As soon as the prisoners were ranged at the bar,
Mr. CORDER said, that it would be merely requisite at present to produce such further testimony as would be necessary to fill up the links in the chain of evidence already brought forward.
JOHN ATKINSON was then sworn, and identified the hamper.
EDWARD CHANDLER deposed, that he was waiter at the King of Denmark watering-house, Old Bailey. On the evening of Friday, the 4th of November, he saw the prisoners May and Bishop, both of whom he had previously known, at that house. They came there about five o'clock, and witness served them with some tea. The witness Seagrove was there at the same time. The prisoners called for half a pint of gin, with which he (witness) served them. He drank a glass of the gin himself, and his fellow servant had another. May also drank a glass of the gin, and chucked a glass into Bishop's tea.
Mr. CORDER.--Did Bishop make any observation when the glass of gin was put into his tea by May?
WITNESS.--Yes, Bishop said to May when he did this, 'Are you going to hocus me, or burke me?'
Mr. MINSHULL asked the witness if he knew the meaning of the word 'hocus?' (This word has been erroneously spelt as _locus_.)
Mr. HARMER, who attended this and the former examination, to assist the prosecution, explained that the word was well known, in cant language, to describe the act of putting a man in a state of stupidity.
WITNESS, upon being questioned more particularly as to which of the prisoners, May or Bishop, used the phrase which he had mentioned, ascribed it first to one and then to the other, upon which May and Bishop both laughed. The witness, however, who appeared somewhat confused, said that the words were used by Bishop when May poured the gin into his cup.
HENRY MANN, driver of the hackney-coach No. 985, was the next witness examined. He stated that he was in Bridge-street, Blackfriars, on the evening of the 4th of November, between the hours of five and six o'clock, when he was applied to by the prisoner May, to take up a fare in Bridge-street, and go to Bethnal-green.
Mr. MINSHULL.--Can you swear it was the prisoner May who applied to you? Look round and see if you can point him out.
WITNESS.--I know it was May, for I knew him before. There was another man in company at the time, but I cannot say it was one of the other prisoners.