Evening News, Wed 4 Jul  1877 ¹

NEWS OF THE DAY.
————

…

ROBBERY, WITH OUTRAGE

    At the Central Police Court, to-day, a man named John Weston was brought up, under remand, charged with having, on Monday, the 25th June, assaulted, with a criminal intent, Emily Tremlett, and further with having robbed her of a ring valued at 13s 6d. The prosecutrix, wife of William Tremlett, residing between Ashfield and Burwood, met prisoner accidentally at a public-house on Parramatta-road, which she had visited on business, about dusk. She had a drink and shouted for Weston, and then went homewards. The prisoner overtook her about a quarter of a mile from the inn and committed the assault complained of. Finding he could not accomplish his object, he wrung a ring from her finger (which was afterwards found in his possession). Mrs Weston [sic] made her way to a house near by, and called up a man named Charleston, who escorted her home, and with her husband and herself went to prisoner’s residence and subsequently gave him into the custody of Constable Higgins, who detected circumstantial tokens that the more serious crime had been attempted. The magistrates, Messrs Helsham, Perdriau, and Hughes committed the prisoner for trial on both offences.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 16 Aug 1877 ²

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
WEDNESDAY.

BEFORE his Honor Mr Justice Faucett.
    Mr Rogers prosecuted on behalf of the Crown.

ASAULT AND ROBBERY.

    John Weston was indicted for that he, on the 25th of June last, did feloniously assault and put in bodily fear one Emily Trimlet (aka Tremlett), and one gold ring and one earring from the person of the said Emily Trimlet feloniously did steal, take, and carry away.

    Prisoner pleaded not guilty, and was undefended.

    The statement of the prosecutrix, Mrs Trimlet, the wife of a carpenter living at Ashfield, was that, on the day in question, about dusk, she was going from the Parramatta Road towards Ashfield. She called with the prisoner, who was in her company, at a public-house at the corner of the Parramatta and Five Dock Roads. They left the public-house together, and, when they had gone some distance along the road, prisoner knocked the prosecutrix down, ill-used her, and took her ring from her finger. During the struggle Mrs Trimlet also lost an earring. About 1 o’clock the next morning prisoner was arrested by constable Higgins at his own dwelling, at Burwood, and, in the coat which he had worn the evening before, the ring which had been stolen from Mrs Trimlet was found.

    Prisoner’s defence was that the prosecutrix gave him the ring for a shilling, which he lent to her.

    The jury retired shortly before 12 o’clock to consider their verdict. They were called into Court at 2 o’clock, and, in reply to his Honor, said that they had not agreed and were not likely to agree. At half-past 5 o’clock they intimated that they had agreed, and returned into Court with a verdict of guilty.

    Prisoner was remanded for sentence.

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The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 22 Aug 1877 ³

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT.
TUESDAY.

BEFORE his Honor Mr Justice Faucett.
    The Hon WB Dalley informed the Court that he had been appointed Attorney-General of the colony.

SENTENCES.

…
    John Weston, found guilty of stealing from the person.

    Prisoner had previously undergone a sentence of three months for stealing. Sentence: Eighteen months’ imprisonment, with hard labour, in Darlinghurst gaol.

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John Weston, Gaol photo sheet ⁴

 

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Gaol Photo Sheet - Transcribed Details

No. 1753
No. on Gaol Register: 3640/77

Date when Portrait was taken: 12th July 1877

Prisoner's Name: John Weston
(aka John Watson)

Native place: Arbroath, Scotland Year of birth: 1855 Arrived        Ship: Ethiopia in Colony }   Year: 1876 Trade or occupation previous to conviction  } Seaman Religion: Presbyterian Education, degree of: R & W Colour of hair: Black Colour of eyes: Brown Height: 5' 2½" Weight     On committal: 140 in lbs     }  On discharge:

Special Marks: Heart and anchor with star on left hand, star and ring on second finger, ship on right forearm General Description:

(Previous Portrait ...  )  PRISON HISTORY

Where and When				Offence.	Sentence
WPC SCC ditto   Water PC SCC Water PC  Sydney Q.S ditto Water PC Central PC Water PC ditto ditto ditto ditto Central PC Paddington ditto Central PC	2 14 15   1   2 14 10   4 30 13   3   3   2 26   4   3 23 30 12   7	6   8   8   1   6   8   8   4   5   8   1   3   3 11   6   2   7   5 11   9	1877 1877 1877 1878 1877 1877 1880 1881 1881 1883 1883 1884 1887 1887 1889 1891 1891 1895 1895 1895	Stealing.  Assault with intent to commit rape Assault and rob Sentence remitted Stealing    Drunk False pretences ditto ditto. Larceny Stealing ditto Unregistered dog Stealing Obscene language False pretences. Assault Unregistered dog  False pretences	3 months L. Acquitted 18 months L.   3 months L.   2 days C 2 years HL on each count   To Police 17 Aug 2 months L 3 months L 2 months L 4 days C To Police 11 Jun 21 days C To police 22 July 2 months C. 3 days C. 6 months HL

 

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¹  Evening News, (Sydney, NSW), Wed 4 Jul 1877, p. 2.

²  The Sydney Morning Herald, Thu 16 Aug 1877, p. 3. Emphasis added.

³  The Sydney Morning Herald, Wed 22 Aug 1877, p. 7.

⁴  SRNSW: NRS2138, [3/6042], Darlinghurst Gaol photographic description book, 1877-1879, No. 1753, pp. 10a, 10b, R5099.

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