Cambridge Chronicle 27 Mar 1841: Robbery in Trumpington Road
HIGHWAY ROBBERYJames Johnson, aged 20, Daniel Owen, aged 22, and Henry Webster, aged 18, were indicted for having, on the 4th of October, 1840, at the parish of Trumpington, feloniously and with personal violence stolen from the person of William Covill, one shilling, three penny pieces, one hat, one key, one pocket-handkerchief, and one apron.
Mr. LEAPINGWELL conducted the prosecution, and Mr. BARKER defended Johnson, and Mr. DASENT Owen; Webster was undefended. William Covill, the prosecutor - I live at Hauxton, about four miles from Cambridge. On Sunday evening, the 4th of last October, I was on my way home from Brooklands, where I had been to see my sister, and had got nearly as far as Mr. Brewer’s, when I met three men, whom I now know to be the prisoners at the bar. Owen I had known for many years; we had been playfellows; he had a dark coat and a black hat. Webster had a low-crowned hat and a dark coat. Johnson had on a cap and a slop-frock. When I met them they stopped me; Webster put one arm round my neck, and with the other hand he took hold of my throat; Owen took hold of my legs; and Johnson felt first if I had a watch, then felt in my trowsers pockets, and after that unbuttoned my coat and took from my right-hand waistcoat pocket one shilling, three penny pieces, and the key of my house. They also took from me a pocket-handkerchief, and my sister’s apron, which was in my hat. Johnson then went across the road to a gateway leading to Beales’ farm, and the other two laid me flat on my back and ran off towards Cambridge. I got up and ran after them, calling out “murder, murder; stop thief.” The man who collared me, Webster, got over the hedge into a plantation, but Owen stopped on the foot-path till I came up to him. He said, “What is the matter?” I said I had been robbed, and he was one of them. He said he was sure he was not. He pretended to help me to look for the other men. By and by Mr. Willimott and another gentleman came up, and I told them I had been robbed.
The witness was cross-examined as to the identity of the parties. Mr. Charles Willimott, of Cambridge — On the night of the 4th of October I was coming from Trumpington to Cambridge with a friend about 9 o’clock. It was a moonlight night, and though rather cloudy objects might be discerned 150 or 160 yards off. When we had got about a quarter of a mile from Trumpington we heard somebody call out “murder, murder; stop thief,” but thinking it was probably only some idle boys we did not hurry. On coming a little further we saw Covill in the middle of the road without his hat, and Owen, whom I knew well, standing near him. Covill told us he had been robbed by three men, and after some conversation I said to Owen it was a very extraordinary thing he should be so near a robbery and know nothing about it. The prosecutor did not accuse Owen of the robbery in my presence. Soon after this two young gentlemen joined us, and Covill left us to return towards Trumpington, while the rest of us came on to Cambridge, Owen following close at our heels. About a quarter of a mile from where the robbery took place a man passed us, dressed in a dark coat and a low-crowned hat: I should not like to swear to him. From Owen’s motions I fancied he knew this man, so I asked him, but he said he had never seen him before. About 800 yards further on another man, dressed in a slop frock, also passed us, and Owen denied all knowledge of him. When we got near the Hospital we met a policeman, and I told him about Covill having been robbed: I was saying that a man behind us probably knew something about it, and turned round to point out Owen, who I thought was a few yards behind us, when I found he had disappeared.
A little boy, named James Frederick Marshall, who was going to the house of his grandfather, proved that he met Johnson and Webster, in company with another man whom he could not swear to, about 9 o’clock on the evening in question, about a quarter of a mile beyond Mr. Brewer’s on the Trumpington road.
George Richardson, police-constable, No. 9, was on duty in Slaughter-house-lane on the night in question, when he saw Johnson coming into the town alone; he had on a slop frock, doubled up round his waist, and a cap on his head.
Robert Fynn, police-constable, No. 3, apprehended the three prisoners altogether, about half-past ten on the night in question, at the corner of Market-street and Market Hill. Johnson had on a slop frock rolled round him and a cap; Owen had on a dark coat and hat; and Webster had on a dark coat and a high-crowned hat, but on searching him afterwards a low-crowned hat was found in his coat pocket.
Edward Oak, police-constable, No. 23, overheard the prisoners conversing after they were locked up. One of them, who he believed to be Webster, made use of these expressions: - “I collared the man, but I don’t think he could swear to me” - “you know we are only here on suspicion, and they have not got to the truth yet.” - “Johnson, did not you come down the backway?” To this question Johnson replied, “yes, and Richardson, the policeman, saw me.”
Mr. BARKER and Mr. DASENT addressed the jury on behalf of the prisoners for whom they were respectively retained, after which the JUDGE summed up, and a verdict of guilty against all the prisoners was returned.
Each of the prisoners was sentenced to 15 years’