Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on 1 collective petition (3 people,...

HO 47/22/54

1798 Dec 27

Report of John William Rose, Recorder of London, on 1 collective petition (3 people, prisoner, captain and officer of the Duke of Buccleugh, an East India Man) on behalf of Robert Dowles, convicted (with William Atterbury alias 'Spongy') at the Old Bailey, for stealing a purse and British and foreign monies (3 Dollars and 21 Louis D'ors), value of British coinage £19:1:9 (total value given in petition as £41 and upwards), property of Giovanni Galli/Giovanni Gallo, Italian, picture salesman, in July 1788. Evidences supplied by Giovanni Galli, Robert Plattin, stable keeper; William Withers, hay salesman; Sarah Howton, Mary Parrat and ----- Raven. Galli was walking from Smithfield to Long Lane with a bundle when he was knocked nearly over by Dowles, whilst trying to right himself his pocket was picked by Atterbury. He cried our and prisoner Dowles was captured by Plattin, Atterbury ran away. Howton and Parrat both said that Galli was drunk and his stick had caught Dowles face and his hat had fallen to one side, and Dowles had been 'collared.' There was nobody in company with Dowles. Grounds for clemency: previous good character, never saw the purse or any of the money, has never had any connection with Atterbury, has received an offer to sign up 'if possible, for our [the officers of the Duke of Buccleugh] next voyage', prisoner has already served on the Duke of Buccleugh on a voyage to China leaving in 1796 and returning in the July of 1798 (2 weeks before being apprehended). Initial sentence: 7 years transportation. Recommendation: no mercy; 'Dowles has already abused the Indulgence, on a former Occasion, of being permitted to go to Sea, in remission of a more severe Sentence'. Folios 339-342.

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