The Case of the Robbery of William Thompson at Ohoopee Saw Mills 1834
By Robert & Patrick Harden
At the home of James and Justine (Jestern) Drake along the Ohoopee River
Transcribed from the bound volume titled Tattnall County Superior Court Records 1824-1834 by Tony Thompson. Transcribed in April of 2005 from copies made of the original pages. Page numbers in brackets refer to page numbers on the originals or in some cases page numbers ascribed to the originals by the transcriber, when original page numbers were missing. The following represents the pages deailng with the Hardin-Thompson case.
15 October 1833
The State vs. Robert Hardin & Patrick Hardin/ Larceny from the house True Bill Henry A. Smith foreman
Exmd. Wm. W. Holt
The court then adjourned till tomorrow morning. P.H.M. Tippins Clk.
16 October 1833
Georgia Tattnall County/ Frederick Dinkins came into court and acknowledged himself bound to the State of Georgia in the sum of two thousand dollars and John Mobly and Isaiah Hardin acknowledge themselves bound in like manner in the sum of two thousand dollars each conditioned that the said Frederic Dinkins do appear at the next Superior Court and not depart without leave of said court.
Fr Dinkins
John Mobly
Isaiah Harden
[Note: Dinkins was charged with assault and intent to murder. He was found not guilty in April 1834]
Georgia Tattnall County/ Robert Hardin and Patrick Hardin came into court and acknowledged them selves bound to the State of Georgia in the sum of Two thousand dollars and Frederick Dinkins Isham Deloach Isaiah Hardin and William Hardin and acknowledged themselves bound in like manner in the sum of Two thousand dollars conditioned that the said Robert Hardin and Patrick Hardin shall appear at the next Superior Court and not depart without leave of the said court.
Robert Hardin [his X mark]
Patrick Hardin [his X mark]
Fr Dinkins
Isham Deloatch
Isaiah Harden
William Harden
The State vs. Robert Hardin & Patrick Hardin/ Larceny from the house
To pay a guard of two men for two days at one dollar each per day. $ 4.00 C. F. McCall Shf.
[Not known if the above is related to the Hardin prisoners.]
14 October 1834
The State vs. Robert Harden and Patrick Harden/ Larceny from the house
The defendants having been arrained and pleaded not guilty at the October 1833 [term] the Clerk having failed to Enter that plea upon the minets it is ordered that the Plea be entered.
October Term 1834 [same date as above?] [page 11 (sic-the page numbers on these records starts, stops and starts again. 1834 records were at the very back of the bound volume for 1824-1834.]
Georgia Tattnall County/ We the Grand Jurors sworn chosen and selected for the County of Tattnall to wit
Henry A. Smith foreman
Daniel Sikes
John Kennady
Hardy Collins
Benjamin Brewton
William Conner
Charles Partin
Elisha Parker
John McDonald
Alexander Smith
Joseph Dubberly
William Tootle
George W. McCall
Joseph Tillman
John Mattox Sr.
Josiah J. Everitt
James K. Archer
Alexander Kennady
Levi Wright
James A. Durrence
In the name and behalf of the citizens of Georgia charge and accuse Robert Harden and Patrick Harden of the county of Tattnall aforesaid with the offence of Larceny from the house for that the said Robert Harden and Patrick Harden on the twenty-Eighth day of August In the year of Our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and thirty three with force and armes in the county of Tattnall aforesaid feloniously willfully and unlawfully did Enter the house of James Drake in said county and then and there being did feloniously steal therefrom two pieces of Gold Coine Called English Guineas of the value each of four dollars and forty four cents and also a three Blade buck horn handle pocket Knife of the value of one dollar and also a nother gold Coine of the value of four dollars the property of William Thompson to the Grate injury of the said Thompson and Contrary to the Laws of the said State the good order peace and dignity thereof October Term 1833
Wm. W. Mann Atty Genl P. [illegible]
Benjamin Stripling Prosecutor
No
Tattnall Supr. Court
Octbr. Term 1833
The State vs. Robert Harden & Patrick Harden/ Larceny from the house/ True Bill
Henry A. Smith foreman
witnesses
William Thompson
Benjamin Stripling
Nancy Alford
Shadrack Standley
James Drake
Justin Drake
Solomon Highsmith
at October Term 1834
We the jurors find the prisoners Guilty So Say We All
Wm. W. Mann Atty. Gl. T.[?] T.
[page 12]
The State vs. Robert Harden & Patrick Harden/ Indictment for Larceny from the house
William Thompson sworn saith that he lost some money in this county and shewed two peaces of Gold which was part of it, he also lost a buck horne handle knife with three blades he also lost a nother gold Coine less than those Shewnd. it was on twenty seventh or eighth of August 1833 at the house of James Drake and in his house the small coin generally called a four dollar piece witness was a sleep when he lost the money
the money was in his bundle prisoners came to the house in the Eving before the money was lost and remained there good part of the night as he supposes witness is sure the money is his
Cross X Examined witness had been working for Drake one day in making a gate prisoners assisted in finishing the gate setting the posts his bundle was in the house on a board between the Clock & bed There was no Negro there during the day as he reckolects, one came in the Eving and remained there during the Grater part of the night Detained by the palaver of the prisoners witness dos not Recollect of having stayed at Mr. Striplings the night before he came to Drakes dos not recollect of having seen his money the day before dos not recollect of having told prisoners that he had money dos not recollect that any person about here advised him how to proceed or to swear so as to convict the prisoners witness reason for suspecting prisoners that were there the grator part of the night with the Negro Drinking and though he was no musician they continued to Insist on his making Music for them wit tried to make music for them On a Fiddle the Negro several times offerd go the first time about nine or Ten oclock During all the time he the witness swears in the house Can not say when he went to bed no light in his room could not see where his bundle was in the bedroom from where he played the Fiddle until witness went to bed the negroe was not Continually In the room where he was In the negroe sometimes nearer to where his Bundle lay than where witness sat sometimes went away Witness received his money the same day he lost it left there the next day stayed the first night at Mr. Lewises or at Mrs. Easons thinks it was at
[page 13]
Lewises Can not say where he stayed the night before he went to Drakes Can not say positiffially that the prisoners took his money Had seen the prisoners before not particular acquainted with them Can not say how long before that time it had been since he was There never said to any one to write down what he would swear that he might remember it
reexamined by the Attorney General
The negroe seemed desirous to go home prisoners kept giving him liquor and told him not to go first missed his money in the forenoon received it the same day it was put into Mrs. Drake Lap found some of his money near the fence where he had been making Prisoners were about the house when he received the Money as he supposes the negroe was gone home saw some one in his room that night can not say it was saw the light passing about
/ Again Examined by the Prisoners
was advised to Look where the money was found who gave the advice he does not know he was next pointed to the Place by the negroe woman
2nd Witness Justine Drake has seen the pieces of Gold Exhibited or such like it was last year
Robert Harden threw them in the lap of witness some time in the afternoon Wm. Thompson missed the money and appealed to wit, for his money saying he was robbed she sent for prisoners both came this was on the morning after the money was lost Prisoners and Nancy Alford was there Prisoners lived three quarters of a mile from (wit) when they came (wit) told them noney was lost and must be had Robert then went off and brought back one gold coin & some silver he was gone about Two hours and returned in the forepart of the day he again went away and in the afternoon Brought back the other gold Coine and more silver Patrick Harden remained at the house of witness when
Robert first went away but as witness understood went with him the second time and returned with him Thompson at sight of them Recognised the gold coines as his money dos not know how long Prisoners sat up the night the money was lost
[page 14]
Saw Striplings Bill at her house he came in the forepart of the night about Dusk dos not know when he left
Cross X Examned witness has a negroe woman who lives with Her all the time and was there that night
3rd Witness James Drake saw Robert Hardin last August a year ago threw into his wifes Lap some gold coines dos not know that those Shewn him are the same the morning after the Robbery (wit) sent for the prisoners who came Robt. Hardin went a way again about Two hours by sun he came with one piece of Gold and some silver in the afternoon Robert again went away in company with Patrick they returned together In about Two hours and Robert threw into the Lap of witnesses wife a nother piece of Gold and more Silver Robert is the Elder of the Two the Robbery was on Monday night there were at Witnesses house his own family the prisoners & Nancy Alford has heard Nancy Alford who is dead swear before the Justice of the peace Saw Bill for the first time at his house about dusk asked him what he was doing there and told him to go home but he did not go untill he went with the prisoners at which hour (wit) dos not know it was late near midnight Prisoners had something to Drink neither saw prisoners give bill any thing to Drink or saw him Drink Robert & witness went into the piazza where witness went to bed Bill and Patrick remained in the house
Cross X Examned, When Robert left Witness he went right through the house and went off (wit) heard him Singgin up the Road Robert came to the house in the Eving after the witness Patrick was there in the Eving after the witness When they went off at night they went in the direction of there house Robert Patrick Harden & Bill in Company there was a fiddle in witnesses House Thompson sawed upon it some, (wit) went into the back Piazza and lay down an hour in the night Robert went with him and remained until midnight
4th Witness Shadrack Standley
Has had a conversation with Robert Hardin in relation to Some Gold received from Thompson which he said
[page 15]
Was given to him by Thompson to do up in Wax and which he Had returned to him this was toward the last of last year as well as he remembers
1st Witness for the defendants John Anderson saw in the hands of Bill a piece of Gold Coine a four dollar piece this was in Sept. after the Robbery Bill brought the money to be changed witness had heard of the Robbery Can not say if it was offerd him on a Sunday
2nd Witness Francis Caurswell Saw Bill with a gold Coine on the second Sunday in Sept. of Last Year at Mr. Andersons had not then heard of the Robbery
Examined and was ordered to be recorded
15 October 1834 Wm. W. Holt Judge
Examined and recorded 18th Octr. 1834
Jno. H. Smith Clk. S. C.
[page 6-7- Page numbers started over. ] [Spring of 1835? Possibly fall of 1834? No clear date.]
The State vs. Robert Harden and Patrick Harden/ Larceny from the house
Tried by the following jurors
James Durrence foreman
Joseph Deloatch
William Sapp
John Turner
John Sapp
William K. Collins
Grove Sharp
Nathaniel T. Bazemore
Horatio Cobb
Josiah Sikes
William Coward
Jacob Surrency
We the jurors find the defendants Guilty So say we all James Durrence foreman
[page 8]
The State vs. Robert Hardin & Patrick Hardin/ Larceny from the house
It is considered and adjudged by the court that the Defendant Patrick Hardin be taken under safe custody to the common jail of Emanuel County and there remain in safe custody until demanded by a guard from the Penetentiary and then be taken thence to the Penetentiary edifice at Milledgeville and confined there at hard-labour for the full term & space of four years, that he pay the costs of this prosecution and then be discharged.
It is considered and adjudged by the court that the Defendant Robert Hardin be taken under safe custody in the common jail of Emanuel county and there remain in safe custody until demanded by a guard from the Penitentiary and by then be taken there to the Penitentiary edifice at Milledgeville and confined there for the full term and space of four years—that he pay the costs of this prosecution and then be discharged.
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The above case was not included in my new book The Tattnall County, Georgia Superior Court Records of 1805-1832, because the case was adjudicated in 1834, two years after the court was moved to Reidsville, and my books end in 1833 with the moving of the courthouse from the river to the new town of Reidsville. But if you enjoyed reading this case, you'll find more like it in my book.
http://www.kinfolksacrosstheriver.com/TattnallCounty.html
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Copyright 2005 Gordon A. Thompson, Thompson Publishing and www.kinfolksacrosstheriver.com
Permission to reprint or republish either in writing or electronically must be obtained in writing. All rights reserved.
