a soldier, and during the war his unfortunate
cranium came in contact with one of those busy, intrusive things—a musket shot!
and, (to use his own words) "now I'm obliged to sell cement to mend women's
cracked and broken crockery, and the like—and whenever I gets a sup o' drink it
flies to my head, and sets me mad !" Mayor "But your madness is not to be borne
by the peaceable citizens; you know your failing, and should refrain from
drinking liquors. Who substantiates this charge?.
Monday (the constable) " I
do, please your worship; he was smoking his pipe a little before 12 o'clock in
the morning." Alderman H. Rowers—"Why, bless me; smoking a pipe is not a proof
of drunkenness!" Monday—"Oh, no, not exactly, but he was waddling and
staggering, and was followed by a crowd of boys." This was a clincher, and the
Court ordained that John should pay a fine of 5s. and 2s. costs for the offence,
which he promised to do on Saturday next.
WILFUL STABBING.
Andrew Scalion, the soldier alluded
to in our Police Report of Monday, was this morning brought up, charged, upon
the oath of David Rogers, (a labourer employed in the gardens at Eaton Hall)
under the terms of Lord Ellenborough's Act (43 Geo. IV.) for cutting and
stabbing him on Saturday night, or early on Sunday morning, with intent to kill,
or to do him some grievous bodily harm. The prisoner is a coarse
featured man, about 32 years of age; the prosecutor (who appeared very
weak) is somewhat older. David Rogers deposed that he was at the Coach and
Horses Inn at a little before twelve o'clock on Saturday night, when he was
sitting, with a friend, in one of the front parlours. He heard a violent
knocking at the street door, and somebody demanding to be let in. He also heard
Mr. Hooley say, "it is an illegal hour, soldier, and you sha'nt come in." The
knocking continued, and deponent heard Mr. Hooley go outside the door: there was
then a loud talking, and a noise like that of persons quarrelling. In a few
minutes deponent heard some one go upstairs, exclaiming
“I'll fetch my bayonet, and kill him!"
There was a noise of other feet upon the stairs. Mrs. Hooley came running into
the room where deponent was, and entreated those sitting there to go up stairs
and save her husband. Deponent then went up stairs; several persons were
standing in the passage; the prisoner was standing just within a bedroom door,
loading his musket, saying to those around him, "By J....s I'll shoot you, if
you are not from here!" The deponent said, "soldier, moderate your passion, if
you want anything to drink, there's a full pot of porter down stairs, if you'll
go down quietly."—-He replied, "d—n you, I don’t want none of your porter; be
off, or I'll send you” He
then drew up the gun towards his shoulder, put his hand to the trigger, and ran
towards them: several ,of them ran down stairs, when the prisoner turned round,
fixed his bayonet, and said to Henry Evans, a bookbinder, "By J—s ! I'll let
light into
you!"— Evans ran away, and escaped the thrust: he (the prisoner) turned towards
deponent, who was yet standing in the passage, and said, "Here's into you,
then!" and thrust his bayonet into his left side. The deponent hurried forward
towards the head of the stairs, and was followed by the prisoner: at the head of
the stairs he made another violent thrust, exclaiming, “By J.... s! I’ll let
light into you:" the deponent, however, fell down the stairs and escaped unhurt
from this last thrust. The prisoner then went back to the bed-room. It appeared
further in evidence, that the prisoner afterwards went down stairs, and was
there almost as boisterous as above.-( See the deposition of Mrs. Hooley on
Monday) Information
was sent to the Guard-House, at the Castle, of the prisoner's
conduct and a file of men promptly came down and took him away. Mrs Hooley who
was out of Town was not examined George Ambler, a Serjeant of the 7th Fusiliers,
deposed: “I was one of then men who
came down from the castle to take the prisoner into custody. I took from him the
gun now produced. It was loaded with ball, full cocked and primed - When I took
it from him, he said it was loaded, and me to put on the flint cover, to prevent
it’s going off.
We then removed him to the guard house.
The prisoner than asked if he had anything to urge why he should not be
committed to take his trial for wilfully and maliciously stabbing, attempted to
justify the outrage, insisting he had a right to force his way to the bed-room,
and to defend the regimental property therefore had a single article, however
small been lost, he would have answered for it in a Court Martial, and in
probability been flogged. He denied the threats imputed to him, and said
it was a hard
thing to be hung for nothing but saving his life and property!"— He was then
fully committed, and the parties bound over to prosecute.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
4 August 1826
CHESTER POLICE. Wednesday, Aug. 2nd—Present the Mayor, Ald. H. Bowers, Massey,
Francis, R. Bowers, Morris, and Rogers. ROBBERY
of the TOWN OFFICE of CASH amounting to upwards of £90— John Phelan, a clerk in
the post office, was brought up from “quod”
(sic), charged with committing the
above felony, on the night of Monday last, and was fully committed for trial for
the same.— Michael Phelan, was also brought up on suspicion of being an
accessory, but no evidence was produced to warrant his detention, consequently
he was discharged. —As the case of young Phelan has excited a good deal of
interest, we shall go into the principal points of the evidence. When he was
brought into Court, the place was crowded to excess, and during a great part of
the examination, he placed his handkerchief before his face.
The first witness called was, Charles
Owen, office-boy to Mr. F. Maddock. He deposed that on the preceding Monday
night, about eight o'clock, he locked the lower office door, and that Phelan
locked the outer one. He gave the key of the lower office to the prisoner, who
then had both keys. He stood with him under the Exchange for about two minutes;
and Phelan said, it was no use for him taking the keys to Mr. F. Maddock's house
then as the servant was not in. He did not see him again till next morning.
Elizabeth Ibell, who is servant to
Mr. F. Maddock; recollects me prisoner bringing the keys to the house on the
Monday night, about nine o'clock, and hung them up himself on a nail in the
kitchen; the keys used to be brought about eight.
Charlotte Leyfield deposed to coming
to the Town office about eight o'clock on Tuesday morning, but could not open
the outer door. She then proceeded to state, that she went to prisoner's house,
requested him to come and assist her in opening the outer-door, and that he
came, and after some further ineffectual efforts to gain admittance through the
front door, by means of a stool got up to the outward widow, and said that the
office-door was wide open, and the outer one barricaded in the inside by a large
piece of wood; that they were forced to enter through the window, and when the
prisoner entered the office, he said thieves had robbed the place.
William Edwards, clerk to Mr.
Finchett-Maddock, gave his evidence as follows .—On Tuesday morning I came to
the office, and found my two drawers had been broken open, as also John's (the
prisoner) desk, and a little cupboard upon my desk; I found scattered £5 16s. in
loose silver, 1 sovereign, and nine pence in copper. After this, I searched the
drawer, and found that all the money was gone, except that found on the desk;
£70 7s. 10d. was the actual amount missing; the yellow canvass bag without a
string, was also gone; none of the papers appeared to have been disturbed. My
attention was then drawn to the manner in which the robbery was committed: I
examined the doors, and instantly had a suspicion, no violence being found on
the outer door; the violence done inside had been done, I supposed, with a small
chisel, with which we cut the deeds; the chisel exactly fitted the several
places to which it had been applied: the chisel was produced. I communicated my
suspicion, as to the guilt of the prisoner, to
Mr. Dawson, and Monday, one of the
constables. We went to the magistrates and got a search warrant as soon as
possible; I did not go along with them to search. I went with them only for the
search warrant. The money was principally sovereigns and silver: there was 1 or
2 notes, but cannot speak to the amount. There was £10 in silver, wrapped up in
one paper; I don’t know whether the notes were Bank of England or not.
Joseph
Monday, one of the Constables, deposed to having searched the house of the
prisoner's father on Tuesday morning, when he found a canvass bag in a small
desk in the bed-room, there were 25 sovereigns, a guineas, 17 half sovereigns,
(here Mr. Edwards was called who spoke to their being half sovereigns in the
bag, loose silver about 14s, a package of silver, containing £4. 12s and a
halfpenny in copper, all loose in the box. and the bag over it. (Mr. Edwards
identified the bag from having had it in frequent use, and having no strings in
it) Found some plans of the new
Bridge, (these were produced and identified by Mr. Finchett-Maddock.) The plans
were not found in the same room as the money, they were in the bottom of a box;
the box was locked when I went to search it.
Mr.
George Dawson, Police Officer, was next examined. Searched John Phelan, and
was present when the money was found in Phelan's house, and assisted in
searching a trunk which the father said belonged to the son, and found therein a
magic lantern, with reflectors called slides, a watch ribbon, and a gold seal
appended to it. I then proceeded to find Phelan, whom I found in the bottom
office of the Exchange, I found in his pocket a silver pencil case, and a silver
tooth pick, and a cup and ball. In his waistcoat pocket a small parcel attaining
six sovereigns, half a sovereign, £5 Bank of England Note, a one pound Salop
Bank, and one Wrexham Bank, and in his trowsers pocket
(sic) £5 16s. in silver, and on some
other parts of his person, two-pence in copper, and a receipt; upon taking the
silver out of his trowsers(sic)
pocket, he said that you have nothing to do with it, it belongs to Jones the
baker, in Princess-street, for copper; he wished to say something to me after
the search, but I told him to be silent. John
Hill, constable of Chester, was the next person examined. He assisted in the
search; saw Monday open the desk and take cut the tin box of money and the bag;
this was in the bed room in Phelan's house, Mrs. Phelan said it was her son's
bed room; I found in the desk a phosphorous bottle and matches, (these were
produced in court) with two pencil cases; the desk Mrs. Phelan informed me was
her son's. W Thomas Bowers,
druggist, was next examined, and deposed, that John Phelan, the prisoner, came
to him on Monday afternoon, about four or live o'clock, in the shop, and asked
for a match-box, which I gave him, and for which he paid me 6d. Mr. B. said, it
did not appear to be so full as when delivered to Phelan, and knew that it was
the very match-box given to Phelan by him; he identified it by a particular mark
on the exterior of the box; there appeared to be a match or two taken out.
Mrs. Turner, of the Exchange, was the next to give evidence.-
Saw John Phelan go down her stairs a little before the bell rang nine;
these were the stairs leading to the Town Hall; as that was not the regular road
to the office, I said, dear me John, is it you ? He said yes. I then opened him
the front door I never observed that he came that way before, after the office
was closed. William Hope, clerk to Mr
Maddock, examined:- He first produced the key of the door loading to the
Town-hall, down Mrs. Turner's steps; found it in John Phelan’s desk on
Tuesday; it is usually kept on the nail of his frame, or some one of the nails
where the other keys, are kept opposite the fire-place.
Some other evidence was offered, but of little moment; when the
prisoner, on being asked whether he wished to say any thing why he should not be
committed, answered he had nothing to say, but that his father was not in the
least implicated. The young man was then finally committed for trial.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 28 December 1827
CHESTER POLICE REPORT. SATURDAY, December 22. Before the Mayor. Aldermen Larden,
R Bowers, Francis and Williamson - James
Ladmore, one of the City Constables, appeared in Court to answer a charge
which had been preferred against him for inconsistent conduct, on the previous
Sabbath, by a person named Woods; but after waiting a length of time, and the
name of his accuser had been called out frequently, the Mayor informed him, he
(the Mayor) had only acted consistently with his duty in bringing him before the
Bench, but as Woods had not appeared to substantiate what he alleged against
him, the Court concluded the allegations were untrue, and originated In motives
which were wrong, therefore, he was fully discharged, and in the eyes of the
public, no stain would rest upon his character.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
4 January 1828
CHESTER POLICE REPORT. SATURDAY, Dec. 20.—Before the Mayor, Aldermen Larden
Francis, and Williamson. John Hughes was brought up by
Richardson, a watchman who charged
him with being intoxicated, and abusing him whilst on his duty, about one
o'clock on Tuesday morning.— Hughes said he had been keeping up Christmas at the
Red Lion, in Northgate-street, until that hour. This information led the mayor
to enquire of the watchman, why the house was not reported? When Hughes declared
that the watchman also had some drink in the house just before he left.
Richardson solemnly vowed he did not
take any drink in the house but a young man in Court, said he gave him some
ale,—upon hearing which, this zealous preserver of the law sharply replied, "if
he did taste any ale, he drank it outside the door.”
The Mayor declared, that such evasions and misconduct should not be
overlooked by him: his Worship was
proceeding when Hughes's son charged Richardson with being asleep upon his post
that morning, and said Frith, another
watchman, awoke him in his presence. Newton, when called upon to give
evidence as to the conduct of his
brother Charley, said, "Mr Mayor, he was not awake nor asleep,—he was between
the two”. The Town Clerk suggested that perhaps he was in a watch man's sleep.
Frith thought that gentleman hit the mark, for he replied, "Yes, Sir, neither
sleep nor waken." The Mayor
suspended Richardson until the next meeting of Police Commissioners and bound
Hughes over to keep the peace in two sureties.
A VERY FOWL
CASE. John Pownall, of Handbridge, an old offender, well known from his strong
attachment to the feathered tribe; and who, a short time since was apprehended
for having In his possession some prime turkeys, which he accidentally picked up
in the vicinity of a farm-house, was handed to the front of the table.
The watchman said, he saw him
entering into Handbridge, from the Pulford-road, about three o'clock on the
morning of Saturday last, and suspecting he had been out on the prowl, he
demanded to know what he had about him, he resisted him for a time, but being
joined by Bennion, a supernumerary
watchman, who, upon hearing the scuffle, hasted out of bed, to his
assistance, they succeeded in searching him, and found in his “inexpressibles”
six fowls—and four more inclosed in the inside of his waistcoat. He said he
bought the whole of them from a man whom he met on the road near Northop: he
brought them for some distance alive, but thinking he could carry them more
snugly if dead, he wrung their necks out; and as he had honestly got them, he
was proceeding quietly home, when he was rudely stopped by the watchman, who, he
said, had spoiled his Saturday's market The Town Clerk, " Why Pownall, you said
you would never come here again ?—" Yes Sir, but you don't use me fair, about
these fowl."' —Ald. Fletcher asked him at what hour, and where he purchased
them? In answer, he said, he bought them about six o'clock that evening, on the
road, near Northop—lt was stated by Bennion, that he was seen going towards
Pulford, about seven o'clock on Friday morning, by an individual named William
Griffiths, and that at two o'clock on Saturday morning he was met by a carter,
on his way to Chester, with the poultry in his possession.—He was remanded for
further examination.
TUESDAY—Present,
the Mayor, Alderman Williamson, and Francis. The
Fowl Thief:
Isaac Bennion, the supernumerary
watchman, who was ordered by the Magistrates yesterday to go to Pulford, and
its vicinity, with a view to discover from whom the fowls, found in the
possession of Pownall, had been stolen, appeared before the Bench, and stated,
that be learnt, on enquiry, they had been purloined from the roost of Mr.
Timothy Lee, of Pulford—Pownall will therefore be brought before a County
Magistrate for examination, and committal. John
Joinson, of Handbridge, John Thomas, of Foregate-street, and Ann Walters, a lady
from the vicinity of St. Olave's-street, were called forward.
The watchman stated, that about two
o'clock on Tuesday morning, these young men, accompanied by Miss Walters, were
making a great noise in Castle-street, and on his insisting that she should quit
their company, they kept fast hold of her, swearing she should not leave
them,—upon which, he, and another preserver of the peace, took the whole of them
to the strong hold— The Mayor gave them some excellent advice; and they were
discharged, on paying the watchmen a shilling each. . .
Chester Chronicle - Friday
17 August 1827
Chester Police Report. MONDAY.—Present, Alderman Newell. K. Bowers. Rogers,
Williamson, and Morris. Henry Marsden
was brought up, charged with assaulting
John Southerns, a watchman, and Isaac Benyon, a supernumerary, while in the
execution of their duty. Both of
them were knocked down and surrounded by a crowd of between three and four
hundred persons, and the prisoner was amongst the foremost who maltreated them,
though he was then under bail to appear at the ensuing sessions.
The Court ordered that his
recognizance should be ‘estreated’
and that he should procure fresh bail, in two persons to the amount of twenty
pounds each, assuring him at the same time, that an indictment for each assault
would be preferred against him.
Chester Chronicle – Friday 19 October 1827
Chester Police Report. Wednesday October 17 – Present, The Mayor, Ald. Larden,
Newell and Williamson. John Barnett and James Harrison, appeared to answer
summonses, charging them with violently assaulting Geo. Whitebrook and Joseph
Pownall, at half-past eleven o'clock on Monday night last. The complainants
stated, that they were coming up Foregate-street, on their way home, when they
were assaulted by these two young men, who pushed them off the side-pavement;
they remonstrated with Harnett and Harrison, who, without further ceremony,
began to beat them in a shameful manner,—also following them into Johns-street
where the outrage was renewed with increased violence.— Upon Pownall declaring
that he would have satisfaction for the injury he had sustained, Harrison said,
he did not care for the Corporation, or the punishment they could inflict as he
was going to Birmingham in the morning, before they could summon him; and he
would rather be hanged there than die a natural death in Chester."
Sumpter, the watchman, was called
upon to state what he knew of the transaction and why he did not report it in
the watch-book: he said, he knew little about the matter, as he came up when it
was nearly ended, and from what he saw, he could not tell who were the
aggressors; he saw Barnett used very ill, but did not know by whom. The facts of
the assault being sworn to, they were ordered to find bail, themselves in 20/0
and sureties in 10/0 each, to answer a bill of indictment which will be
preferred against them al the approaching Sessions.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
28 December 1827
CHESTER POLICE REPORT. [omitted last week.] SATURDAY, Dec. 14 - Before the
Mayor, Aldermen Francis, and Williamson.
Mr. George Dawson, Superintendent of police, complained of an assault
committed on him by Mr. Healey, over-looker of the meat-shambles:—Healey, when
called upon to answer to the charge, conducted himself in such a disorderly way
before the Bench, that the Chief Magistrate informed him, the Court would not
suffer such behaviour to pass by unpunished, if he did not immediately desist:
but as he continued to manifest the same ungoverned feeling, expressing with
Boarnerge's roar, (suiting the action to the word) his determination to be
revenged of Mr. Dawson for some imaginary mere chit-chat evil that he had done
him. The Mayor
told him, he had better leave the Court, and threw out a plain hint, that he
should dispense with his services in future.
Healey grovelled and retired.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 19 January 1827
Chester Police Report. MONDAY, Jan. 15.—Present, Aldermen Francis (Deputy
Mayor), Newell, Morris, and Fletcher.
Elizabeth Morris, who had been
taken to the House of Correction on Saturday evening, marched forward with
solemn pace, halting at each step to make her lowly courtesy to the Bench.
The watchman said that he found
Elizabeth in a complete state of intoxication in the street, she having
unfortunately taken so much gin as to render her incapably of leaving the spot
where he found her. She had in her possession a banker's receipt for £100
deposited in her name, in the hands of Messrs. Sankeys, of Holywell; and she
stated, that she was on her way to that town, to draw a little more money,
probably to meet her thirsty demands.—lt appeared from an indorse on the paper
she had, that within the short space of a few weeks, she had received £40 from
the same quarter—the original sum deposited having amounted to one hundred and
forty pounds.— The Magistrates said, she must pay the usual penalty for
drunkenness; but, she replied she had no money to pay it now, but would call and
discharge the debt of stern justice when she returned; for it was not so much
the fault of the liquor, as the many cuts she had in her head She was
discharged; and on leaving the court forgot her former promise, declaring, they
should never see her face in that place again.
John Edwards,
alias Shifty Edwards, of barrel notoriety—was brought up from Jepson's
stone-jug, in the custody of a watchman, who found him stretched out dead drunk,
on the King's highway, completely interrupting the progress of the muddy stream
of the channel in Bridge-street He pleaded his inability to pay the fine; and
gave it as his opinion that the crime was a great deal lessened, because the
strong drink was given to him—Although the Bench differed with Shifty, on this
point; yet, upon promising to keep sober in future, he was discharged.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 17 August 1827
Chester Police Report. MONDAY.—Present, Alderman Newell. K. Bowers. Rogers,
Williamson, and Morris. Henry Marsden was brought up, charged with assaulting
John Southerns, a watchman, and Isaac
Benyon, a supernumerary, while in the execution of their duty.
Both of them were knocked down and
surrounded by a crowd of between three and four hundred persons, and the
prisoner was amongst the foremost who maltreated them, though he was then under
bail to appear at the ensuing sessions. The
Court ordered that his recognizance should be estreated, and that he should
procure fresh bail, in two persons to the amount of twenty pounds each, assuring
him at the same time, that an indictment for each assault would be preferred
against him.
Chester Chronicle – Friday 7 December 1827
Chester Police Report – Tuesday Dec 4
Three Constables, who had been summoned for neglecting their duly on the
Sabbath Day, appeared to answer the charge; two of them pleaded sickness as the
cause of their not going the rounds on that day; and the third, that just as he
was about to start to his post, it begun to rain, which prevented him from
attending. The Mayor remarked, that sickness was certainly a reasonable cause of
absence, but they should have sent information to the Superintendent of Police,
and persons would have been ordered on duty in their stead,—but as to the plea
of not attending, in consequence of a shower of rain, it was too paltry to be
admitted; he hoped constables would recollect that they were liable to a fine of
40s. for neglecting their duty, and he should certainly enforce it in future...
At present he dismissed the whole of these preservers of the peace.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
4 January 1828
CHESTER POLICE REPORT. Before the Mayor, Aldermen Larden Francis, and
Williamson.
John
Hughes was brought up by Richardson, a
watchman who charged him with being intoxicated, and abusing him whilst on
his duty, about one o'clock on Tuesday morning.— Hughes said he had been keeping
up Christmas at the Red Lion, in Northgate-street, until that hour. This
information led the mayor to enquire of the watchman, why the house was not
reported? when Hughes declared, that the watchman also had some drink in the
house just before he left. Richardson
solemnly vowed he did not take any drink in the house but a young man in Court,
said he gave him some ale,—upon hearing which, this zealous preserver of the law
sharply replied, "if he did taste any ale, he drank it outside the door.”
The Mayor declared, that such evasions and misconduct should not be
overlooked by him: his Worship was
proceeding when Hughes's son charged Richardson with being asleep upon his post
that morning, and said Frith, another
watchman, awoke him in his presence. Newton, when called upon to give
evidence as to the conduct of his
brother Charley, said, "Mr Mayor, he was not awake nor asleep,—he was between
the two”. The Town Clerk suggested that perhaps he was in a watch man's sleep.
Frith thought that gentleman hit the mark, for he replied, "Yes, Sir, neither
sleep nor waken." The Mayor suspended
Richardson until the next meeting of Police Commissioners and bound Hughes over
to keep the peace in two sureties.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
4 January 1828
CHESTER POLICE REPORT. SATURDAY, Dec. 20.—Before the Mayor, Aldermen Larden
Francis, and Williamson. John Hughes
was brought up by Richardson, a watchman
who charged him with being intoxicated, and abusing him whilst on his duty,
about one o'clock on Tuesday morning.— Hughes said he had been keeping up
Christmas at the Red Lion, in Northgate-street, until that hour. This
information led the mayor to enquire of the watchman, why the house was not
reported? when Hughes declared, that the watchman also had some drink in the
house just before he left.
Richardson solemnly vowed he did not take any drink in the house but a
young man in Court, said he gave him some ale,—upon hearing which, this zealous
preserver of the law sharply replied, "if he did taste any ale, he drank it
outside the door.” The Mayor
declared, that such evasions and misconduct should not be overlooked by him:
his Worship was proceeding when Hughes's son charged Richardson with
being asleep upon his post that morning, and said
Frith, another watchman, awoke him
in his presence. Newton, when called upon to give evidence as to the conduct of
his brother Charley, said, "Mr Mayor, he was not awake nor asleep,—he was
between the two”. The Town Clerk suggested that perhaps he was in a watch man's
sleep. Frith thought that gentleman hit the mark, for he replied, "Yes, Sir,
neither sleep nor waken."
The Mayor suspended Richardson until the next meeting of Police
Commissioners and bound Hughes over to keep the peace in two sureties.
Chronicle – Friday 6 February 1828
CHESTER POLICE REPORT
TUESDAY, Feb. 8 —Before the Worshipful the Mayor. Peter Clubbe was brought into
Court under a warrant, and just before business commenced, he walked up to the
Bench, and asked the Mayor to allow him a glass of water,—who immediately
informed him, that he was in a state of intoxication, and the Court should not
be insulted by him, and ordered the officers to take him to prison. When the
constable’s attempted to seize Clubbe, he put himself in an altitude of
self-defence, and before they could secure him, he ups at a poor old Woman who
was seated on a chair.—He was taken into an adjoining apartment, and in a little
time the Mayor ordered him to be brought before him again, when
Edwards, a watchman, swore that
Clubbe, on Saturday night, took a rattle and stick from
Allen, a brother watchman, who was
drunk, and marched up Eastgate-street, accompanied by a great crowd of people,
springing the coffee mill as he went
along; and when he entreated Clubbe to give them up, he struck him two violent
blows on the head with the stick,—The Mayor immediately committed him into the
safe-keeping of Governor Jepson; and ordered Allen to be discharged
Chester Chronicle – Friday 22 February 1828
Prigging
Knockers --- Several gentlemen residing in Stanley Place, appeared in Court this
morning, and informed the Mayor that last night about 12 o'clock, no less than
nine knockers were taken from the doors of residents in Stanley Place, by two
men of respectable appearance. Littler
the watchmen, on being called upon to state what he knew of the transaction,
said, than when he was crying twelve, a gentleman in the Mews told him, his
knocker had just been taken and there were two more missing from other doors in
that place; and when he got to Stanley Place, he discovered that nine had been
stolen from the doors there. Some intimation was thrown out that the watchman
was not attentive to his duty; but he stated that he could not go the whole of
his beat every hall-hour, in consequence of its extreme length through the
reduction of the number of watchmen. The Mayor, however, though, differently,
and ordered the Superintendent of the watch to accompany him on the round, and
see whether it could be accomplished in the half-hour. No blame whatever was
imputed to Littler, as to this affair and
we hope these larking depredators, will yet be discovered and meet with the
punishment they deserve.
Chester Chronicle – Friday 11 July 1828
CHESTER POLICE REPORT. WEDNESDAY, July
2.— Before Alderman B. Bowers, Francis, and Williamson. Jane Ibell, a damsel of
small stature, but of great spirit who together with four other females, threw
stones and mud at Mr. Hill, and the
persons who assisted him, whilst in the art of apprehending her brother, in
Flookersbrook, on Saturday night week, —was sent to the House of Correction for
want of sureties. This delicate Miss told Mr. Hill, while deposing to the facts,
that he was mistaken; it was not her who threw at him —he had put the saddle on
the wrong horse.
Capper, a
constable,
was summoned by a Sergeant of the 71st Regiment,
(later the Highland Light Infantry)
for abusing, and
threatening to strike him. Capper said, he was only doing his duly, in
preventing the soldier from fighting dogs; but he allowed he did it rather
roughly. Two witnesses declared that the Sergeant had nothing to do with the
dog-fight —The matter was adjusted, on Capper promising to act as a peace-maker
in future.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
24 October 1828
CHESTER QUARTER SESSIONS These Sessions were held yesterday, before Richd.
Tyrwhitt, Esq. Recorder, and Thomas Francis, Esq. Deputy Mayor—Stealing Wearing
Apparel: JAMES LLOYD was indicted for stealing two pair of trowers
(sic .from Mrs. Huntington,
clothes-dealer, of this city, in (company with William Wycherley, on the 30th of
September last— The prisoner went to the shop of the prosecutor, on pretence
that he wanted to purchase a waistcoat, remarking at the same time, that he had
been robbed in Boughton of his coat and waistcoat. Some clothes were shown to
him by the prosecutor, when he endeavoured to extinguish the light in the shop
with the head of his pipe. In an hour
after the two men left the shop, she discovered that the trowsers
(sic) were missing; a person who was
standing near the shop saw the prisoner and his companion pulling something off
a shelf, kick them on the floor, and take them out of the shop. This individual,
and Silvey a Constable, pursued the
prisoners, and apprehended Lloyd and Wycherley in Boughton, in half-an-hour
after the robbery; but Wycherley afterwards made his escape The jury returned a
verdict of guilty Sentenced to be imprisoned 12 months to hard labour.
Chronicle - Friday
7 November 1828
DISORDERS IN THE ROWS We noticed in our last a public meeting, convened by the
Mayor, for the purpose of adopting some efficient measures for suppressing, or
at least abating, the nightly disorders to which our city has lately been
subject, by the congregating together of disorderly youths and dissolute women,
in the Rows, particularly those of Eastgate and Bridge-street. Resolutions were
then adopted, which we trust will, in the result, rescue Chester from that
disgrace to which it has been deservedly obnoxious, to strangers who visit us,
and to the orderly portion of the inhabitants. Four respectable tradesmen or
householders, now turn out every night from six to ten o'clock, in addition to
the regular police, to preserve decorum, and we are happy to say, that since
this procedure has been adopted, a very material change for the better has been
observable.— We understand that some refractory Dandies have made themselves
ridiculous by a feint to resist the legal authorities, but the way in which the
Mayor and Magistrates have met the pertness of several of these gentry, will, we
are sure, operate as a cure to themselves, and as a salutary warning to others.
It should he known, that these valuable adjuncts to the regular Police are
invested with legal authority, as constables, and that resistance to them, is
rebellion against the law. As far
as public notoriety will operate upon the disorderlies, whether men or women,
they will certainly have the benefit of it, as the magistrates require a daily
report of the names of persons behaving unbecomingly, and we pledge ourselves to
notice all cases brought before the Magistrates, in the Chronicle every week.
But we had much rather see profligacy reformed than punished; and we quote below
an extract from the local act, in order to shew under what Circumstances persons
of a refractory temper may be made to answer for their conduct:—
" The watchmen
and constables appointed by the Commissioners of Police, shall use their best
endeavours to prevent and stop, as well all mischief’s happening or likely to
happen by fire, burglaries, and robberies, and to secure and apprehend all
malefactors, rogues, Vagabonds, whores, night-walkers, and other disorderly and
suspected persons, or others disturbing the public peace, or who shall he found
idling or wandering about in the night time, or otherwise offending, or
misbehaving themselves in any of the manners aforesaid, and to detain and safely
keep every such person or persons, so apprehended in custody, and to convey him,
her, or them, as soon as conveniently, may be, before the mayor, or recorder, or
any one of the justices of the peace in and for the said city, for the time
being, in order to be examined and dealt with according to law."
Chester Chronicle - Friday
23 January 1829
Chester Police Court.—Business
has been “quite slack" this week in our Pentice Court: neither rogues, millers,
drunkards, scolds, or brawling neighbours have disturbed the peace of the city,
or called for the friendly interposition, or determined interference of
magisterial authority. The only case which was heard on Wednesday was that of
George Bentley, who was apprehended by warrant, on a charge of assaulting
two watchmen, and breaking Mr.
Cooke's windows: this being his third appearance before the Bench in the I same
character, he was bound over to answer a bill of indictment at the sessions; but
being unable to procure sureties, he was escorted by Speakman out of Court and
safely lodged In the stone jug.
CHESTER CITY POLICE COURT. MONDAY, January 30. (Before Dr. R. P. Jones, C.
Potts, Esq-, and Major French.)
A Cripple in the Canal.
Alfred Taylor, a cripple residing in
the neighbourhood Boughton, was brought up under the following circumstances:—P.
C. Beresford said yesterday he received to information the effect that a man
was drowning in the Canal, opposite the Lead works. He proceeded to the spot,
and saw the prisoner in water: requested him to come out, and the prisoner at
first refused, but after floundering about like a porpoise for some time, came
to the side, and once became the "officer's haul"—Defendent: You see, gintlemen,
[sic]
a cripple!; a man tripped me and a comrade into the Canal yesterday, and being
cripple I could not get out so swift as my companion, and before I could get out
the policeman came, and shure
[sic]
when I saw him I did not like to give myself up until I was obliged. Shure I’d
no intention, gintlemen, of drowning myself.—Fined 5s and costs, or three days
imprisonment.
"A slight Poke
with a Poker."—
John Martin, who resides in Rock-yard, Lower Bridge-street, where chronic feuds
appear to be fully developed, was charged by
P. C Price with being drunk and
fighting in Bridge-street, at 9 o'clock last night. He was also charged with
striking Mr. William Cartwright, of Dodleston, on the head with a poker, and a
severe wound. Mr. Cartwright not appearing, no evidence was offered on that
point.—The prisoner said he did not hurt the man; if anything was only a slight
poke.—Mr. Hill: He managed to cut the man's head open; that's what he calls only
a slight poke with a poker.—A fine of 5s and costs, or 7 days imprisonment, for
being drunk and disorderly, was inflicted.— Prisoner: “Begum, I’ve never a
ha'penny; I mun goo to geel. (sic) So saying he was marched off.
Downs Upon a
Pickpocket.—John
Wilkison, a young man, who came out of gaol on Saturday, after serving three
weeks for some of his light fingered performances, was charged by
P. C’s. Bray and Snell, with
loitering about the Railway Station at o'clock on Saturday evening, for unlawful
proposes.—Mr. Hail: He was found
with this umbrella his possession, and it looks like a “made one." Now he had no
umbrella when he was discharged from gaol in the morning, and as this looks like
a lady's umbrella, the question is, has he come bi it honestly? —The prisoner
said that a telegraphic message was sent from a female friend of his to the
Governor of the Gaol, ordering him (the prisoner) to stop at the station until
his friend called for him. It was arranged that he should leave Chester by the
excursion train to Manchester at 8 o'clock in the evening, and in order that he
might not be seen in the town, he had spent the day walking on the City Walls,
for he certain if he were seen the public streets amongst the bustling crowds,
he would be taken up. The umbrella belonged to the female, who had come over to
take him to his friends, and he had taken a railway ticket to return with her,
which had been taken from him on being searched, in the office,—The Bench on
hearing this statement immediately discharged the prisoner.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
10 April 1829
Flintshire Great
Sessions. CROWN SIDE.
Horse Stealing —Thomas Holden, aged 19, was indicted for stealing a gelding, the
property of Mr. Thomas Edwards, of Sealand, in the parish of Hawarden, on the
22nd of August last.—The horse was on the salt-marsh, from whence it was taken,
and the prisoner, on the same day offered to sell it to Mr. Sneade,
timber-merchant, in Chester; that gentleman doubted whether the prisoner had not
stolen it, and requested him to procure a note from the person, whom Holden said
reared the gelding; and the prisoner, in a little time, returned with a note,
purporting to be in the hand-writing of Mr. Murray, of Blacon, but which was
soon discovered not to be written by that gentleman. The animal was then
delivered up to Mr. Geo. Dawson,
Superintendent of Police, in Chester, who afterwards returned it to the
prosecutor; and the prisoner was apprehended on the 28th August, about seven
miles from Chester, by Monday, the
police officer. —The jury found the prisoner guilty; and the Court ordered
sentence of death to be recorded against him
Chester Chronicle - Friday
24 April 1829
CHESTER POLICE
COURT. Saturday, April 10 —Present, the Mayor, Aldermen Larden, Newell, and
Francis. We have frequently had
occasion to commend the diligence and successfully activity of our regular
police, who are ever on the alert, whose vigilance has become been proverbial,
and who have lately, in several instances, deservedly rewarded; but we are sorry
to say, cannot bestow the same commendation on the constable’s of the wards in
this city ;—their conduct, on the contrary, is highly reprehensible, and
latterly, on various occasions, when they have been called upon to quell
disturbances in the streets, even on the Lord's Day, or to apprehend
delinquents, they have invariably made excuses, or absolutely refused to quit
their firesides. To their conduct, in permitting prisoners to get drink when
they at intervals went out of the Hall, during our Sessions, may be attributed
the unheard of, and unseemly sight of beholding prisoners intoxicated before the
seat of justice. We are glad to learn that our excellent Chief Magistrate is
determined to enforce the utmost penalties of the law against every constable
offending or neglecting his duty in future.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 4 September 1829
INDECENT ASSALLT. John Bleads, (47) an ill-looking fellow, was indicted for
assaulting Augusta Monday, an infant of five years of age, with a felonious
intent. There was another count for a common assault. —Women and children were
ordered out of court. Mr. Temple stated the case and called the following
witnesses:—Edward Speed—I am a blacksmith, and reside in Whalley's Court, in
this City. About half-past seven o'clock in the evening of the 16th of April, I
heard the cry of a child, as if in distress. I listened and found it came from a
privy in the yard. I went down to the yard—the cries still continued. I tried
the door, and found it fast. I put my shoulder to the door and burst it in. I
found the prisoner at the
bar there
with a little child, Augusta Monday on his knee, and his hand on her mouth. [The
witness here proceeded to describe the most disgusting particulars, which are
unfit to meet the public eye, and excited a strong feeling of indignation
throughout the Court.] I dragged the prisoner out, and kept him until he was
taken into custody. Mr. J. H. Lloyd cross-examined the witness at considerable
length, with a view to impeach his credibility; but it seemed the learned
Counsel (guided of course only by his instructions) was mistaken in the identity
of the witness. The prisoner was not drunk, but he appeared as if he had had
liquor. Charles Morris, a boy, proved seeing the last witness in the act of
dragging the prisoner out of the privy, and hold him fast until the child's
father (who is a constable) came up and took him away to the House of
Correction. Cross-examine by Mr. J. H. Lloyd.—The prisoner seemed confused, and
enquired what was the matter, saying he did not mean any harm to the child. Mr.
J. H. Lloyd addressed the Jury in an able and feeling speech for the defendant.
He was glad, for the honour of human nature, to be able to say that offences of
the disgusting nature here charged were not of very frequent occurrence; and it
was only charitable to suppose that when they did occur, they were committed
under those extraordinary aberrations of intellect, and prostration of all the
best feelings of our nature, to which men, when under the influence of liquor,
were sometimes subject. This was the case with the unfortunate man at the bar.
He on that very day had received his pension and had been drinking freely. He
was formerly a Serjeant in the 22nd Regt. and had conducted himself very well
while in the army, and since his discharge, until the present instance, as the
jury would hear from respectable witnesses. The learned Counsel then commented
upon the evidence with a view to shew that (apart from the very tender age of
the child) the commission of the capital offence could not have been
contemplated by the prisoner; and concluded by imploring them, for the sake of
human nature, to put the most charitable construction upon the circumstances
under which the prisoner was discovered, and to find him guilty of the common
assault only. The jury found the prisoner guilty of the common assault. The
Recorder, in passing sentence, animadverted upon the aggravated complexion of
the offence of which the defendant had been found guilty, by a most merciful
jury, and concluded by sentencing him to be imprisoned for one year, regretting
that the Court had not the power to add hard labour to the sentence.
William Lee, and Michael Fogarty, privates in the 67th Regiment, were convicted
of an assault on John Drabble, a
watchman in his execution of his duty, on Monday night last. The prisoners
are both officers' servants, and their masters spoke to their general good
conduct—Fogarty one month, and Lee three weeks imprisonment — [Drunken and
disorderly soldiers are constantly met with in the streets at night,
notwithstanding the perambulations of the picquets.J
Chester Chronicle - Friday
13 November 1829
CHESTER POLICE. SATURDAY, Nov. 7.—Before Aldermen Francis, Morris, Larden,
Williamson, Newell, and Rogers. Col. Molyneux and the City Sheriffs.— Caution to
Constables. — "Quis custodiet ipsos
cutstodes." Two or three of the Constables were complained of by Mr. Dawson
for having lost their staffs while on duty, during the late city sessions. It
appeared, that during the adjournment of the Court, for the purpose of
refreshment, the constables in question adjourned to the Saracen's Head to have
a glass of Mrs. Leet's celebrated porter; and not wishing to go in all "the pomp
and circumstances" of official dignity, they left their gilded insignia of
office in the Court, and somebody made free with them in their absence, They
were ordered by the Bench to provide new staffs at their own expense. One of
these " unpaid" conservators of the peace of the city quaintly requested that
the expense should be stopped out of his next quarter's salary.
Chester Chronicle - Friday 20 November 1829
CHESTER POLICE. SATURDAY, November 14.
—Present, Aldermen Morris, Francis, Larden, and Newell. Zealous Overmuch. —
Mc Gee, one of the city watchmen,
appeared to answer the complaint of Mr. Hill, for having taken toll at the bars
from a country-man, for a potatoe cart, which toll the man was not liable to pay
until he brought his cart into the potatoe market, nor had Mc Gee any authority
whatever to demand it. McGee pleaded his excessive zeal for the interests of the
corporation as his only excuse, and alleged that he demanded this toll to
prevent the countryman from evading payment of the market-toll by selling his
potatoes in the street, and that he duly paid it over to Jones the
market-looker. Jones was called before the bench, and he corroborated this
latter part of Mc Gee's statement, an entry of having received 6d from McGee
being made with all due formality in his pocket-book. The magistrates thought
the circumstances altogether extremely suspicious, and cautioned Mc Gee not to
presume to ask for any tolls in future. They also informed the countryman, for
the information of all persons attending the markets, that he must not hawk his
potatoes about the streets, nor serve people at their own doors, but bring them
at once into the market; unless where a quantity had been previously ordered, in
which case he would be at liberty to deliver them at the house of the purchaser
without paying any market-toll.
Chester Chronicle - Friday
18 December 1829
CHESTER POLICE. SATURDAY, Dec. 15.—Before Aldermen Larden, Newell, Francis, and
Williamson. Curious Robbery. — Caroline Burrows, a girl of a
common fame, was charged with
stealing 33s. the property of Mary Roberts, a dashing young female, on Friday
afternoon. Miss Roberts in stating the charge, said, that she was sitting in
Mrs. Sellers' house, on the walls, in the afternoon, when Caroline came in; and
after a little familiar chit-chat, she proposed to send out for half a pint of
coloured spirit, (rum) by way of just wetting their whistles. This was drank and
Miss Robert’s thought it was her turn to treat, for which purpose, as she did
not wear pockets, she opened her reticule, took her purse out of it, and counted
over her money. After despatching a messenger for another half-pint of the
cratur, she deposited her purse in
the wicker safe again, and placed it upon a table. Burrows, no doubt, kept a
longing eye upon the reticule, and it was not long before an opportunity offered
for effecting her design. Mrs. Sellers and Miss Roberts happened to go to the
door to talk over some private matters; and Mr. Sellers had leaned his head over
a chair, taking a refreshing nap. At this very nick of time, Miss Burrows took
the reticule off the table, and purloined the purse and its contents. On the
return of Mrs. S. and Miss Roberts, Burrows said, she wished to go out for a
particular purpose, for a few moments ; but not returning again, and seeing the
reticule removed from where it was placed, Miss R. began to suspect some thing
was wrong, and on looking for her purse, she discovered that it was gone. The
Court asked Sellers to state what he knew of the circumstances; he said that he
saw Burrows stoop down where the reticule was found, and he asked her what she
was doing? She replied, "only tying my shoe." He was asked how he could see her
do that, when he was asleep. Sellers: "Why, I was not exactly asleep;
I was a little overcome, and between sleep and waken; or sleeping with
one eye closed and the other open:'
Burrows, in her defence, said that Sellers kept a house of accommodation for
ladies; and that she called there one evening with a gentleman. Alderman Bowers:
Is that a fact; did a man ever come with her to your house? Sellers : " Yes,
Sir, a man did come in with her; but indeed I thought no harm of it, because she
said she was a married woman. Ald. Bowers : Did you order him out of your house?
Sellers : O no, Sir; I said to him when he came in, “ How you do, Sir, —will you
have a little supper? —(great laughter.)—We
had only a pint of gin that night amongst us."
The worthy Alderman severely censured Sellers for his conduct.
Burrows now told the Court, that Miss Roberts followed the same course of life
as herself; and that last week she showed her two bank notes, which, she said,
an elderly married gentleman, with grey hair's and a cane, whom Mary Roberts
called *********, had given her—(we
forbear to repeat the name, not out of tenderness for the hoary sinner himself,
but for the sake of his family.) Roberts also told her, that she was as
"ladies like to be who love their lords;" and although it was not the old
gentleman's, yet he should have it, for she thought he would make a good father
for the bantling. Burrows was fully
committed to take her trial at next Sessions !
It came out during the hearing of this case, that Miss Burrows lodged
at the house of Edwards, alias "'Tom of
Lincoln," a watchman, in Gorst Stacks Court, who was charged with keeping a
receptacle for ladies of this grade, last week. Edwards was accordingly sent
for, and when he appeared before the Court; he told a subtle tale, averring, as
he did on the former occasion, that he had but one female lodger in his house;
and that he really thought Burrows was a married woman, for she told him she
was, though he had never seen her husband. He was informed that his future
conduct would be narrowly watched.