Benjamin RUCK

1822 -

• Name	Benjamin RUCK
  Christened	31 Jan 1822	Maidstone, Kent, England
  Gender	Male
  Person ID	I7058	Young Kent Ancestors
  Last Modified	22 Apr 2010

  
  

  Father	Benjamin RUCK,   c. 8 Aug 1790, Maidstone, Kent, England
  Mother	Mary CUTBUSH,   c. 27 Sep 1794, Maidstone, Kent, England
  Married	27 Sep 1819	Maidstone, Kent, England
  Family ID	F2298	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  NEW ACTION: Reference Number: t18500708-1323 CHARLES LAWRENCE, NATHAN JONES, Theft and theft from a specified place, Theft and receiving, 8th July 1850. Offences: Theft and theft from a specified place; Theft and receiving, respectively. Verdicts: Guilty and pleaded guilty; Not Guilty Punishments: Imprisonment Corrections CHARLES LAWRENCE , stealing 1 watch, value 3l.; and 1 chain, value 8l.; the goods of Mary Ann Snowden, in her dwelling-house; and NATHAN JONES receiving the chain: to which LAWRENCE pleaded GUILTY . Aged 25.—He received a good character, and was recommended to mercy by the Prosecutrix— Confined Eighteen Months MARY ANN SNOWDEN . I have been a widow five weeks, and am the only executor of my husband; I live in the parish of St. Dunstan's, Stepney; the house is my dwelling-house. On Thursday morning, 27th June, I missed my watch and chain from the looking-glass in the first-floor back-room—I had seen it safe on the Wednesday morning—on the Wednesday afternoon, about four o'clock, the prisoner Lawrence came—my boy called me into the shop where he was—I did not know him, and he said, "How do you do, Mrs. Snowden?"—I then found I had known him five years before, and asked him to stop tea—we had tea in the parlour at the side of the shop, and I went backwards and forwards into the shop—Miss Hall was in the room with us, and when I went out of the room I left her with Lawrence—he said it looked a large house, and asked me how many rooms I had—I said I had only four up-stairs, and told him if he would wait till the shopman came in I would show him over it—he waited, and I did so—I was with him all the time—I did not notice my watch and chain then—he left at about a quarter to seven, and next morning I missed them—I went to his house, but could not find him, and he came to me late in the evening, and said I had been to his house breaking his wife's heart, and that I had been suspecting him wrongfully—I told him I had not charged him, I only suspected him, as no one else had been through the house—he advised me to go to the station—I went to Arbour-square—I went to his house next morning, and he took me to a house in Newington-causeway, where there was a sick man lying, and he told me that was the man be had sold my watch to—I called again at the same place, and saw Mary Dunn, who took me to a public-house, where I paid 3l., and got my watch—this is it (produced)—I think it cost 9l. MARY HALL . I reside with Mrs. Snowden. I recollect Lawrence coming and taking tea there—I remained in the room while Mrs. Snowden went into the shop—while she was gone, Lawrence went out of the room and came back again, twice. BENJAMIN RUCK . I was at the Elephant and Castle, and saw Lawrence dealing with Jones, with a chain—Lawrence asked Jones if it was gold—he did not make any answer, but asked what he wanted for it, and Lawrence said 10s.—Jones then went to a tobacconist's shop, brought out four half-crowns, gave them to Lawrence, and Jones put the chain into his pocket—I have seen Jones before, and know him by sight—I am quite sure he is the person. Cross-examined by MR. METCALFE. Q. Do you know Lawrence? A. Yes; I have known him two or three years, and have associated with him perhaps two or three times a week—I was with him when the policeman took him, and went to see him at the station afterwards—I am a painter, and live at Wyndham-road, Camberwell—I have not had any work the last fortnight, because I have been ill—I have never been before a Magistrate in my life—both the prisoners were taken into custody twice, and were taken both times before the same Magistrate—they were discharged the first time—I was there at the first examination—I did not state anything about what I have now; I was not called—I did not say a word to anybody—the policemen were there. CHARLES MILLS (policeman,. N 306) I went with Mrs. Snowden to Lawrence's—we did not find him—we went again next morning—I had some conversation with Lawrence, and afterwards went with him and Mrs. Snowden to a house in Morton-street, Newington-causeway, and saw a sick man there—some conversation took place between him, Mrs. Snowden, and me, about the watch, and I went the same evening with Copping, a brother constable, to Jones's house—we found him—I asked him if his name was Nathan Jones—he said "Yes"—I told him we were two policemen, and called respecting his buying a gold chain or guard of Charles Lawrence, on Wednesday evening—he said he did not know such a person—I described him to him, and he then said he did know his father, "He is a leather-dresser, and lives in Cross-street, or place"—I asked him to accompany me to Lawrence's—we went, and he was not at home—we afterwards saw him the same day, and I asked Lawrence if Jones was the man he sold the chain to—he said he was—Jones said, "What me! I never saw you at that time: I have not seen you for some time"—Lawrence said, "Don't you recollect when we had a pint of beer together?"—Jones said he did not know anything about it, he must have made a mistake—Jones was discharged on the first examination, and afterwards retaken—I then found Ruck, took him to Jones, and asked Ruck if Jones was the man that bought the chain—he said he was—Jones said "You have made a mistake; it was not me; I did not buy it; I do not know anything about it." Cross-examined. Q. Has not Jones always denied any knowledge of this transaction? A. Yes; I have made inquiry in his neighbourhood, and find him to bear a very respectable character—I asked Lawrence if Ruck was with him when he sold the chain—he said he was not—I saw Ruck at the police-office when the first examination was going on, nothing was then said about what be has now stated. JONES— NOT GUILTY . NEW ACTION: Reference Number: t18520920-970 JOHN GRIFFIN, JOHN GALLIVAN, PATRICK FERRIS, MICHAEL CALLAGHAN, Breaking Peace and wounding, 20th September 1852. Offence: Breaking Peace, wounding Verdict: Guilty, Guilty, Guilty, Guilty lesser offence, respectively. JOHN GRIFFIN, JOHN GALLIVAN, PATRICK FERRIS , and MICHAEL CALLAGHAN , feloniously wounding Thomas Graham upon the head, with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm. Punishment: Imprisonment MR. M. PRENDERGAST conducted the Prosecution. THOMAS GRAHAM . I live in Thomas-street, Wyndham-road. On Sunday evening, 5th Sept., from about half past 6 to quarter to 7 o'clock I was at the Duke of Clarence public house with my brother, Charles Graham, and my son John, John Hurd, Thomas Thompson, and William Bird—a man named Buchanan came in and said something, and after that a lot of Irish rushed in—all the prisoners were among them—there might be a dozen or more—Gallivan and Griffin came up to Hurd, and said, "This is one of them," and knocked him down—they then fell to kicking him—I stood at the side, and they fastened on me—Ferrison knocked me down and kicked me in the forehead, and Griffin likewise kicked me—by Ferrison I mean the third one from me (pointing to Gallivan)—I never heard of him by any other name—the farther one from me is Griffin—the next is Ferrison, no, not Ferrison—yes, Ferrison—I have known them all by sight for years—the fourth is Callaghan—it was Ferris who kicked me—no, Gallivan kicked me—I did not say that Ferris kicked me—I was hit in the forehead, and knocked down, and then I was kicked by the prisoners—it was Gallivan who knocked me down—the third one from me now (pointing to Gallivan)—he hit me in the forehead, and knocked me down, and then he kicked me—they all kicked me—Ferris kicked me in the head—I can swear that three out of the four kicked me—all of them, barring Callaghan, kicked me, but he was there—this was not going on above four or five minutes, I believe, but I do not know, for I was dragged out senseless and bleeding, and taken to Mr. Flower, the surgeon. Cross-examined by MR. SLEIGH. Q. You had been somewhere else that evening, had you not, previous to being at the Duke of Clarence? A. No; I had not been out of bed till 5 o'clock—I went to Mr. Stone's, but I had not had a spoonful of beer all day, or anything else—I was at Stone's for two or three minutes—he keeps a beershop about 200 yards from the Duke of Clarence—I had gone to lay down after my dinner, and my wife called me at 5 to have my tea—I had no gin at the Duke of Clarence, I had called for some, but they had not time to draw it before the Irish came in—I have known some of the prisoners twelve months, and some a little more—I never associated with them—I was not on speaking terms with them, at least, I always gave them the time of day if I passed them—I was never in a public house to drink with them—I was once in a public house with Callaghan—that might be two or three months ago—I am an Englishman—a great many Irish live in that neighbourhood, but not at our end of the street—I am not aware that there are continual quarrels between the Irish and English there—the Irish begin it among themselves—I have never seen much of it—there are quarrels there—I never go interfering—I have heard that the police have been frequently called in, but I was never there with them—I do not know that there was a serious quarrel between the English and Irish just before this occurrence; I will swear I did not see it—how could I; I was in bed till 5—I had never had any quarrel with either of the prisoners before—there might have been twenty or thirty Irish there at the time this assault took place upon me, or there might be more, women and men—the bar was chuck full of them, as many as could get in—I do not know any of the other persons besides the prisoners—there was a brother of Gallivan's—I went before the Magistrate on the Monday, and he granted me a warrant against Gallivan's brother, but he stopped away. CHARLES GRAHAM . I am the brother of the last witness, and live at 4, Thomas-street. Last Sunday fortnight I was at the Duke of Clarence public house—six of us went there to have a half pint of gin—before they served us a man named Buchanan came and gave some alarm—the four prisoners rushed in, and about a dozen men after them—Griffin catched hold of Hurd, and said, "That is the b—who struck me"—Gallivan catched hold of Hurd, struck him, and knocked him down—then my brother was knocked down, and I can solemnly swear that all four of them kicked him; I saw them all four round him, and I saw them all four hoist up their feet—I saw him receive a kick on the head and on the eye: they dragged him out, and he had no senses—I cannot tell who dragged him out, they were Englishmen—they took him to Mr. King's, the doctor's; he was smothered in blood before he was dragged out. Cross-examined. Q. You had been drinking, had you not? A. I had had a little drop—I never saw my brother before half past 5 o'clock in the evening—I was with him at Mr. Stone's—we had a pot of beer between five of us there—I have known the prisoners about five or six months, but I have never associated with them—it is rather a quarrelsome neighbourhood—there had been no altercation between any of us—I was with my brother at the Duke of Clarence. Q. Am I to understand that, without provocation, these men came in and fell upon you and your brother? A. No; they had begun with me and my nephew, and Hurd, at the Windmill; that was at half past 5 or 6 o'clock—we only had a pot of beer there; there had been a disturbance there. JOHN BUCHANAN . On Sunday evening, 6th Sept., I was standing at my gate, 17, Wyndham-road, and heard the cry, "They are a coming!"—I looked towards Nelson-street, to the Windmill public house, and saw a lot of Irish, men, women, and children, advancing towards me—I recognised Callaghan among them—when they got opposite the Leipsic-road, they jumped up three feet frota the ground, and said, "Now for the Clarence, the b—English are there!"—I started from the gate, outrun the men, got to the Clarence first and gave information to the barman—I was there when they came in; I recognised Callaghan in the bouse—I cannot say I saw him strike anybody—the first assault was on a young man named Hurd. Cross-examined. Q. At what time did they pass you in the road? A. Between 6 and 7 o'clock; it was nearer 7 than 6. BENJAMIN RUCK . I live at Wyndham-road, Camberwell. On 5th Sept. I was in George-street, Wyndham-road, and saw Griffin and Ferris—Griffin went up to a policeman and threatened him, and Ferris picked up some atones, put them in his pocket, and swore that if anybody touched him, he would pierce them through the policeman's b—head if he offered to take care of any one of them—after I saw them, they made a shout, and ran towards the Duke of Clarence, and I ran home. Cross-examined. Q. You did not see anything of the Grahams at that time? A. No; it was about half past 6 o'clock—there were a great number of Irish and English together. JOHN SWAN FLOWER . I live at Camberwell-green; at the time of this occurrence I lived at Denmark-hill. On Sunday, 5th Sept., Graham was brought to me bleeding from a wound on the left side of the head, about an inch long, penetrating to the bone; also a wound over the right eye about half an inch long, which also penetrated to the bone—he was very faint from loss of blood—he was under my charge up to within the last two days—the wounds might have been caused by kicks. Cross-examined. Q. Had they the appearance of being inflicted by a cutting instrument? A. No; it was most likely by a kick, or being struck by a stick, or some blunt weapon. Gallivan's Defence. I was a mile from the place; I do not know anything about it. Griffins Defence. I am not the instigator of the row; I was there, and these men were inside before us, and we drank out of a pot of beer; I was knocked down and kicked, and my eyebrow was split open. Ferris's Defence. I was not there. MR. SLEIGH called: DANIEL HEALEY . I am a labourer, of 7, Nelson-street, which is near the Nelson public house. I know Ferris—on Sunday, 5th Sept., before 6 o'clock, I left my house, and walked up Nelson-street into Thomas-street, where I met Patrick Ferris—that is about a quarter of a mile from the Duke of Clarence; that was before 6—he was not half a minute in my company—I spoke to him as I passed by, and saw no more of him. STEPHEN COURTNEY . I am a labourer, and live in Nelson-street. Last Sunday fortnight, between 5 and 6 o'clock, I came out of my own house and walked up Nelson-street—I know Ferris—I saw him at his own house in Nelson-street, that was before 6, as I passed; he was standing at his own door—I did not go into his house, or stop with him at all—I saw him next when I came back from the Clarence—I did not go into the Clarence, but I was standing at the Clarence, and Ferris was not there, no more than you were—when I came back from the Clarence, I met him right up against the Windmill, at the corner; it was then between 7 and 8—between the time I saw him at his own door and the time I saw him between 7 and 8, I had not seen him at all—I said to him, "Patrick, there is such a row at the Clarence, you had better come right home again;" and he said, "I will." Cross-examined by MR. M. PRENDERGAST. Q. There were policemen at the Clarence, were not there? A. No. MARY FOLEY . I am married, and live at Nelson-street, Camberwell. I know Griffin—last Sunday fortnight, between 5 and 6 o'clock in the evening, he was in my house—he is a labourer—he was lying on the boards, rather the worse for liquor—his wife took him upstairs as the clock struck 6—he remained at home all the evening, but I was in and out. COURT. Q. Did you see him any more that evening? A. Yes; I saw him from then until 9 o'clock, upstairs in his room—he might have gone out without my knowing it, but I am sure he was there at 6—he was there at half past 6, not upstairs, but downstairs, lying on the floor. Q. I thought you said he was not lying on the boards after 6 o'clock? A. Yes, he was, till half past 6; and he was upstairs in his own room at 9—I cannot say to a moment, but it was after 6—he went upstairs from 6 to half past 6—he was on the boards, and from then till 9 he was upstairs—I cannot exactly say—I was inside the house from 6 to 7, but I was at home, I was close to my own door—he could have gone out without my knowing it, because I was in and out—I cannot exactly say I saw him upstairs between half past 6 and 7. Q. You say you know he was on the boards from 6 o'clock to half past 6, can you tell the Jury that he was there from about half past 6 to 7? A. I cannot tell that. JOHANNA PURCELL . Last Sunday fortnight, in the afternoon, between half past 5 and 6 o'clock, I went out with my baby in my arms, and saw Griffin and Ferris going into the Windmill—they were not many minutes inside, and I heard a very loud noise—they all rushed out of the Windmill door—there were four or five Englishmen, and the Grahams—John Griffin and Charley Graham had hold of each other as they came out of the Windmill door, and as they took hold of each other, Griffin turned round to come off the steps, and a man named Lomas put up his fist and struck him, and he fell against Mr. Fox's door, and when he fell, Charley Graham and Johnny Graham and Lomas kicked him as he lay on the ground—his wife hallooed. "Murder!" and asked us to save him—there were four or five Englishmen, and the wife threw herself over her husband's head, so that they should not kill him; and when he got from the road, the two Grahams and Lomas threw off their caps, and asked for any b—Irish Turks—then the crowd from the street was running—I had the baby and was frightened, but before I got to my own door, I saw John Griffin led by one of the men, with his head bleeding—a man led him into his own house to wash and clean him. Cross-examined. Q. You have been in the gallery all the time of the trial? A. Yes; I went into the house for half a pint of beer. GRIFFIN— GUILTY . Aged 21. SULLIVAN— GUILTY . Aged 21. FERRIS— GUILTY . Aged 23. CALLAGHAN— GUILTY . Aged 23. of unlawfully wounding. Confined Six Months. Before Mr. Common Serjeant.