samuel smytheman trial
[Page 116]
True bill prisoners/case # 252, 253, 254, 255 James
Haycraft,
Ann Henley, otherwise Haycraft, Samuel Smytheman, and Elizabeth
Eaton, of St. Margaret Westminster, were indicted for stealing a
parcel of hardware, consisting of razors, pen-knives, buckles,
buttons, & c. to the value of 30s. the goods of William
Griffiths, April 6.
Ann Griffiths: On the sixth of April I was called up at four
o'clock in the morning, and found my shop broke open, and was robbed of
the things mentioned in the indictment. I heard the Prisoners had
given away several things, upon which I got a search warrant, and had
them taken up. The men owned up to breaking open the shop,
that they were full two hours in it, and carried away the goods in a
sack. The women owned up that they stood watching, and that they
were to give a sign if any body was coming by.
Catharine McPherson: The men owned they were two hours in the
shop, I did not hear the women say anything.
Thomas Rawlins: I had a search warrant directed to me from
Justice Poulson, and I found all the goods mentioned in the
indictment in Mr. Whiting's show-glass, and Mrs. Griffiths said
they were her goods. I heard James Haycraft say he was two hours
in the shop, Smytheman said he was on the outside with the women.
James Haycraft wanted to be admitted an evidence.
Francis Whiting: I keep a shop in Holborn, and sell hard-ware,
the women Prisoners came to me, and said they had some hard-ware
to sell. I desired them [Page 117]
to go to an alehouse, and told them I would come to them. I
went, and they were all four together; all of them and some of
the goods, I bought them, and gave them 17 s and 9 d. for them.
Q. What may the value of these goods?
Griffiths: I cannot say exactly, I believe 30s if they were to be
sold, they would bring more.
James Haycraft: On Friday the 6th of April about six o'clock in
the morning, I called Smytheman up, and we went out a chimney sweeping,
and got as much soot as we sold for sixteen pence, and coming home I
kicked my foot against a trunk, and carried it home, and the next day
we sold those good to Whiting for 9 s and 6 d. (the other three
Prisoners said they sold them to Whiting for 9s and 6d.]
Griffiths: They stole my trunk out of my shop, and owned before
the Justice that they burnt it, in order to prevent a discovery.
Mr. Perkins (Justice Poulson's clerk) produced the examinations
of Ann Haycraft's &c. taken in writing before Justice Poulson,
April 12, 1744.
Ann Henley, otherwise Haycraft, says, that she was married at
Town Malden to Kent to James Haycraft about three years since.
That on Friday night last Samuel Smytheman said he wanted some
money, and that they all went to Mr. Griffith's shop, broke it
open, and took away a parcel of goods, which they sold to one
Whiting in Holborn.
The confession of Samuel Smytheman, taken April 12, 1744:
Samuel Smytheman says that he and James Haycraft have committed divers
burglaries, &c. and this examinate says that about a week before
that time, Ann Henley proposed the breaking open and robbing Mr.
Griffith's shop, and that she, himself, and James Haycraft, went to
view it, that James Haycraft said he was resolved to go and break open
the shop that night; that they went there about ten o'clock at night,
and James Haycraft broke it open with a hammer, &c. and that they
remained there till the clock struck twelve: that they put the good
into a sack, and as they were coming along some of them fell out, but
they were picked up; that they were carried to the examinate's lodging
at Petty France, Westminster, that they went into Holborn overagainst
Gray's-Inn Gate, to a man who keeps a stall, and that the man was very
ready to buy them without asking any questions. That they asked
20s for the, but the man bid them about 8s and one Francis Whiting
bought them for 9s and 6d and told them, if they had any handkerchiefs
to bring them to him on Monday, and he would buy them, for he was going
into the country.
The confession of James Haycraft, taken April 12, 1744:
This examinate says, that on Friday last; Samuel Smytheman, Ann
Haycraft, Elizabeth Eaton, and himself, broke open a shop
belonging to William Griffiths, that Smytheman went in first and
that they put the goods into a sack, and brought them away
between twelve and one o'clock, and that the two women kept upon
the watch; that the next day they went to Francis Whiting in
Holborn, who went to a cellar by Gray's-Inn Gate, and that they
sold them to him for 9s and 6d which money was divided between
them share and share
alike.
The examination of Elizabeth Eaton:
This examinate says, that she has been acquainted with Samuel Smytheman
about a year and a half, and has lived with him as man and wife for six
months past; that he was a industrious fellow till within these four
months, since which he has been acquainted with James Haycraft, who
lives in Angel Court at Story's Gate, Westminster, that they went to
one Whiting in Holborn, who brought all the goods which were stole out
of Mr. Griffith's shop, (except a few pair of buckles which they kept
themselves) for 9s 6d and no more, and that was divided between them
share and share alike; and that Whiting asked them if they had got any
wipes {meaning handkerchiefs) and if they had, if they would come again
on Wednesday he would buy them of them, and give them as much as any
body would.
Ann Henley, otherwise Haycraft, was acquitted, as being the wife
of James Haycraft, and with him at the time of the robbery was
committed.
James Haycraft, guilty, Samuel Smytheman, guilty, Elizabeth
Eaton, guilty.
Francis Whiting is detained in order to be indicted at the next
sessions, for receiving those goods knowing them to be stolen.
[Page 144]
The trials being ended, the Court proceeded to give Judgement as follows:
Received Sentence of Death: 5
Henry Cole 247
Robert Rockett 273
Robert Fuller 275
Ann Terry 251
Sarah Lowther 277
Transportation for 14 years: 1
Joseph Greswold 246
Transportation for 7 years, 22
George Andrew 245
Sarah Howard 270
Ann Barnett 282
George Lax 265
Lydia Booth 258
John Long 243
Ann Budd 286
William Mitchell 289
Margaret Compton 284
James Poole 242
Sarah Cooper 266
Elizabeth Robinson 290
Thomas Dobbs 259
Elizabeth Eaton 255
Thomas Evans 269
John Hawkins 256
Samuel Smytheman 254
James Haycraft 252
George Wilson 249
Robert Howard 264
Diana Woodcock 268
Mary Shirley , otherwise
Catherine Davis 274
Branded 1
Robert Ker 294
262 Hugh Conner's sentence was respited for the further consideration of the court.
Samuel ______ and Henry Barret, condemned last December Sessions received his Majesty's most gracious pardon.
Michael ____ condemned the same sessions, received sentence of transportation to life.
The following persons received sentence of transportation for 14 years, viz.
Mary Stanford, condemned in September sessions.
John Girrard, Eleanor Geary and Julius Hunt, condemned in December Sessions.
Next ensuing sessions to begin:
On Tuesday, June 26, at Guild-Hall
On Thursday, June 28, at the Old Bailey
Trials at Law, &c are taken in Shorthand by N. Fromanteel, at the
Two Black Boys within Whitechapel Bars.