817. EDWARD CHACKLEY proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 27th of September , a gold ring, value 10s. and two cod fish, value 6d. the property of William Valentine proceedingsvictim .

WILLIAM VALENTINE < no role > sworn. - I am a shoemaker , and live on Bethnal-green : On the 27th of September, I was coming from Aldersgate-street, I stopped in Bishopsgate-street to buy two cod-fish; I walked as far as Webb-square, Shoreditch, and called on an acquaintance, where I understood the prisoner lodged; I sent for a pot of beer, and half a pint of gin; the prisoner came in, and partook, as he knew my acquaintance; five or six drank of it; I was there about an hour, and left it between eight and nine; the prisoner begged to walk home with me; I thanked him, but did not wish him to take that trouble; he overpressed me, and took up the fish; I was sober, as I had only drank part of the liquor there; he walked with me, and carried the fish as far as the Golden Key, about three or four hundred yards from my house; I took him into the Golden Key, and gave him a glass of peppermint at the bar, and changed a seven-shilling piece; he seeing me do that pleaded distress, and said the woman he lived with was in Coldbathfields Prison for an assault; that he was out of bread himself, and had nothing to subsist on; I gave him a shilling, and bid him good night; he insisted on going further, saying I was a good hearty fellow; he walked very near to my home, when I stopped him, and said he had gone far enough, and if he would have any thing more to drink he was welcome; he thanked me, and said he had rather not; I told him I was going into the Cornwallis public-house; he asked me it I would not shake hands with him, which I readily did, andhe instantly by main force twisted the ring off my finger, and ran across the road; it being very dark I could not see him, but halloa'd out stop thief, but could not catch him; he had the fish in his left hand; the next night I was coming from the same place, and looked to see if he was come home; I heard he was taken up on my account; I went to the watch-house, and saw the prisoner; the officer made me give charge, which I did, and he was taken before the Magistrate; I have never seen my ring, which I wore for the sake of my deceased wife, and cost me 14s.

Q. Could not the ring come off by shaking of hands? - A. No.

Q. Was it too big? - A. It was full big, but done round with silk to make it hold tight.

Q. Did you perceive it going? - A. Yes.

Q. Did you feel the twist to get it off? - A. Yes, I am positive, and a very great one.

WILLIAM BATTENBOW < no role > sworn. - I am a weaver, and was passing Valentine, who lives next door but one to me, on the night of the 27th of September; he called out stop thief; I said, have you been robbed; he said, yes, but I saw no other person; he asked me to go in pursuit of the prisoner; I did, and we went to the prisoner's lodging in Webb-square, but did not find him.

Prisoner's defence. The place where the prosecutor called is kept by two girls of the town; I lived there then, and he asked me to fetch the pot of beer, which I did and two others, and half a pint of gin; they then asked me to drink along with them at a gin-shop; I did so, and he was flashing his gold ring, a guinea, and a seven-shilling piece to the girls; I never saw it after; one of the girls went back, and the other went to the Golden Key with the prosecutor and me; we walked on till we came to the Green Gate, where he began to dance with a parcel of men and women who sold fish; they would not let him have any liquor there; he was so drunk, when we went out he tumbled down, and had liked to have pulled me down; when I helped him up he missed his ring, and said I must have taken it; I said if he thought I had, I would go back and look where he was dancing; I asked him to take his fish; he refused them, and I dropped them down, saying I would not carry them any farther.

Court. Q. (To Valentine.) What is the name of your acquaintance? - A. Greenwood, a carver and gilder, whom I have known twenty years; I understand the woman the prisoner lived with is a girl of the town, and she was not part of the company.

Q. Were there three pots of beer? - A. No, nor did I go into any gin-shop, or make any display of my money or ring, any further than it was on my finger. NOT GUILTY .

Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron Thompson.