Newspaper Transcripts
Some Selected Reports from The Windsor and Eton Express
12th April 1834
WINDSOR BOROUGH SESSIONS. The Easter Sessions of this Borough commenced yesterday morning, before R.Blunt, Esq, Mayor; C. Snowden, Esq, Justice; and in the absence of the Recorder, Maurice Swabey, Esq, officiated.
John Tabbenor was indicted for stealing two fowls, the property of Ephraim Hand, of Queen-street, Windsor, on the 31st of January last.
Ephraim Hand stated that, on the night in question, he lost two fowls, and in two days afterwards he saw them in the possession of Sims, the gaoler.
John Sims stated that, on the beginning of February, upon receiving information, he went to the Surley-hall public-house about two miles from Windsor, and saw Mr. James Hall, the landlord, who gave him two fowls of the Malay breed.
James Hall examined - I am the landlord of the Surley-hall public house. The prisoner came to my house early in February, with two fowls, and asked me to purchase them, which I refused to do. Tabbenor then tendered
them for sale to several other persons who also refused to purchase them. I had occasion to go to Maidenhead on the morning in question, and on my return I found them in the cellar. One of the fowls was dead, and the other having a bad neck, I killed.
The feet and wings of the fowls were produced, having been in the possession of the gaoler ever since, they were given up by Mr.Hall, and he identified them as being the same which were taken from the fowls left at his house by the prisoner.
R. White, constable, of Eton, deposed to finding some feathers and the head of a pullet near the house of the prisoner; the head was identified by the prosecutor, - and Charles Steel, a watchman, stated that he saw the prisoner within twenty yards of Mr.Hand's
premises about five o'clock in the morning of the robbery.
Guilty- To be imprisoned six weeks in the borough gaol, and kept to hard labour.
William Slaughter and John Jones, stood indicted with stealing eight pounds of lead, &c, the property of Mr. James Thomas Bedborough, on the 3rd of February last.
James Dobson, a peace-officer of the borough, stated that he apprehended the prisoners at the bar, on the 3rd of February, in consequence of
information which he had received, and on Jones he found a piece of lead-pipe, which he marked with the initials of his name, to enable him to know it again.
John Sims, the gaoler, said that on searching Slaughter, he found a cake of lead in his hat, and, in his pockets, an iron hook, an article used in supporting gas pipes, and a wedge; witness produced a ladle which he had procured from Mr.Bedborough; and the lead taken from the prisoner Slaughter, exactly fitted.
- Haynes, a plumber, in the employ of the Gas Company, deposed to having some lead pipe with him when employed, on the 3rd of February last, in Sheet-street road, and also that the prisoner
Slaughter was with him; but he could not swear to the property produced, as being the same which was taken from the place where he was at work.
John Cheeseman, an engineer in the employ of the Gas Company, remembered seeing some lead pipe and a cake of lead on the premises where he was at work in Sheet-street road,
but could not swear to the pipe,&c, being the same.
Mr. Warcus, superintendent of the Gas Works, produced a piece of pipe, which exactly corresponded with the piece from the prisoner Jones, the inside of both pieces being corroded with a black substance.
The prisoner Slaughter, in his defence, stated that on the day that he was taken into custody he met Jones, and they walked down Sheet-street road together, intending to go to dinner,
and in passing along the road saw the lead lying in the hedge.
Jones, in his defence, said that on the day that he was taken into custody he had been working on the roads, and on going to his dinner he met Slaughter, who walked with him down the road, and that they found the lead in the hedge; Slaughter
afterwards told him that he had been at work at the Adelaide Hotel a day or two before, and that he had taken the lead from there and put it into the hedge,
that if he had not done so it would have been left behind, and he thought he might as well have it as them.
Mr. Perkins and Mr. Grimes bore testimony to Jones's previous good character for honesty and sobriety, and as being an industrious young man.
The Jury, no doubt taking into consideration the excellent character given to Jones, and, at the same time bearing in mind that Slaughter was in the employ of the Gas Company, and
Jones wholly unconnected with that firm, - very justly returned a verdict of guilty against Slaughter, and not guilty against Jones.
[The Grand Jury having now examined all the bill of indictments presented to their notice, the Deputy Recorder, after reminding them of their duties till next Sessions, dismissed them.]
A certificate was then put in and read which stated that Slaughter had been committed on the 12th of April, 1833, with another person named Kelso, for stealing some timber belonging to his employers, in the parish of
New Windsor, when they were sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment.
The Deputy Recorder, in passing sentence upon Slaughter, said - the lenient manner the Court had dealt with him on a former occasion, not having the effect of making him
a honest and industrious member of society, it now behove the Court to visit his crime with a more severe sentence.
Seven years' transportation
Joseph Glaysher and William Miles, stood charged with having stolen a quantity of provisions from the larder of J. Eglestone, Esq, his property on the 10th February last. They also stood indicted with stealing a pair of boots, the property of Mr. Thomas Cleave. Also further charged with stealing a quantity of provisions from the larder of Mr. Gollop, his property, all in the Parish of New Windsor.
Sarah Stobbs - examined - I am a widow, and formerly resided at the bottom of Peascod-street. On the 3rd February last I rented a room. On the 5th both the prisoners came to my house, about twelve o'clock at night, having with them three
or four baskets. I did not see what they had in the baskets the next morning, when the constable came to my house and apprehended the prisoners.
John Mole, a watchman, accompanied the Clewer constable to the house of Mrs Sarah Stobbs, and found her and the prisoners in bed together.
They also found a quantity of articles, some of which he now produced.
John Grimes, constable of Clewer, examined - I applied to the Magistrates for a warrant to search the house of Mrs. Stobbs on the 5th of February, Johnson and Mole, the peace officers, also
accompanied me. We found a variety of articles, some of which are in Court. The prisoners were in bed. I asked Mrs. Stobbs for the articles the prisioners had brought in. Glaysher
said, "If I had known that you had been coming for them so soon I would have had a bit more of that bacon."
Edward Atkins examined - I am in the employ of Mr. Banister, butcher. Remember sending a piece of beef to Mr. Egelstone. It was a piece of the middle of the sirloin. I afterwards saw it before the Magistrates, and believe it to have been the same that I took to Mr. Egelstone's.
Mary Horsegood, in the service of Mr. Egelstone, identified part of the property, and stated her belief that the beef found in the possession of the prisioners being the same that was sent to her master's house by the last witness.
Both guilty.
A certificate was put in and read, which stated that Joseph Glaysher was, on the 3rd of April, 1833, tried at Aylesbury, for having stolen a wheelbarrow, the property of William Carter, at Eton.
Glaysher transported for seven years, and William Miles three months hard labour, in the gaol at Reading.
The prosecutors against the prisoners for the other two indictments feeling satisfied that the ends of justice
were fully answered by the present conviction, declined proceeding with their charges.
John William Davis stood, indicted with having, on the 31st December, 1833, obtained from James and Charles Alder, hairdressers, &c, two
brushes and two combs, under false pretences, in the name of Sarah Twedie, with intent to defraud the said James and Charles Alder - Also further charged with a like offence,
of obtaining, on the 13th December, 1833, from Mr. Nash two bottles of port wine, in the name of George Twedie,
with intent to defraud the said Mr. Nash.
The prisoner pleaded guilty to both indictments. Sentenced to six months hard labour in Reading gaol for the first offence, and the like period and same treatment for the second.
James Hall stood indicted with obtaining from John Hatch, under false pretences, in the name of James Norwood, one bushel of beans, on the 25th February, with intent to defraud the said John Hatch.
John Hatch examined - I am a corn and coal dealer residing at Thames-side, Windsor,. On the 25th of February prisoner came to my household and asked for a bushel of beans and a truss of hay for Mr. Norwood. I gave him the
bushel of beans, the value of which was 5s. 6d. Mr. Norwood had dealt with me, and upon the prisoner's saying they were for that gentleman I let him have them. When
he got the beans he said he would bring the money when he came for the hay. I imagined that I was giving credit to Mr. Norwood.
James Norwood deposes - I reside in Eton, and am a pipe maker, I had known the prisoner previous to his being taken into custody. I did
not send him for the beans in question. I had been in the habit of dealing with Mr. Hatch.
The jury found the prisoner guilty
The Deputy Recorder, in passing sentence said - For motives which are not known to those in Court, but which the prisoner well understands, but which I will not mention,
I am afraid he has not altogether had very good examples set him, which, together with his youth, (being only 16 years of age) the Court will not
visit with so severe a sentence as the last prisoner, and trusted he would act with more discretion for the future. Three months hard labour at Reading.
On Wednesday, the 9th inst, an inquest was held at the French Horn, Gerrard's Cross, in the parish of Fulmar, before John Charsley, Esq, on the body of a man named Burgess.
The deceased was a labourer, residing at Wycombe, who had been to London with a load of leather, and was on his return. At about four o'clock in the morning
he asked a person of the name of George Mills, who had the charge of the waggon and team, to allow him to ride on the shafts. Mills gave
him leave, and in a few minutes he heard a shriek, and, on turning round, he missed the deceased from the shafts. On going to the back of the waggon,
he found the deceased quite dead. The off wheel had passed over his head. Verdict Accidental death, and a deodand of 1s on the waggon.
This is one other case of sudden death to be added to the many which occur from riding on the shaft of a waggon.