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The Times
Thursday August 15 1844
Crown Side.-(Before the Lord Chief Baron)
Thomas Hitchon was indicted for burglariously breaking and entering the house of John Bulcock, at Burnley, with intent to rob it.
Mr. Thomson conducted the prosecution; the prisoner was defended by Mr. Wilkins.
It appeared, that from some information received by the police, they were led to expect that an attempt would be made to rob the house of the prosecutor, and on the night in question, just when he was about retiring to rest, five policemen arrived, and, informing him of their errand, were stationed on the watch in different parts of the building. After the house had been all quiet for some hours, two of the officers who were in one of the front rooms heard a noise at one of the windows, the latch of which was finally forced, and they shortly heard some one in the hall. The front door was then opened from the inside, and a second person entered. The two robbers came to the door of the room in which the officers were, and attempted to enter, but one of the officers held down the latch. The parties were just consulting whether they should force the door, or go to some other part of the house, when the officers suddenly rushed out upon them. They had a light, but this was immediately extinguished, and a scuffle took place in the hall, in the coure of which one of the robbers succeeded in making his escape, but the prisoner was secured. His face was blackened, and he was without his hat and shoes; but there was found near him a hat belonging to one of the officers, which had been left in the kitchen. He said he would show the officer where his hat and shoes were, and took him to a place outside, where there were found a hat which the prisoner stated to be his, and a pair of shoes, the ownership of which he however denied, alleging they were the shoes of his companion, who, he said, was one Smith Hargreaves.
This Smith Hargreaves, it appeared in the course of the case, had, on a former occasion, been a witness in a prosecution for burglary of which he had given information to the police.
In the statement of the prisoner before the magistrates he alleged that he had been repeatedly urged by Smith Hargreaves to join him in committing the robbery, and that he had been induced to do so at last, while in a state of intoxication.
Guilty.-Sentence deferred.
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Mel
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