Concertina Theft - 3 Years Penal Servitude

[Dave Prebble]

Hi Folks

 

Dropped onto this little piece while researching something else

 

Shame we can't get the same level of punishment from today's wishy-washy Courts

 

Lucky for him it was just a cheap concertina ! (£0.40)

 

be good and be lucky

 

Dave

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

From the Old Bailey Proceedings, 10th May 1858.

Reference Number: t18580510-514

514. DAVID JACOBS (18) , Stealing 1 concertina, value 8s.; the goods of Alexander Van Wurden.

MORRIS LEWIS . I am assistant to Alexander Van Wurden, a warehouseman, of 18, Houndsditch. On 22d April, in the afternoon, I was in the shop, packing up a concertina, and saw some one walking out of the shop, who I had not seen in it—I ran to the door, and saw the prisoner going across the road, with something under his arm—I ran after him, and he ran away into some strange house—I called a policeman, and went in, and found the prisoner in the parlour, with this concertina in his hand; it is my master's—Ibrought him out and gave him to the policeman.

Prisoner. I bought it in Rosemary Lane. Witness. It was safe in the shop not one minute before, and I found you in the house with it, five minutes after seeing you in the shop.

JOHN BROOKS (Citypoliceman, 666). I was called by Lewis, and ran after the prisoner down Aldgate—I pursued him to the house; Lewis got in before me, and I met him and the prisoner, with the concertina, in the passage.

GUILTY .—He was further charged with having been before convicted.

WILLIAM SMITH . I produce a certificate—(Read: "Mansion House, London, Oct., 1857; David Jacobs, Convicted, on his own confession, of stealing 1l. 6s., of his master; Confined six months")—the prisoner is the person; I had him in custody—he had only been out a few days when he committed this offence.

GUILTY.—The Governor of Newgate, and the Governor of Holloway Gaol, gave him a very bad character.

Three Years Penal Servitude.

http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?path=sessionsPapers%2F18580510.xml

[Wolf Molkentin]

Oh, and he was kind of a reoffender. Perhaps earning his living by stealing concertinas?

 

And then Penal Servitude - does that mean that he had to do some forced labour then? Why not assembling concertinas in order to make them cheaper? Might make up an alternative to the Chinese option Wim Wakker has chosen für his Jackie and the likes...

 

I restrain from carrying further on with this - Thanks for sharing this little find...

[Mikefule]

Oh, and he was kind of a reoffender. Perhaps earning his living by stealing concertinas?

 

And then Penal Servitude - does that mean that he had to do some forced labour then? Why not assembling concertinas in order to make them cheaper? Might make up an alternative to the Chinese option Wim Wakker has chosen für his Jackie and the likes...

 

I restrain from carrying further on with this - Thanks for sharing this little find...

 

 

Depends on what kind of concertina. If it had 7 fold bellows he may have got a longer stretch.

[SteveS]

Depends on what kind of concertina. If it had 7 fold bellows he may have got a longer stretch.

I bellowed out loud...

[Dave Prebble]

The right key might help him through

 

Dave

[JimLucas]

And then Penal Servitude - does that mean that he had to do some forced labour then?

 

Generally in a place like Botany Bay, Australia.

 

Hard to re-offend when the only person in the vicinity who has anything worth stealing is the fellow with the key to the chain on your leg.