Carlisle Patriot, 23 Oct 1824 - Cumberland Sessions (5)

[petra.mi...@doctors.org.uk]

Saturday 23 Oct 1824   (p. 3, col. 1-4)

 

CUMBERLAND SESSIONS.

 

[continued]

 

JOHN SURGEON pleaded guilty to a charge of entering the dwelling-house of Stephen LATHERAM, in the parish of Alston, on the 7th inst. (as stated in our last), and stealing thereout a silver watch, and bank notes to the amount of several pounds. Mr. COURTENAY said the prisoner entered the prosecutor's house, and having induced the family to leave it, by telling them the cattle were amongst the corn, committed the robbery during their absence. He also intimated to the court, that he was convicted of petit larceny at the last assizes, and was liberated from the house of correction at Whitehaven about six weeks ago.—Transported seven years.—While on his way to the house of correction at Penrith, after conviction, he dashed his hand through a watchmaker's window in Penrith, observing that he might as well have another watch before he was sent off!

 

EDWARD DOBSON, late of the parish of Kirkland, labourer, charged with stealing one pick-axe, one hammer, and one crow-bar or gavelock, on the 6th of January last, value 10d., the property of John SEWELL, pleaded not guilty. It appeared in evidence that the prosecutor, who is a stone-mason, had left his tools, as was the custom, in Skirwith quarry on the evening of the 6th of January, and that the prisoner stole and sold them the same night, at Carlton, to John ATKINSON. All the necessary proof as to the identity of the prisoner was adduced. The prisoner denied any knowledge of the theft, and declared that he never saw the persons who had sworn against him till that moment. He had no witnesses to character. He left Penrith, he said, when six years old, had served as a soldier in the East Indies 17 years, was upwards of fifty years of age, and no one of his family had ever been charged with any thing wrong besides himself. Verdict, Guilty. The prisoner was tried on a second indictment, for stealing similar tools, about the same time, out of a quarry at Winskill, the property of a person named FAULDER, who had lent them to Thomas WESTMORLAND: these he sold to one Adam MARK. The case was clearly made out; but the prisoner said the whole that had been sworn against him was false. This was his defence. Mr. WYBERGH regretted that persons could be found so readily to purchase such articles. Verdict, Guilty. Mr. AGLIONBY, for the information of the Court, begged to state, that this was only a sample of the prisoner's mode of life for a long time past. It was true that he had been in the army; but since he came back, he had not shown any visible means of subsistence.—Transported seven years.—It is said that this fellow, during his trial, attempted to pick a man's pocket of his watch, in the dock, and nearly succeeded!

 

HAYTON FISHER was convicted of stealing a blinder bridle, on the 13th inst. at Armathwaite, the property of Job NATTERASS, of Tarraby, near Carlisle. The prosecutor was taking a load of timber from Carlisle to Renwick, and stopped at Armathwaite all night. When he went into the stable next morning he lost his bridle. On returning to Carlisle, he acquainted Mr. MULLENDER, the constable, with the fact, and he traced the bridle to James ROBINSON, of Stanwix, butcher, who deposed that he bought it of the prisoner, who said he purchased it of Mr. TELFORD, the auctioneer; but when examined before the magistrate, he asserted that he had bought them of a man named CLARKE, whom he met with near Botchergate. The prisoner had no witnesses to speak to his character. Guilty. Twelve months imprisonment and hard labour in Carlisle gaol.

 

RICHARD HOPE, late of the parish of Hesket, labourer, was indicted for stealing a certain quantity of hay on the 24th of June, value sixpence, the property of Thomas MOORE. He pleaded guilty. He did take a little, he said, and thought he might make so free, without intending any harm. Mr. AGLIONBY stated to the court the nature and object of the prosecution, which might appear trivial, taken alone, but it was of consequence to the prosecutor and his neighbours. Persons who regularly visited Lord Carlisle's collieries, like the prisoner, were in the habit, perhaps without reflecting on the punishment to which they rendered themselves liable, of feeding their horses, as they went along, from the haystacks which they passed on the road. Individually, the depredation was not great; but as a system, constantly acted upon, it inflicted great loss upon the neighbourhood; and the prisoner had been indicted with a hope that when his punishment became known, the evil would cease.

—One month's imprisonment in Carlisle gaol, to be kept to hard labour.

 

ROGER MULHOLME, charged with stealing one guinea from the person of Bernard MARTIN, was discharged, the prosecutor not appearing. Mr. WYBERGH said the person who lost his money was an Irishman, too poor, he apprehended, to come any distance to prosecute. His recognizances were estreated.