The Express.
London, England, 1855-04-12 00:00:00

MIDDLESEX SESSIONS.

WID24II6DAT. AIM. 11.
MO= 1111. U JtallT 411.410, AWITTAIIT arms, AND A DINGS OP
NA °Waal!, AT TILT AVILDEALL, WISTNINATZI,
CASE OF MRI 3. RAMSBOTHAM.
The court sat to-day to take throe eases the defendants
in which had been out on bail, and that of Mrs. Itarasbotham,
which has excited a considerable degree of public interest,
. .

stood No. 4, on the list. The indictment egainst her was
toned on Tuesday by the grand jury, and it contained two
counts, alleging two distinct larcenies as having been cons-
mined by her, Iris., one of two sloe's*, on the 16th of

Much, and one of four handkerchief., on the nth of Much,
in both SOH the articles being laid u the property of the

. . .
urns prosecutor, John Watkins Mottle.
Mr. Bodkin, instructed by Messrs. Asbunt, was counsel
for the prosecution; Mr. Ballentine and Mr. Parry, in-
structed by Meurs. Lewis and Lewis, appeared for On de-
fendant.

At about half-past one o'clock the accused surrendered,
and was placed in the dock. She stood at the bar, sad Mr.
Allen, the Deputy Clerk of the Peace, having read over the
Merges, and asked her to plead, she pleaded not guilty,
and then sat down. The jury haring been swore,
Mr. Bodkin proceeded to open the case. After referring
to the nature of the charges, he said the jury would observe
Sat there were two transactions to which he should have to
gall their atteation, and the prosecutor—as most of the jury
were no doubt aware already, from the publicity which had
been given to the proceedings in this most unhappy
case—was • draper in Baker-street, where he had carried on
business for some eighteen or twenty years. Upon him was
cast the painful but imperative duty of prosecuting this
cue, and It would be his (Mr. Bodkin's) toty to place the
facts before the jury, which he should do plainly and fairly,
as he trusted be bad dons in other oases in whisk he
had been similarly engaged. The prisoner at the her
was the wits of • physician of character and cosi-
nonce, residing in Portman-rquare, and it was impos-
sible not to feel for him, for the prisoner herself,
her relatives sad her children, and those who were allied to
her in various ways, and the state of the court, filled SS it
was in every part, indicated the amount of Interest that was
felt in the case, the most acute sympathy; bnt acting under
the solemn obligation of en rath, the jury would have to
decide upon this ease, it was his duty to bring before them,
and the duty they each had to perform must not be swerved
from through any feelings that might eel's in connexion
with the peculiar circumstances of the case. He should con-
fine himself to • plain and simple narrative of those Mecum-
peening. He should not attempt to excite or inflame, still
pea should he appeal to partialities or prejudices. He should
just give such an outline as would enable the jury to com-
prehend the evidence when it was placed before them. It
would be necessary to bring to the notice of the jury first,
the second cue, In point of time, as it stood on the fete of
the record. On the 27th of March, about eleven in the
'secant', the prisoner went to the prosecutor's shop. She
had beee is the habit of frequenting that shop for
some time past, for the purpose of making small
purchases, and on the day in question she taut
to be shown some lining. Accordingly she was
shown some, from which she selected a small quantity,
whisk amounted to two shillings or two shillings and three.
pence, and after this the ithopman asked her if she required
anything else, and she replied that she did not. He, how-
ever, showed her a box of handerchiefe, end, after looking
at them, she said they were not the sort she liked, or usually
bed ; and another person, who was standing near, bearing
this, banded over to Watkins, the thopmen win% was sortie"
the prisoner, another box of handkerchiefs, which the also
examined, but said she did not want any, and she them
desired the shopman to fetch her some article which she
wished to look at, and this rendered it seesseary for him to
turn round and leave that part of the counter, and duds"
his absent" she took four of the second lot of haadkerchisfe
whisk bad been shown to her. The handkerchiefs wen
dame up in paresis of four, sad it was one of these pereele
that she took from the box and pissed in her pocket. He
apprehended there would be no great struggle about the
bets of the cue, in so far as they related to the set of the
prisoner. Thus could not, indeed, be any mistake as to the
transaction, which was witnessed by another of the shows%
Wekb,who, for a Teems to be adverted to presently, thought
fit to watch Mrs. liamebothess, as she was being served by
Watkins, and he had an opportunity of seeing what Wat-
kins could not. Welsh communicated the fact be had wit-
nessed of Mrs.lismsbotbant placing the handkerchiefs In her
pocket to his employer, and the latter came out of the
comting-house, and Watkins jest then returned to Mrs.
Bussbotham with the article she had asked him to show
her, and, berth" looked at it, she said she did not write
to purchase bat merely to inspect it. OM then left the shop,
'hulas directed the articles she had bought to be sent to
Dr. Harashothanee, 7, Portman-were, sad the proommos
directed Welsh to follow her. It went to a stationer's
shop I. that neighbourhood, sad Welsh waited till she
came out, when be addressed himself to bet, and said he
believed she had been to Mr. lloole's shop that monis&
She replied that she had not, but almost immediately sad
in the same breath she said : " Oh, yes, I have ;" so that
be (lie. Bodkin) did not put the prisoner's first re-
mark as en absolute denial of her visit. Welsh than
asked her to stop beck to Mr. Menlo's, as he
wished to speak to her, and at once and without
hesitation she assented, sad walked back with him. Bisis
said to Welsh before be had said anything about what she
had been seen to do in the shop, that she had the handker-
chiefs in her pocket, but she did not intend to steal them ;
she took them to show to some sue—• relative, it was un-
derstood—and if they had bees approved of she should have
called and paid for them ; had they not, she should have
returned them. Welsh Una said be did not think that wee
probable, as be believed she took some sleeves a short time
befors—abeut a funned—to which she made sole • ream&
whisk hedid net comprehend. Having strived at Mr.
Moslem, she wee shown into • private room, and she thee
took the handkerchiefs out of her pocket, and placed them
hoped Mr. Motile would look over it. Mr. Mottle replied
on the table, saying those were the haskerehish; but she
that it was a really serious matter, and he hardly knew how
to deal with it, as he did not know !that she Teeny bad
MM. She said it was the first thing she had taken, sad
Mr. Monis then told her that they believed she had takes
mai 'Levee before, and As then said, " Oh yes, theelemes
mid the handkerchiefs are the only Wags I have taken, aid
I gage you will forgiee me." Mr. Mottle, however, thought
it ble duty to give her I. sharp, although she Minded to hes
family, and the diagnose that would be relleeted on Dr.