The Preston Chronicle, Apr 7 1832
Friday
Henry Wadsworth, 27, and James Barker, 48, were jointly indicted, the former charged with breaking into a warehouse, at Colne, and stealing ten pieces of cotton cloth, the property of Thomas Thornber and Nicholas England; and the latter with receiving the 10 pieces, and one other piece, knowing the same to be stolen. Thomas Greenwood, who had been apprehended for receiving the same, was admitted approver against the prisoners. There was nothing extraordinary in the evidence. The pieces, it appeared, were offered for sale to Barker, and were bought at a price something below what they would have fetched in the market. Some of the marks which had originally been on the pieces had been torn or cut off. The case as affecting Wadsworth did not appear to be made out so clearly as affecting the other. The prisoner Barker is himself a manufacturer of some standing, and received a good character from several respectable witnesses. The jury found both prisoners guilty.
Henry Wadsworth, the above prisoner, was then charged, on another indictment, with stealing, in February, from the warehouse of Mr Smith, at Briercliffe, twenty three cotton pieces, the property of William Smith. The indictment contained a count for breaking into this prosecutor's warehouse. To the style thereof, the defendant's counsel objected as he considered the venue not to be well laid. - Briercliffe is only termed part of a township, namely Briercliffe with Entwistle.
The court confirmed the objection so taken, and the first count in the indictment was quashed, but the prisoner was tried on the general counts of the indictment for stealing only. Prisoner found guilty of stealing.
James Barker was again ordered to the bar, charged on another indictment with receiving at Colne, 23 pieces of cotton, the property of William Smith.
Thomas Greenwood, who turned king's evidence, proved his having sold the pieces to the prisoner, on the 15th October last for 2s 9d per piece.
Mr Smith, the prosecutor, swore to the pieces being his property, and that they were worth about 4s per piece.
The clerk to the committing magistrates being sworn to the depositions, the voluntary examination of the prisoner was then read, stating that he had never had any dealings with Greenwood before this.
The jury found the prisoner guilty, and the court sentenced the prisoner on the above indictment to 7 years' transportation, and 7 years further on the previous indictment.
N.B. - The prisoner Wadsworth, in the former case, was also transported 14 years - seven years on each indictment.
|