Victorian Crime. Liberty is Sweet

Kirkley Hall a farming estate just outside Ponteland in Northumberland was owned by wealthy landowner Nathanael Ogle, as well as other properties around the country. The families who lived on his estate at Kirkley Hall always paid their rent on time and in the Spring of 1809, it was time for the farmers and labourers to pay their half yearly rent again.

 When he left his estate Nathanael would leave Michael Aynsley the owner of a nearby modest estate at Newham in charge of his financial affairs, this time it was to collect the rents. Because of an increase the rents would total £1,150. It was on the 3rd April while enjoying himself with friends, Nathanael received a letter from Michael with the good news. The rents had been collected and the bags of gold and silver, along with the rolls of notes were in the wooden chest hidden behind the secret panel. Michael had also boasted The devil himself could never find it.

At 8 o'clock the next morning when Michael went back to Kirkley Hall, he found the door and a glass panel smashed open the chest ransacked and the money gone. Obviously the thief had known where to look. When he was informed of the break in Nathanael called detective Lavender from Bow Street, London to find his money. After only a few days at Kirkley Hall, detective Lavender had found most of the money left in shrubbery. One of the few people who had known about the secret safe was an odd job man, he had worked for four years at Kirkley Hall. James Charlton, known as a very honest and hard working man he was also very poor and soon became a suspect. James was married with four children and in lots of debt but within days of the robbery, all his debts had been paid in cash. Detective Lavender found witnesses who had seen James in the pub offering to buy friends drinks, waving banknotes around. He was also seen paying six pounds to James Sillick a leather seller from Newcastle, three pounds to Sarah Kyle and thirteen shillings to Margery Harbottle who ran a grocery shop.

On the 17th May James was arrested by detective Lavender and taken to Newcastle Keep, he was held in chains until the August assizes. When he went to court it was to find Michael Aynsley the person who had been in charge of the stolen money was also the prosecutor. James Carlton pleaded not guilty and said he had borrowed ten pounds from his brother to pay his debts which his brother confirmed. James then went on to accuse Michael Aynsley of the crime brining in witnesses who told the court Michael had been very nervous after the arrival of detective Lavender. Also a servant from Kirkley Hall, Dorothy Hodgson described how Michael Aynsley had said to her the money would turn up the next day and it had. The defence suggested that Michael Aynsley had stolen the money while Mr Ogle was away knowing James Charlton had borrowed money so he would get the blame. Giving him the benefit of the doubt the jury cleared James and he was set free.

While being held at Newcastle Keep James shared a cell with well known thief and liar William Taylerson, who told the guards that while he was there James, boasted that he got away with the burglary. As William Taylerson was in prison for horse stealing and facing the death penalty, he said he would give evidence against James Charlton if he was reprieved. That was when another prisoner shouted at William Would you hang another man just for your liberty' William answered Yes, Liberty is sweet! On his way to Ponteland, James was again arrested and taken back to court. Where on the evidence of William Taylerson the jury this time found James guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison with hard labour.

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