Charles Wingett, stealing, 1880

Henry BAYNTON was indicted for having stolen a dead goose, a leg of mutton, a joint of beef, and other articles, the property of George Fielding, his master.  Mr. BRINDLEY prosecuted; Mr. PURCELL defended the prisoner.  Prosecutor keeps a large provision store at 83 Junction-road, Islington, and the prisoner was one of ten shopmen.   On November 26 he gave a goose to the shopboy, and saying it was paid for, told him to take it to 66 Maynton-road, which was where the prisoner lodged.  This the boy did; but when, discovering that he was being extensively robbed, the prosecutor made inquiries, the boy told him of the goose.  Police-sergeant ALLCOCK, of the Y division, came , and he took the prisoner in charge for stealing the goose; he persisted in saying he bought it.  (Prosecutor allowed his men to buy provisions to a small extent for their own use at 6d. a pound all round.  Prisoner's landlady said that twice the boy had brought joints to the house, and the prisoner had brought some beef himself, and she was induced to buy them from the prisoner, believing he had a right to sell them.  The cashier, to whom all moneys would be paid, said the prisoner had never purchased more than sixpennyworth of goods, and had certainly not paid for the goose or joints.  At the station prisoner said to the prosecutor, two other of whose shopmen are awaiting their trial at these Sessions, "I own  I am as bad as the rest; I've robbed you, but you can't do me for the goose."  The jury found the prisoner Guilty.

Charles WINGETT and Francis WALKER were then charged with having stolen two legs of mutton, two pieces of beef and one basket, the property of the same prosecutor, Mr. FIELDING.  Mr. BRINDLEY prosecuted, and the prisoners were not defended by counsel.  Suspecting that he was being robbed by the prisoners, who were in his service, Mr. FIELDING employed a detective, who on the 10th of December saw WALKER bring a basket of meat out of the shop and place it under a board outside.  Ten minutes later WALKER came out of the shop again, picked up the basket, put it on his arm, and walked with  it down Junction-road.  The detective followed him to Francis -terrace, stopped him, and asked him where he was taking the meat to, when he responded, "16, Francis-terrace," where, he said, he and Darkie (meaning WINGETT) lived, and that Darkie had given it to him to take to his lodgings.  He took WALKER back to the shop where he charged WINGETT and WALKER with the theft, and apprehended both of them/  At their lodgings was found another piece of beef.  All the meat was identified by Mr. FIELDING as his property.  The jury found both he prisoners Guilty, and the foreman stated that the majority of the jury were desirous of recommending WALKER to mercy on the ground that he had acted at the instigation of WINGETT.  This was probably correct, as WINGETT had been before convicted of being in the unlawful possession of property and nothing was known against the character of WALKER.  The man BAYNTON, who had stolen  the goose, had no previous conviction recorded against him, and the only thing at all detrimental to him was that he was a frequenter of horse-races, being known on the Turf as "Lord Bugden".  Mr. FLETCHER sentenced WALKER to three months', WINGETT to 12 months', and BAYNTON to eight months' imprisonment with hard labour".