Report of John Heath on 1 collective petition (16 people, including a surveyor and...

Report of John Heath on 1 collective petition (16 people, including a surveyor and 9 jury members, people from Westminster and Pall Mall) on behalf of Charles Herbert Fox and Frances Ferguson/Frances Ferguson Fox, his 'wife', indicted at the 'last' Surrey Assizes at Kingston, for a burglary and taking sundry articles of wearing apparel, a thermometer, a key, some veal and pork, value 39/-, property of John Maylin of Bermonsey in Surrey, on 4 March 1797, but convicted on receiving stolen good knowing them to be stolen. Evidences supplied by John Maylin, Mary Jane Burrows, William Collingbourn, a police officer; Anne Ibbetson, Henry Hawkins, John Hinchcliffe and Jane Sergeant. It was said that Ferguson 'cohabited with Fox without the least Pretence of them being married and in a House which seemed to be a Receptacle for Whores and Rogues. It was assumed that a Mr Potter had probably committed the burglary but that he had absconded, Potter was previously employed by Maylin. Henry Potter was a friend of the prisoners and it was claimed in the petition that Henry Potter had left the bundle of stolen goods at the prisoners' lodgings. Grounds for clemency: they had received the goods but not stolen them, they were a dupe of another (Henry Potter) and the prisoners are willing to transport themselves. Initial sentence: 7 years transportation. Recommendation: speaks against mercy. Folios 118-121.