HENRY WHITE AND JAMES SMITH
Well-equipped and armed Burglars, who were sentenced to Death at the Old Bailey, 3rd of July, 1809
HENRY WHITE and James Smith were tried at the Old Bailey, on the 3rd of July, 1809, on an indictment for burglariously breaking into and entering the dwelling-house of Francis Sitwell, Esq., of Durweston Street, St Marylebone, with intent to steal.
A watchman deposed that, being alarmed about the hour of two in the morning with an unusual noise which came from Mr Sitwell's house, he went towards it, when a man, who afterwards turned out to be the prisoner White, suddenly ran off, and he followed him. White was soon overtaken, and Smith was also secured. In the direction in which they ran there were found some pick-lock keys, in bundles, a dark lantern, an iron crow and a loaded pistol.
On examining Mr Sitwell's house it was discovered that a hole had been bored exactly under the lock, by a centre-bit, large enough to admit a man's arm, the door unlocked, the lower bolt forced back, and the door opened, having been forced bv means of the crow, as they could not reach the upper bolt from the hole made with the centre-bit. They were found guilty, and received sentence of death.