Report/note of Francis Buller on 1 individual petition (prisoner) on behalf of Francis...

Report/note of Francis Buller on 1 individual petition (prisoner) on behalf of Francis Evans, butcher/porter carrier, convicted at the Old Bailey on 29 April 1797, for stealing leather, value 16/-, property of Stephen Maberly. The prisoner was a master butcher but was forced out of the trade by the high market prices. The shavings of leather were considered a perquisite and the prisoner has filled his bag with these off-cuts. One of his colleagues had switched the bag of off-cuts for another containing whole pieces whilst the prisoner was delivering messages. Grounds for clemency: first offence, had no time to prepare a defence (the time elapsed between indictment and trial was 2 hours) the prisoner is innocent, was set up by another workman and did not see a need to call any witnesses, petition has an addendum from T. Fields, a former employer, who provides a good character for the prisoner (over 12 years) and offers to take him into his service on his discharge. Initial sentence: 7 years transportation. Recommendation: free pardon. Folios 271-274.