James (2) Woodhurst - Old Bailey Testimonies

Case 112: November 24th 1845.
[Defendant MICHAEL CRAWLEY, charged with theft (pocketpicking)]
[Witness JAMES WOODHURST (policeman)]
"About half-past three o'clock in the afternoon I found the prosecutrix holding the prison - she charged him with stealing her purse and money - he said nothing - it has not been found."
[Verdict - not guilty.]

Case 1252: June 15th 1846.
[Defendant PAUL WILLIAMS, charged with theft (burglary)]
[Witness JAMES WOODHURST (policeman)]
"A little before six o'clock on this morning I saw the prisoner lying in a saw-pit, about ten yards from the prosecutor's house - I told him to get up and come out of there - he said he was very tired and had laid himself down to rest - I saw him take out a canvas bag from a hole in the saw-pit - I allowed him to depart, as he told me a correct story - I heard of the robbery, and apprehended him on the following day - I kept the articles which I took from him, and he produced them there."
[Response from defendant]
"I told you the things were mine; you took them from me, and said, 'Go about your business'."
[Verdict - guilty of stealing only. Sentence - transported for seven years.]

Case 1090: May 12th 1851.
[Defendant GEORGE SINCLAIR, charged with coining offences]
[Witness JAMES WOODHURST (policeman)]
"On 27th April I took the prisoner at Mr. Allen's, who gave me this crown (produced) - I found on him 8d. in copper and a good sixpence - I received the other crown from Mrs. Pelly next morning."
[Mrs. Elizabeth Pelly had alleged she was paid a counterfeit 5s.-piece (crown) by the defendant]
[Verdict - guilty. Sentence - confined twelve months.]

Case 302: February 23rd 1852.
[Defendant MARTHA M'NERNAY, charged with coining offences]
[Witness JAMES WOODHURST (policeman, K363)]
"I took the prisoner on 3rd Feb. - I asked her where the shilling was - she said, 'Here it is; I did not know it was bad' - the shilling was in her hand - this is it."
[Verdict - guilty. Sentence - confined six months.]

Case 412: April 7th 1856.
[Defendant WILLIAM ANGUS, charged with violent theft (robbery)]
[Witness JAMES WOODHURST (policeman, K363)]
"On 4th March, about a quarter past 1 o'clock in the morning, I was on duty at Bethnal-green, and heard some persons talking - shortly afterwards I heard some person fall to the ground - before I arrived at the spot, I heard a person say, 'You are welcome to take all I have got, but do not take my life, for the sake of my wife and family' - I went up, and saw the prosecutor lying on the ground, on his back, and the prisoner laying hold of his coat collar or stock - I showed my light, and the prisoner let go his hold - I said, 'What are you doing with the man?' - he said, "It is a friend of mine - he called him Forest, or Forrester, and told him to get up - he told me that he was going to see him home, as they had been drinking together at Mr. Beale's public house, Church-street, Bethnal-green - the prosecutor then got up, seized the prisoner by the bosom of his shirt, pulled him towards me, told me to take him into custody for knocking him down with intent to rob him, and said that he did not know him at all - I took him to the station - the prosecutor had been drinking, but was quite capable of what he was doing - he walked by himself, and walked steadily - he perfectly knew what he was about - he seemed agitated."
[Cross-examination by defendant's counsel]
"You say that he had been drinking?"
[Response from JAMES WOODHURST]
"From his appearance, he seemed much agitated after getting up - he was rather hoarse, but I could understand every word he said - I thought he had been drinking because he seemed nervous - I do not know whether it was from the fall or from drink; he was shaking rather - the prisoner did not appear to have been drinking at all - they were in the path over the side of the road - there is no step from the footpath into the road, the path is a little higher, but there is no kerb stone - he was about the centre of the path, and the prisoner was nearer to the wall, but was not down, he was only stooping - the prosecutor was on the ground - I was fourteen or fifteen yards from them when I heard the conversation - I could not hear what they were talking about - I heard the fall not more than two minutes after the conversation - it was a dark night, and I could not see how they fell - the prisoner seemed perfectly sober, and so he did at the station - when the prosecutor said, 'You are welcome to all I have; do not take my life, for the sake of my wife and children,' the prisoner did not answer; there was only one voice."
[Questioned by prosecuting counsel MR. LILLEY]
"When the charge was made at the station, did the prosecutor sign it?"
[Response from JAMES WOODHURST]
"Yes - the charge sheet is not here"
[Verdict - not guilty.]