1999.718 Full transcript

SOCIETY FOR PROSECUTING THIEVES At , , , , Shipley, , , , Ashurst and the Neighbourhood thereof. ESTABLISHED IN THE YEAR 1796. At a meeting held at the COCK INN at , in the of Horsham in the County of , on Tuesday, the 5th day of June, 1838, the following Articles were agreed to: I. That a meeting of this Society shall be held once in every year, (that is to say) on the First Tuesday in June, at the said Cock Inn, Southwater, and where every subsequent meeting is to be held, shall be appointed by a majority of the Members present at a meeting at which time every Member omitting to attend shall forefeit the sum of six shillings, two whereof shall go and be paid towards his dinner, two of the Stock of this Society, and the other two spent.

II. That a Treasurer be chosed (sic) to receive for the uses of this Society, all such sums of money as shall be agreed to be paid; such Treasurer to lay his accounts before the members, as often as a majority at any meeting shall think proper; and if required surrender and yield up all and every sum and sums of money, which he shall have been entrusted with, during the time of his office as Treasurer, unto a succeeding one, who shall be appointed by a majority of the members then present.

III. That a Clerk be chosen to keep the accounts of all business transacted at each meeting.

IV. That every member of this Society shall pay at his entrance his equal proportion to the stock then in hand.

V. That no person be admitted a member of this Society after the number amounts to forty, but by ballot of the members at one of their meetings; such person to be out of the room at the time of balloting, and on his admission to pay such sum of money as the members then present shall think proper.

VI. That no person be admitted a member of this Society whose residence is not within Ten miles of the said Cock Inn, at Southwater.

VII. That every member of this Society who shall be robbed, or defrauded of his property (except by gaming) shall acquaint the Chairman, Mr. Richard Halloway, Shipley, who shall immediately give notice to any Five or more members of the said Society, and the majority of them shall determine whether the Offendor or Offendors shall be prosecuted, and the chairman shall proceed in the prosecution, in such manner as the said members shall then direct, and shall report their determination at the next meeting after such prosecution shall be ordered to be commenced; and the expenses thereof to be paid by the Treasurer, at the next meeting of the Society after the prosecution shall be finished. And the Treasurer of the said Society shall pay to such member who shall prosecute, all his reasonable expenses, and the sum of five shillings per day for his loss of time, and no more.

VIII. That for the discovery of Offendors and bringing them to justice, the following Rewards are offered to any person or persons who shall give information of any person robbing any member of this Society of his property in the county of Sussex, or from his person elsewhere, or any accomplice in such defraud or robbery; or of any person receiving stolen goods, knowing them to have been stolen, and being the property of any member of this Society; such Reward to be paid by the Treasurer, on conviction of the Offendor or Offendors, at the next meeting of this Society, after such convicti0on, (that is to say)

A Reward of Ten Guineas

On the conviction of any person or persons wilfully murdering any member of this Society.

A Reward of Five Guineas

On the conviction of any person or persons breaking into and robbing any Dwelling-house, Shop, Barn, or other building; or maliciously setting fire to any Dwelling-house, Barn, or other Building, Stack of Corn, Pulse, or Hay, or breaking any Locks belonging to any member of this Society; or stopping any member on the highway with intent to rob him.

A Reward of Five Guineas

On the conviction of any person or persons stealing any Horse, Mare, Gelding, Bull, Ox, Cow, Heifer, Mule, Ass, Sheep, Lamb, Swine or such like Cattle, belonging to any member of this Society.

A Reward of Two Guineas

On the conviction of any person or persons stealing any other property, not herein before specified, belonging to any member of this Society.

A Reward of Five Guineas

On the conviction of any person or persons receiving stolen goods, knowing the same to have been stolen, and being the property of any member of this Society.

IX. That any member of this Society neglecting to pay, or causing to be paid the sums herein before appointed to be paid by each member of this Society, on the day and time mentioned for the payment thereof; or refusing to comply with these Articles or such other Articles as shall at any other time be made by a majority of the members of this Society, shall be excluded from the same, and be debarred from all privilege and advantage arising therefrom.

X. That if the major part of the members, at any one of their meetings shall think it necessary to make any alteration in these Articles, or shall think it most for the advantage of this Society, that new Articles shall be entered into, they are to direct their Chairman to give notice fo every member, a week at least preceding their next meeting.

XI. That if the Stock in hand shall at any time be found insufficient to defray the expenses of this Society, then in such case every member thereof shall pay to the next meeting such sum of money as shall be agreed on by the majority of the members then present in order to make good such deficiency. XII. That no member shall be considered at liberty to leave this Society, until he shall have given notice in writing of such his intention at one of the said meetings of doing so at the next.

XIII. That every member of this Society shall have a printed copy of these Articles, with a list of the members’ names; and that copies thereof be stuck up in the aforesaid, and in every other Parish where any member of this Society shall reside, or have any property.

XIV. And that, if any member of this Society shall happen to be a peace officer, and shall be obliged to carry any person or persons to prison, for robbing any member of this Society, he shall be allowed five shillings for his expense in so doing, over and above what is allowed by law. RICHARD HALLOWAY, CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS NAMES

Richard Halloway, Thomas Dale, George H. Sendall, Wiliam T. J. Norman, Exors of late D. Grinsted, William Boniface, Henry Smith Hammond, Henry Summersell, Edward Bristow, Thomas Goacher, Thos. B. Greenwood, Alfred Curtis, Thomas Muggeridge, William Charman, Henry Nailard, Thomas Duckering, Henry Lewry, Horace Whitner, Joseph Halloway, James Vincent, William Smart, Thomas Dendy, Edwin J. Elliott. John Chantler

Laker and Son Printer, Road, Horsham