Report of Joseph Mawbey, chairman of the Surrey Quarter Sessions, on 1 collective...

Report of Joseph Mawbey, chairman of the Surrey Quarter Sessions, on 1 collective petition (9 people; father, mother, 2 brothers and 5 sisters of the prisoner, sent by Mr Morris, the late Governor of St. Vincent) on behalf of Alexander Newman, landlord of the Ship Ale House at 'Rotherhith Wall', convicted at the Surrey Quarter Sessions in January 1785, for receiving 6 bushels of coals knowing them to be stolen, on the night of 21 November 1784[?]. An accomplice, Robert Fido, had been already been indicted, tried and convicted for stealing 10 bushels of coals, part of which Newman received. Evidences supplied by John Butcher and John Bond, watchmen. The magistrate also conducted an enquiry on the claim that members of the jury had signed the prisoner's petition, as all signatures seemed to be in the same handwriting, 1 juryman (the only one to have signed the petition) expressed his concern that he had been 'persuaded' to have signed, the rest of the jury on discovering the matter publicly declared that they had not signed the petition and stated that the prisoner is not fit for mercy and would not recommend him for a pardon. Grounds for clemency: only a small amount of coal was stolen, good previous behaviour, the petitioner admits his offence and claims that he was deprived representation of character referees, has parents living and several siblings who are devastated at his sentence, has promised to transport himself to St. Vincent in the Americas. Initial sentence: 14 years transportation to America. Recommendation: no mercy; 'The practise of stealing Coals from Barges and Lighters is become so very general, that I believe, the Court and Jury thought it right that some severe Examples should be made of offenders, and in particularly of Receivers'.

Folios 252-255.