20th February 1868 – A CLEVER CAPTURE
Two young men who had the appearance of being tramps, and who gave their names as Jas, Thompson and Jas. Taylor, were charged with having broken into the shop part of the premises occupied by Mr Henry Matthews, at the Goytrey, on Saturday last, and stealing therefrom £6 in gold, ½ lb. of cocoa, 1 lb. of sugar several boxes of matches, and a pair of scissors, the later property being the property of his daughter.
Ellen Matthews said: I live at Goytrey, and am the daughter of prosecutor. On Sunday morning last I went to church at 11 o’clock, after which I went to dine at my father’s, and returned to the shop about 5 o’clock in the afternoon. From information I received I searched the house, and found £6 missing from a chest of drawers, all of which seem to have been ransacked. I also missed about ½ pound of cocoa, 1 lb. of sugar, four of five boxes of matches, and a pair of scissors, the latter of which are my property; I swear to them by the rivet.. I saw the prisoners when I was returning from church, by the blacksmith’s shop, a short distance from the house.
By the prisoner Taylor: I saw you near the shop, near the road.
George Matthews: On Sunday I found the door of the premises open, and went and gave information to my sister in the afternoon. The door had been burst open. I saw the drawers had been ransacked.
Walter Williams: I am a labourer, residing in the parish of Goytrey, at a distance from 400 to 600 yards from prosecutor’s shop. The big prisoner (Thompson) came to my house begging about 1 o’clock on Sunday. I gave him a pair of old boots.
P.c. Basham: From information I received, I went and examined the premises of Mr Henry Mathews, which are situate at the Goytrey. This was about 5 o’clock in the evening of Sunday last. I found that the front door had been burst open, and a board from the end of the house had been placed under the window. My attention was attracted to some footprints, which I examined, and have compared since. I proceeded to Monkswood, and gained some intelligence of the prisoners, whom I found at Chepstow, in a lodging house, about ½ past 12 o’clock the same night. I found on the prisoner Thompson 19s. 9d., in silver, two packets of cocoa, a box of matches, and a pair of scissors. On the prisoner Taylor I found 9s. 0 ½ d., three boxes of matches, and a packet of sugar, now produced. The prisoners were charged by Supt. Llewellin, who was with me, with having broken into the shop of Henry Matthews, of Goytrey, and stealing therefrom the money and the articles mentioned. The prisoner Thompson said he had found the money on the road, and Taylor said he had only 10s., and was making his way home with it. I compared Taylor’s boots with the footmarks mentioned, and found and found them to correspond with every particular.
After being duly cautioned by the Chairman, the prisoners said they would reserve their defence, after which they were committed for trial at the ensuing sessions at Usk.