18th June 1816: The Treasury Solicitor, Henry Hobhouse, writes from Ely Special Commission

Shire Hall
Ely
June 18. 1816

Dear Sir,

I send you the Shorthand writers Note of Mr. Justice Abbott’s Charge the Grand Jury yesterday.

The first Indictment selected for Trial was one against [the] Prisoners for Burglary at the House of Rebecca Waddelow at Littleport, in which we made a complete case against all the Gang, but the last Witness unfortunately moved that he had a joint Property in the dwelling house (which was quite unexpected), and upon this Point arising the Case was withdrawn for the purpose of preferring a new Indictment, & the Prisoners were of course acquitted on that before the Court.

We have since tried two Indictments, the first before Mr. Justice Burrough against 7 Prisoners for breaking the House of J. Dewey at Littleport, of whom 5 were convicted, & the other two acquitted by Consent, the Evidence coming out with less force against them than was expected: the second before Mr. Chief Justice Christian against one who had before been convicted, & two others, for breaking Speechley’s House at Littleport. All 3 were [found] guilty

We shall fill up the day with other Littleport Cases, & tomorrow proceed with those at Ely.

I would have written yesterday, but I had nothing to say but what you have ere this heard more satisfactorily from Sir John Byng.

I am
Yrs truly
H. Hobhouse

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This letter can be found at HO 42/151.