|
Convict. Transported under the name of Edward Cotes. Arrived in Van Diemen's Land per Eden (1) on 22nd December 1836. In 1842, Coates (now free) was leasing, or managing, Springfield Farm at Richmond for Lawrence Cotham.
Coates and a man called John Smith were tried on Tuesday 10th August 1842 in Hobart for stealing "12 shirts, 100 yards of ribbon, a quantity of calico, and a variety of other articles, the property of John Smith, of Jerusalem." The theft occurred as follows:
"John Cashman, a carrier, received from Mrs. Smith, at Kangaroo Point, about the 25th of June last, a bag of sugar, a keg of rum, and a smale bale; witness carried them that night as far as Mr. Burns' [Byrnes] on the Richmond Road, [Horseshoe Inn] and placed the cart in the back yard, which was locked up; at nine o'clock the goods were all safe; the next morning, at five o'clock, Mr. Smith's goods were gone; witness had not seen any of the goods since; he did not see either of the prisoners at Mr. Burns' the night the cart was there; they lived at Richmond, nine miles from Mr. Burns' house."
"Mrs. Smith stated that she had bought a number of articles (which she enumerated) at Mr. Cooke's, which were put into a bale, and given to Cashman the carrier, with other articles; Mrs. Smith could not identify any of the articles, but stated that they were of such a description as those she ordered of Mr. Cooke."
"Mr. Cooke proved the sale of several articles by one of his shopmen, and their being packed up in a bale addressed to Mr. Smith; he would swear positively to the ribbons, and stated that the other articles, or some similar to them, were sold to Mrs. Smith; the goods were sent down to the Wharf by the servant man; he was not in Court."
"James Phillips, who lives next door to Mr. Burns's, stated that the prisoners called at his house on the morning of the 25th June, on their road to Hobart Town with some grain, and came again about 12 o'clock the same night, and took away a pair of wheels which witness had made for them; they took the wheels in a cart, and drove away towards Richmond; they did not go into Burns' house that night."
"D.C. Robertshaw executed a search warrant at Coates' house, where both the prisoners resided, being farmers and carriers; witness found most of the articles produced in a box in the bed-room; both the prisoners were present; witness also found in the barn, eleven shirts, a keg of vinegar, and a piece of cotton."
"The prisoners were both found Guilty, and sentenced to be transported for seven years, with an intimation that they should be sent to Port Arthur by the first vessel."1
Coates' criminal colleague John Smith could very well have been the John Smith who was also transported to Van Diemen's Land per Eden (1).
______________________________
1 Colonial Times, 23 August 1842, p.3, c.4.
|
|
