Saturday, January 24, 2009

Maybe not a plot, but certainly a character

Sometimes, research can give you an idea for a plot. And sometimes, you may find just a character.

Today, for instance, at the Old Bailey Online, I find not enough for a plot, but such a piece of testimony, I could have a fine old time basing a character on it.

John Lee is accused of stealing a trunk from the boot (back) of a coach. A trunk covered in "hair skin", no less. Does that make it more expensive? I don't know.

At any rate, the coachman, William Miller, claims the trunk was in the boot, then he saw John Lee take it. Or, as he apparently put it, "a man came and tried to take the trunk off; he dropped it down, and I caught him myself, the trunk is here; the prisoner is the man, I saw him come and take it, I stood by the fire while I saw him take it, it was about a quarter before five, the 24th of January."

The part that really caught my interest was "the trunk is here, the prisoner is the man" which has a neat sort of rhythm, as well as the repetition of "I saw him come and take it, I stood by the fire while I saw him take it."

In my mind, I could see this guy as pretty agitated and excited, either by what happened or because he's in court and testifying.

Miller then goes on to say, when questioned, that "he was never out of my sight, he did not run twenty yards; I said nothing to him, he dropped it, I pushed after him, and he threw it down, and I took him."

Pretty basic, and yet I could still see this as agitated and excited, ending with the triumphant, "and I took him."

John Lee's defense? "I never saw the box at all, I have no witnesses."

And thus, no alibi, either, apparently.

The judge believed Miller, and John Lee was sentenced to be twice whipped and jailed one week in Newgate.

William Miller might not make a hero, but he could certainly be a great secondary character, either as a coachman, a valet, or some other sort of servant. And a similar sort of recitation of events need not be in court. It could be in a drawing room, maybe right after the event and perhaps be a pivotal point in a plot.

So...wait a minute...there might be a plot in there after all, starting with answering the question, "What's in the trunk?"

Then, why is John Lee stealing it? Does he know what's inside and want or need it? Was he simply paid to steal a trunk without knowing what's inside? If so, by whom? And why?

Yep, seems there's a few seedlings in here, after all!

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