WORCESTER CITY SESSIONS.
Robbery at Mr. Rowlands's- Mottram, Moses, 15, blacksmith, and Young, William Henry, 17, bricklayer were indicted for that he the said Moses Mottram, on the 24th day of February last, at the parish of St. Clement, this city, seven promissory notes for the payment of 5/. each, and one other promissory note for the payment of 10/., a number of pieces of the current gold, silver, and copper coin of the realm, amounting in value to 23/. 2s. 3d., and two canvas bags, of the monies, goods and chattels of the said William Rowlands, feloniously did steal, take, and carry away. And that the said William Henry Young afterwards, at the parish and city aforesaid, five promissory notes for the payment of 5/. each, one promissory note for the payment of 10/., nine sovereigns, one half sovereign, and several pieces of silver coin, feloniously did receive, he the said William Henry Young then well knowing the said monies to have been feloniously stolen. Mr. Huddleston appeared for the prosecution, and Mr. Beadon defended Young.- Mr. William Rowlands was first called. He deposed that on the day in question he had deposited the sum of 68/. 2s. in notes, gold, &c, in a drawer in his counting-house ; it was in two bags. Witness last saw the money at ten the morning, and missed it at ten at night. Mottram had been loading a cart for Mr. Nott in his yard, and was near the office, while the clerks were going out and in, the drawer containing the money not being locked ; and Mottram had been on the premises on the night before for the invoice. Mr. Davis, Mr. Rowlands's clerk, corroborated the previous witness, and stated that it was quite unusual for a person to load his own cart without assistance. He also deposed to the receipt of bank notes to the amount 45/., from John Woodyatt, Thomas Caswell, John Chamberlain, Elisha Powell, and Wm. New. These notes he gave to Mr. Rowlands.-Ann Price, an assistant at the shop of Mr. Walter, pawnbroker, deposed that Mottram came to the shop, and bought a jacket and other articles of clothing, for which he paid her a sovereign. Mary Ann Main, in company with a woman named Burroughs, saw the prisoners together on the night after the robbery, near gas lamp, and heard half-a - crown fall on the flag-stones; Mottram took hold of Burroughs, which she resented by saying she did not allow boys to take such liberties; he then said he had got some money; and she said perhaps he had been " picking somebody up;" he said no, he had worked hard for it. -Grubb, a policeman, was on duty in Clapgate on the 25th February, and saw the last witness; the prisoners were then the Corn-market. The prisoner Young had been in his custody on another charge, and was discharged that same day. -Fanny Heywood deposed that on the 26th February, Young came to her husband's shop, and looked at a watch ; the other prisoner was outside. The price was 10s. Mottram then came and paid the money. -Thomas Heritage, who keeps the Cape of Good Hope, at Kidderminster, deposed that the two prisoners came to his house on the 26th, and Mottram asked for some brandy and water ; Mottram took some money out of his pocket; he had ten or twelve sovereigns, in a linen bag; he then pulled out a shilling to pay for his grog. Mottram then told Young to change one of his Worcester Old Bank notes. Young then brought out a box, but witness would not change it, saying that he seemed to have change enough. This witness further gave an amusing description of the freaks these youngsters played with their flush of money, and deposed that they gave erroneous names. -Lloyd, a Kidderminster policeman, apprehended Young, and found on him six bank notes, nine sovereigns and a half in gold, Is. 6d. silver, and 3ld. copper; all which the witness handed over to Inspector Peters. One of these notes was a Worcester Old Bank for 10/., two ditto for 5/. each, Bewdley Bank for 5/., a Gloucestershire Bank for 5/., and a Worcester National Provincial note. [These notes were of the same description as those paid to Mr. Rowlands's clerk the parties mentioned at the early part of the trial.] Young at first declared to the inspector that he had the money from his father, and afterwards that he knew nothing of the charge, and that the money had been given to him by Mottram. -Jones, the turnkey at the city gaol, deposed to a note which he had detected Young conveying to Mottram, cautioning him to be true to his previous tale about the money. -Mottram, in defence, made a rambling address to the jury, after which Mr. Beadon made an address in favour of Young, disputing the identity of the notes, and arguing that Young had not known the notes to have been stolen. The learned Deputy Recorder then summed up the evidence, and the jury returned a verdict of guilty against both prisoners, and previous convictions having been proved against them, they were sentenced to ten years' transportation.
The Court then adjourned till this morning,
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The following convicts were removed a few days ago from our city gaol to Milbank prison, preparatory to undergoing the respective terms of transportation to which they were sentenced at our last Sessions : —Thomas Williams, seven years ; George Hunt, seven years ; Moses Mottram, 10 years ; William Henry Young, ten years.
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Worcester Journal -Saturday 11 October 1856
Tuesday
Deserting a Wife.— Moses Mottram, a blacksmith, was brought up charged with deserting his wife and child, whereby they had become chargeable to the parish of St. Clement. The wife stated that she was married to the defendant about two years ago ; about a week after the marriage he left her, and has several times since deserted her, leaving her without money. On the 12th July he came to Worcester, and said he would take her to Wolverhampton, where he was at work. He induced her to go, but on arriving at the Union Tavern, Lowesmoor, he left her, and was not seen again until yesterday, when he was apprehended by the Relieving-officer. Since that time he has contributed 4s. for the support of his wife and child, consequently she was obliged to apply to the Union, and became chargeable to the parish of St. Clement yesterday. He was remanded till Friday.
This day (Friday)
Matrimonial Crosses.— Moses Mottram, shoeing-smith, and a bad character, was brought up on remand, charged with deserting his wife and family in July last, whereby they had become chargeable to the parish of St. Clement's. The parties had been married two years, and the very first week of their unhappy union, the defendant deserted his wife, and since then, his visits had been " few and far between," and his allowances for her support exceedingly scanty. Three months' hard labour.
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Desertion of Family.—Moses Mottram, shoeing-smith, and a bad character, was brought on remand, charged with deserting his wife and family in July last, whereby they had become chargeable to the parish of St. Clement's. The parties had been married two years, and the very first week of their unhappy union, the defendant deserted his wife, and since then, his visits had been " few and far between," and his allowances for her support exceedingly scanty. Three months' hard labour.
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Worcester Journal -Saturday 10 January 1857
Application for Sureties An application was made by Sarah Mottram for her husband, Moses Mottram, who has just terminated a sentence of three months in gaol for neglecting his family, to be bound over to keep the peace towards her. The woman said a man who had been in prison acquainted her on Saturday last with the alarming intelligence that her husband had threatened when he was liberated to murder her and her child, her father and mother, and " the whole boiling" of them. This statement was corroborated by a man named Jones, whose character was anything but of a kind to be depended on, and he had been incarcerated for threatening to murder a prostitute with whom he cohabited. This woman, it appeared, was familiar with both men. Mottram expressed his sorrow, but the wife was obdurate, called him a murderer and a vile scamp, and refused absolutely to live with him again. He then agreed to leave the town, allow his wife and child a weekly allowance of 5s., and was bound over in a £20 bond to keep the peace for twelve months.
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Worcester Herald -Saturday 10 January 1857
Threatening a Wife.—Moses Mottram, who three months since was committed to hard labour for ill-usiug his wife, and has just completed his term of imprisonment, was brought up the charge of threatening to murder his wife and child and also her father and mother. He had made these threats in gaol, but now said he was very sorry for what had taken place. The wife insisted upon his being bound over, declared she could not live with him again, and exhibited much violence in language and manner as to induce the magistrates to think that the couple would live more happily apart than members of one household, and they advised the husband to make her an allowance. This he consented to do, and said he would give her 5s. per week for the maintenance of herself and child. She agreed to take that sum, and the business was settled by his entering into his own recognizances for £20 to keep the peace for twelve months.
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