1:07:50 > 1:07:57.
1:08:18 > 1:08:20I am the court reporter.
1:08:20 > 1:08:26Since 1674, every trial has been played out here between these
1:08:26 > 1:08:28walls at London's Old Bailey court.
1:08:28 > 1:08:30Every single one of them
1:08:30 > 1:08:33has been faithfully recorded by a reporter like me.
1:08:33 > 1:08:36I sat just here.
1:08:36 > 1:08:42I wrote down what was said by who and now you, some while later,
1:08:42 > 1:08:44can listen in.
1:08:44 > 1:08:46You can put your ears to the wall
1:08:46 > 1:08:50and hear once again these voices from the past.
1:08:51 > 1:08:54Now, here's a case that paints a picture
1:08:54 > 1:08:55of what this city has become.
1:08:58 > 1:09:02London has more than half a million inhabitants.
1:09:04 > 1:09:06Crime is rife...
1:09:08 > 1:09:10..and ruling, the criminal underworld.
1:09:20 > 1:09:22The year is 1725.
1:09:23 > 1:09:27There is, as yet, no police force
1:09:27 > 1:09:30and the authorities have come to rely on thief-takers who,
1:09:30 > 1:09:32inspired by large rewards,
1:09:32 > 1:09:34have made it their business to
1:09:34 > 1:09:39apprehend thieves and see to the return of stolen goods.
1:09:39 > 1:09:43It's no surprise that it's in the interest of these same
1:09:43 > 1:09:47thief-takers to ensure a steady supply of such thefts
1:09:47 > 1:09:50and such stolen goods and you could say that they're
1:09:50 > 1:09:54playing a merry little dance with the law.
1:09:56 > 1:09:58On trial today is the master
1:09:58 > 1:10:01of this double life, Jonathan Wild,
1:10:01 > 1:10:04who calls himself the Thief-Taker General.
1:10:04 > 1:10:09So well has he played the game that at this moment
1:10:09 > 1:10:13he finds himself in control of much of London's criminal underworld.
1:10:24 > 1:10:27And look, Jonathan Wild has paid
1:10:27 > 1:10:29to have a counsel by his side.
1:10:29 > 1:10:32Not many defendants can afford such a thing.
1:10:32 > 1:10:34Perhaps he thinks he'll need a little help
1:10:34 > 1:10:36to worm his way out of this one.
1:10:38 > 1:10:41Jonathan Wild is indicted on two counts.
1:10:41 > 1:10:46The first for privately stealing in the shop of Katherine Stetham
1:10:46 > 1:10:5150 yards of lace on the 22nd of January last.
1:10:51 > 1:10:54The second count is that on the 10th March last,
1:10:54 > 1:10:58Jonathan Wild did feloniously receive of the said Katherine Stetham
1:10:58 > 1:11:02ten guineas on pretence of helping her see the return of the said
1:11:02 > 1:11:06stolen lace and that he did not discover or apprehend
1:11:06 > 1:11:08the persons who committed the said theft.
1:11:12 > 1:11:17Now, lace, you see, being so delicate,
1:11:17 > 1:11:19so painstaking to produce...
1:11:20 > 1:11:22..is highly valuable.
1:11:25 > 1:11:27Mr Wild.
1:11:27 > 1:11:30You understand the charges against you?
1:11:30 > 1:11:32- I do.- How do you plead?
1:11:32 > 1:11:36Not guilty. On both counts.
1:11:36 > 1:11:39And may I say, Sir, I have passed around a list of all
1:11:39 > 1:11:44the felons I have brought to you for justice these past years.
1:11:44 > 1:11:47Gentlemen, this list, handed to you by Mr Wild's counsel,
1:11:47 > 1:11:51is inadmissible for evidence and you must pay it no regard.
1:11:51 > 1:11:53Mr Prosecutor, please proceed.
1:11:53 > 1:11:58Gentlemen, you must indeed pay this list no regard,
1:11:58 > 1:12:03save to say that one would need to examine what hand the prisoner had
1:12:03 > 1:12:08in the crimes for which he has so readily given these fellows up.
1:12:08 > 1:12:11Because here stands before you a man who has as much
1:12:11 > 1:12:16fanned the flames of thievery as he has profited by their putting out.
1:12:16 > 1:12:19I call the first witness, Mr Henry Kelly.
1:12:27 > 1:12:30I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be
1:12:30 > 1:12:33the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
1:12:33 > 1:12:34Mr Kelly,
1:12:34 > 1:12:38please describe your first encounter with Mr Wild.
1:12:38 > 1:12:42In January last, I went to see a Mrs Johnson who, at the time,
1:12:42 > 1:12:44lived at Mr Wild's house.
1:12:44 > 1:12:46By and by, in comes Mrs Murphy.
1:12:46 > 1:12:51Together with Mr Wild, we drank another two, three quartens of gin.
1:12:51 > 1:12:55Me and Mrs Murphy got up to go away together.
1:12:55 > 1:12:56The prisoner asked me which way I was going.
1:12:56 > 1:13:00I told him, "To my lodgings at the Seven Dials."
1:13:00 > 1:13:02"Well, then," says he,
1:13:02 > 1:13:06"I tell you what, there's an old blind cow that sells fine
1:13:06 > 1:13:08"Flanders lace just by the Holborn Bridge
1:13:08 > 1:13:10"and if you call in there you might
1:13:10 > 1:13:12"be able to speak with a box of lace.
1:13:12 > 1:13:15"I'll go with you and show you the door."
1:13:15 > 1:13:18Look at the workmanship on that. Can you feel that?
1:13:23 > 1:13:25'Murphy and I went to and turned over a great deal of lace,
1:13:25 > 1:13:28'but could see none that would please us.
1:13:28 > 1:13:31'It was our business to be very nice and difficult.'
1:13:31 > 1:13:32This is very beautiful, but...
1:13:32 > 1:13:35Well, I've got some stuff upstairs. I could go and get it.
1:13:35 > 1:13:37That would be great.
1:13:37 > 1:13:38Right. I'll be back in a moment.
1:13:38 > 1:13:41'Alas, the old woman stepped upstairs to fetch another piece,
1:13:41 > 1:13:44'and as people of our profession are seldom guilty of losing
1:13:44 > 1:13:46'an opportunity, I made use of this.'
1:13:49 > 1:13:52'And we came away and found the prisoner awaiting where we left him.
1:13:54 > 1:13:57'He asked us if we'd have ready money.
1:13:57 > 1:13:59'I took me share - three guineas and a crown -
1:13:59 > 1:14:01'and Mrs Murphy had the rest.'
1:14:01 > 1:14:03Thank you, Mr Kelly.
1:14:03 > 1:14:06I would now like to call Margaret Murphy to the stand.
1:14:11 > 1:14:14Mr Kelly recounts that your visit at Mrs Stetham's
1:14:14 > 1:14:18lace shop was entirely at the suggestion of Mr Wild.
1:14:18 > 1:14:22Did he tell you what he intended to do with the goods he acquired?
1:14:22 > 1:14:24No, sir.
1:14:24 > 1:14:26Only he said he couldn't give us more than three guineas for it.
1:14:26 > 1:14:29He knew her to be a stingy, hard-mouthed old cow
1:14:29 > 1:14:32and that he wouldn't get above ten guineas out of her.
1:14:32 > 1:14:34Objection, Your Honour.
1:14:34 > 1:14:38I beg your leave to declare in regards to the first indictment
1:14:38 > 1:14:41which states that the defendant did privately
1:14:41 > 1:14:43steal this lace from in the shop.
1:14:43 > 1:14:47Now, to declare by these statements that the defendant
1:14:47 > 1:14:49did not enter the shop.
1:14:49 > 1:14:52He may indeed be guilty of a simple felony,
1:14:52 > 1:14:56being accessory before the fact or in receiving the goods after,
1:14:56 > 1:15:00but he could not be guilty of the capital offence.
1:15:00 > 1:15:03Gentlemen, may I remind you that in felonies, burglaries
1:15:03 > 1:15:08and robberies, every accessory before the fact is a principle.
1:15:08 > 1:15:11In other words, he that stands by or
1:15:11 > 1:15:15watches from a distance is as guilty and as liable
1:15:15 > 1:15:19as the very man who enters the house and lays his hands upon the goods.
1:15:19 > 1:15:23If Mr Wild did not enter the shop, there is as yet no precedent
1:15:23 > 1:15:27for any such interpretation of this indictment.
1:15:27 > 1:15:30It remains doubtful whether it can be imposed.
1:15:30 > 1:15:33Therefore, we shall proceed to the second indictment.
1:15:36 > 1:15:41Gentlemen, may I remind you of the nature of this second indictment?
1:15:41 > 1:15:44The prisoner, Jonathan Wild, is accused of having
1:15:44 > 1:15:48the acquaintance of the felons who did steal Mrs Stetham's lace,
1:15:48 > 1:15:50of failing to apprehend them
1:15:50 > 1:15:52or see to it that they were brought to justice,
1:15:52 > 1:15:55and, at the same time, of taking money from the same
1:15:55 > 1:15:57Mrs Stetham on the pretence of
1:15:57 > 1:15:59returning her stolen lace to her again.
1:16:01 > 1:16:04The courts have been after Wild for some time,
1:16:04 > 1:16:08so great is his grip on London's crime.
1:16:08 > 1:16:12They've even introduced an act especially designed to catch out
1:16:12 > 1:16:16those involved in the shady business of both encouraging thieves
1:16:16 > 1:16:20and profiting from the rewards of the return of stolen goods,
1:16:20 > 1:16:23business of which he is a master.
1:16:24 > 1:16:27It's even known as Jonathan Wild's Act.
1:16:27 > 1:16:29And here, finally,
1:16:29 > 1:16:32they have the chance to apply it to the man himself.
1:16:32 > 1:16:35I should like to call Mrs Stetham.
1:16:35 > 1:16:39Mrs Stetham, please can you describe how you came to know the lace
1:16:39 > 1:16:41was taken from you?
1:16:41 > 1:16:43Between three and four in the afternoon,
1:16:43 > 1:16:49them two came into my shop under the pretence of buying some lace.
1:16:49 > 1:16:51We could not agree about a price
1:16:51 > 1:16:53and so they went away together.
1:16:53 > 1:16:56And in about half an hour,
1:16:56 > 1:16:58I missed the tin box of lace
1:16:58 > 1:17:00that I valued at £50.
1:17:00 > 1:17:03Once you missed the lace, what did you do?
1:17:08 > 1:17:13'The same afternoon and the next, I went to Jonathan Wild's house...'
1:17:13 > 1:17:15TAPS ON DOOR
1:17:15 > 1:17:18'..him having helped return to me some stolen goods before.
1:17:18 > 1:17:20'But I did not meet with him.
1:17:20 > 1:17:23'So then I advertised that the lace was lost,
1:17:23 > 1:17:28'with a reward of 15 guineas, no questions asked.'
1:17:28 > 1:17:30No-one was forthcoming,
1:17:30 > 1:17:32so I went to Mr Wild's house again
1:17:32 > 1:17:35and in a while I met with him.
1:17:38 > 1:17:42'Then he told me he had heard something of my lace
1:17:42 > 1:17:45'and expected to know more of the matter in a little time.'
1:17:49 > 1:17:53Gentlemen, in the meantime it transpired that Mr Wild was
1:17:53 > 1:17:58apprehended on another charge and was residing in Newgate Prison.
1:17:58 > 1:18:01Is that where you saw him next, Mrs Stetham?
1:18:01 > 1:18:03On 10th March, he sent me word that
1:18:03 > 1:18:06'if I could come to him in Newgate
1:18:06 > 1:18:10'and bring ten guineas in my pocket, he could help me to my lace.
1:18:13 > 1:18:17'Once there, he desired me to give the porter ten guineas,
1:18:17 > 1:18:21'or else, he said, the persons that have the lace would not deliver it.
1:18:21 > 1:18:24'I gave the porter the money, he went away and brought me
1:18:24 > 1:18:28'a box that was sealed up, but not the same that was lost.
1:18:28 > 1:18:33'I opened it and found all my lace but one piece.'
1:18:34 > 1:18:38Now, Mr Wild, what must I give you for your troubles?
1:18:38 > 1:18:42Not a farthing. Not a farthing for me.
1:18:42 > 1:18:45I desire nothing from you but your prayers and for them
1:18:45 > 1:18:47I shall be thankful.
1:18:47 > 1:18:48Thank you, Mr Wild.
1:18:50 > 1:18:53Mr Wild, what might you have to say in your defence?
1:18:53 > 1:18:57I can only say this, that let it be remembered that
1:18:57 > 1:19:02I have served to assist this court on many occasion.
1:19:03 > 1:19:08I also ask, sir, that Miss Murphy might be called in again.
1:19:08 > 1:19:11It is your right to call her. Granted.
1:19:15 > 1:19:20It is the case that I am here on an indictment for helping
1:19:20 > 1:19:22Katherine Stetham to goods that had been
1:19:22 > 1:19:26stole from her by persons unknown.
1:19:26 > 1:19:32I pray to ask Miss Murphy who stole the lace, in expectation that she
1:19:32 > 1:19:37may unwarily swear that herself and Kelly were the persons.
1:19:37 > 1:19:42Mr Wild, Miss Murphy has already sworn evidence upon oath, therefore
1:19:42 > 1:19:46no-one could require her to answer questions to accuse herself.
1:19:46 > 1:19:51Then I pray that the court will ask her if I stole the lace.
1:19:51 > 1:19:54Miss Murphy, you may answer that.
1:19:54 > 1:19:57No, he did not steal the lace, but he was concerned with those that
1:19:57 > 1:20:00did steal it and he received it after it was stolen.
1:20:00 > 1:20:04I beg leave to observe, Your Honour, that the
1:20:04 > 1:20:09Act upon which Mr Wilde is now indicted was intended to
1:20:09 > 1:20:13affect those persons who are themselves not felons,
1:20:13 > 1:20:16but who held correspondence with felons.
1:20:16 > 1:20:20Miss Murphy has sworn that Mr Wild
1:20:20 > 1:20:25was in receipt of stolen goods, making him thus a felon
1:20:25 > 1:20:28and meaning that this Act should not apply.
1:20:28 > 1:20:33It is a very surprising plea for a man to say, "I am a felon, I am
1:20:33 > 1:20:35"more guilty than you are aware of,
1:20:35 > 1:20:37"and therefore I ought to suffer less."
1:20:37 > 1:20:39JURY LAUGHS
1:20:39 > 1:20:44My Lord, the case of the prisoner comes within almost every
1:20:44 > 1:20:46circumstance of the Act.
1:20:46 > 1:20:51It is evident that he had secret acquaintance with felons,
1:20:51 > 1:20:55that he made it his business to help people to stolen goods
1:20:55 > 1:20:57and by that means gained money from them,
1:20:57 > 1:21:01which was then divided betwixt him and the felons.
1:21:02 > 1:21:07Gentlemen, you must now consider the evidence before you.
1:21:10 > 1:21:13JURY WHISPERS
1:21:20 > 1:21:24We agree that the defendant be acquitted on the first indictment
1:21:24 > 1:21:27for the theft of the lace.
1:21:27 > 1:21:30On the second indictment, that he
1:21:30 > 1:21:34did feloniously receive money for the return of stolen goods,
1:21:34 > 1:21:38without apprehending or attempting to apprehend the felons
1:21:38 > 1:21:42responsible for the theft, we find the defendant...
1:21:44 > 1:21:45..guilty.
1:21:47 > 1:21:53Mr Wild, I hereby sentence you to death by hanging.
1:21:58 > 1:22:00Another historic trial.
1:22:00 > 1:22:05History made and history most faithfully recorded.
1:22:05 > 1:22:10London's most powerful criminal has finally fallen foul
1:22:10 > 1:22:13of the very law his own duplicity inspired.
1:22:15 > 1:22:20Outside these walls, there is much anticipation of this verdict.
1:22:21 > 1:22:24Wild will hang and there'll be
1:22:24 > 1:22:27a large crowd to cheer him on his way.
1:22:27 > 1:22:33In the end, Jonathan Wild became a victim of his own success.
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