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Richard William Woodhurst (RWW) is presumed to have been the "William Woodhurst" who gave the witness testimony below to a trial in September 1848 at the Old Bailey, extracted from the Proceedings of the Old Bailey. The record describes the witness as a willow worker and it is known from an independent source that RWW was occupied as a willow cutter in November 1848. It is, however, marginally possible that the witness was RWW's brother William Horace or RWW's father William (1), neither of whose dates of death has yet been established.
Case 2148: September 18th 1848.
[Indictment] JOHN PAPPS, stealing 1 watch, value 10l., the goods of Joseph Christopher Paul, in his dwelling-house; and JOHN HASWELL feloniously receiving the same.
[Witness] JANE PAUL. "I am the wife of Joseph Christopher Paul, of New Street, in the parish of St. Dunstan, Stepney - it is his dwelling-house. Last Thursday three weeks he left his watch on the kitchen mantel-piece - I saw it safe there at eleven o'clock - Papps, who lodged in the house, came into the kitchen about one - he went out, and I missed the watch in about a quarter of an hour - it is jewelled in ten holes, and worth ten guineas - I afterwards found Papps at the Cricket Ground at Bow, and gave him in charge - on the Saturday Haswell came, and asked me to give him Papps' shirt - I asked who told him Papps was in prison - he said a tall man - I told him to come for the shirt in the evening - he came, and I gave him in charge."
[Witness] WILLIAM WOODHURST. "I am a willow-worker, of 10, Lonas [sic - Lomas?] Buildings. I saw Haswell at Mile End Road - he said he was about to emigrate to Sidney - I asked why - he said he wished to leave the country through fear about a watch which had been stolen, but he was innocent of stealing it - I asked why he was afraid - he said 'To tell you the truth I received it, and sold it to a Jew in Petticoat Lane for 2l.10s.'; that he had got 30s. at home in his box, and had bought those clothes with the remainder - I went with him to Clerkenwell prison, left him outside, and gave information."
[Witness] JOHN CLOVER (policeman, G156). "I took Haswell - he said he should speak the truth, he received the watch of Papps, and sold it to a Jew in Petticoat Lane for 2l.7s.6d."
[Witness] THOMAS SHOVE. "I live in Green Street, Bethnal Green. I was at Bow Cricket Ground - Papps came there about ten minutes to two o'clock - a young man came, and they both went away together - Papps came back by himself, and was taken - he had asked me at ten that morning if I wanted to buy a watch, and said he had it at home in his box - I said 'No', and asked why he did not wear it - he said it had stopped."
[Witness] JOHN LORTON BAKER (policeman, K29). "I took Papps on 31st Aug. - he was told Mr. Paul's watch was gone - he said 'Is it though?' turning very pale; 'I saw the watch-case', - I went with Haswell to show me where he had sold it; he said he had thrown the case away."
Papps' Defence. "My father, who is a captain, was going to sea, and promised me some money, but gave me a watch instead; that was the one I gave Haswell to sell, as he wanted me to lend him 10s.; it was jewelled in four holes, and was not the one in question."
Haswell's Defence. "I asked Papps to lend me 10s.; he could not, but asked me to pawn the watch; I sold it."
[Verdicts] Papps - guilty, Aged 20. Haswell - guilty, Aged 22. [both] Confined Twelve Months.