The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-11 00:00:00

March. I was in the shop when the handkerchiefs were
missed, but did not see anything of the matter.
Cross-examined—The prisoner was known in the
shop, but I was unacquainted with her. It was under-
stood that she was the wife of a medical gentleman in
Portman-square.
Mr. John Harvey Motile was next called. He said
—I am the sen of the prosecutor. I remember the 15th
March last My father was fronr home ; and in consequence
of a communication made to me by the last witnes,Rl went
to that part of the shop where the prisoner was sitting.
I noticed that she had her left arm closely pressed against
her side. I did not see that she had anything under it.
Accordingly, believing that our shopman had been mis_
taken, I desired that no notice might be taken of what
he had said. There were some sleeves of the kind pro-
duced on the counter when the prisoner was in. After
she had left I counted them and miss=ed one pair. They
were of the same pattern as the pair before me.
Mr. James Watkins, assistant in the shop of the pro-
, secutor, said—l have seen the prisoner several times
but I did not know her on the day I servel her. On the
27th March last she came into the shop and asked for
some lining. She selected one piece, and bad six yards
cut off it. It came to 2s. 3.1. I asked her whether she
required anything else, and she replied that she did not.
When I asked her that, the lining ems on a recess at the
back of the counter. I, however, offered her a box
of handkerchiefs for her inspection. They were
cambric, and of a thin texture, at 153. the half-dozen.
She said she did not want any, and if she did they were
not the sort she should choose. Some other handker-
chiefs of a different quality were afterwards handed to
me from the other side of the shop, and I showed her

some of them. She said those were the description she

should purchase, but she did not want any just then. I
produce four of those handkerchiefs, which are all in one
piece. She took hold of the handkerchiefs of
which she approved and examined them. She asked
me to be kind enough to show her a dress of
a. particular kind. She said she merely wanted
to look at it, but it was not her intention to purchase.

I had to go to the other end of the shop to fetch it, and
she examined it. I afterwards made her out a bill for

the lining, which came to 2s. 3d., which she paid, and de-
siring that the article might be sent to No. 7, Portman-
square, she quitted the shop. I can swear to the hand-
kerchiefs produced.
Cross-examined—The prisoner did not ask for the
handkerchiefs to be shown to her. I " introduced" them
to her, with the idea that she might perhaps take a fancy
t• some of them. I did not know that she was the lady
who I bad heard had taken some sleeves. I did not
know her. I believe it was Mr. John Moule who passed
mo the handkerchiefs across the shop. I cannot say
whether he heard my conversation with the prisoner.
Mr. John Moule was here re-called, and stated
that he overheard the whole of the conversation between
the last witness and the prisoner ; but he did not know
who she was until afterwards. When he handed the

handkerchiefs across the shop he did not recognise her.
He had no other object in handing the articles to the last
witness beyond the probability of effecting a sale. I eaw
the prisoner put the handkerchiefs in her pocket.

Cross-examined—l did not know that the witness
Welsh was watching the prisoner. I was about a yard
and a halt her when I saw her pocket the handker-
chiefs. I said nothing to her, because some one had
gone to call my father. I did not take any notice, be-
cause I wished to see if anything further would occur.
The prisoner was Standing at the counter, and I was in
the middle of the shop.
Samuel Welsh said —I am in the employ of the prose-
cutor. 1 remember the prisoner coming to the shop on
the 27th March. She went to the counter which we
call the "linen counter," and which is on the left hand
side as you enter. I saw her come in, and knew her. I
had bad a communication from Churchouse as to what
took place on a previous occasion. I was standing be-
tween 10 and 12 yards from the prisoner, and could
command a view of her actions. There was no other
customer in the shop at the time. I saw the prisoner put
her hand forward and take the handkerchiefs. They
were lying in the basket before her, and she took them
and put them in her pocket. I immediately went and
informed Mr. Monte, senr. He did not come out. The
prisoner soon afterwards left the shop. In consequence
of some directions I received from Mr. Moule
I followed her and saw her go into a stationer's
shop. I waited till she came out, when I said
to her " I believe you were at Mr. Moule's
shop this morning." She replied, " I have not ;"
but she immediately said "Oh ! yes, I have." I then
asked her if she would be kind enough to step back, as
Mr. Moule wished to speak with her ; which she did
without hesitation. It is some little distance from the
stationer's shop to our shop. 1 said nothing further to
her ; but addressing me, she said, "I have got the
handkerchiefs in my pocket." I did not make
any reply, on which she said, "I did not intend
to steal them," and added, "I took them
to show some person (witness believed she said her sister),
and if they had been approved of I should have called
and paid for them, and if not I should have brought
them back." Immediately on this statement, I said
"I do not think that is probable, for I believe you took
some sleeves a fortnight ago," to which she made some
reply which I could not understand. We both then
arrived at Mr. Moule's shop. I showed her up
stairs, and Mr. Motile followed. She immediately
took the handkerchiefs out of her pocket, and laid them
on the table. She said—" These are the handkerchiefs,
but I hope [you will look over it, Mr. Moule." Mr.
Moule observed that it was a very serious matter, and
he scarcely knew how to deal with it. He added,
" You have been in the habit of frequently coming to
the shop, and we really do not know what you have
taken." She said that was the first thing she had
taken. Mr. Moule then remarked that he be-
lieved she took some sleeves a short time ago,
to which she said, " Yes, handkerchiefs and '
the sleeves are the only things I have ever taken ;
I hope you will forgive me." She then said she
hoped Mr. Motile would consider her family, and the
disgrace it would bring on Dr. Rainsbotham. She also
asked that her husband might be sent for if Mr. Moule
would not forgive her.
Cross-examined—l do not recollect Mr. Moule saying
the only thing he could do was to send for an officer. I
was not watching the prisoner particularly when I saw
her take the handkerchiefs. We notice the movements
of all our customers when they are left at the counter
unattended to. When I first saw her, I said to Mr.
Motile, jun., "Here is Mrs. Rainsbothain coming in."
Re-examined—l knew she had been suspected of steal-
ing some sleeves, but nevertheless I did not watch her
more closely than I should have done in the case of any
other person.
Police constable Beckett, 231 D, said—l was called
into the prosecutor's house on the 27th March, and the
prisoner was given into my custody on the charge of
stealing the handkerchiefs produced. I heard her ask
Mr. Motile to forgive her, but Mr. Monte said he had no
other alternative. She asked him a second time, but he
said he could not look over it. She then turned away
and said, "You may do as you like," in a very indig-
nant manner. I put her in a cab, and we called
on Dr. Ramsbotham as we went towards the station.
Mr. H. Bonser, clerk to Messrs. Ashurat, the solici-
tors for the prosecution, was the last witness called, but
he was not examined.
This closed the case on behalf of the prosecution.
.Mr. Ballantine then proceeded, very pathetically, to
address the jury for the defence. He said no doubt the
jury, long before they came into that box, were well
acquainted with the details of that painful case. Now,
he was not one of those who would put forward the po-
sition of the prisoner as a ground why the jury should
in the slightest degree swerve from the strict letter of
their duty ; hut, nevertheless, be could not but ask
them to bear in mind also, that if an adverse verdict
were given against his client, her hopes would be
crushed, and her peace of mind be destroyed for the
remainder of her life by the knowledge that
she had been the means of bringing so much affliction
and degradation on a family to whom she had always
hitherto been endeared as a faithful wife and an affec-
tionate parent—whilst the future prospects of her hus-
band, who was a gentleman, not by the mere accident
of birth or fortune, but who they all knew to be a gen-
tlemen of indefatigable industry and eminent talent, as
well as those of their clildren, would be irretrievably
blighted were the lady to be branded as a convicted felon.
The learned counsel then proceeded to the considera-
tion of the circumstances as proved on behalf of the pro-
secution. lie complained that whatever might have
been the motives which had actuated the prosecution,
the prisoner had scarcely been fairly dealt with in that
matter. He also complained that the handkerchiefs
which were alleged to have been feloniously taken by the
prisoner wereactually forced upon her notice—even when
it was well understood amongst the assistants in the
shop that she had been suspected on a preceding occa-
sion ; and this being so, she, impelled by feelings over
which she could have no control, and to which
he would more fully advert presently, fell into the trap,
and took possession of them. Having maintained that
the duty of Mr. Motile, when he was spoken to
t theft, was at least

7=n rc",: ;1,1.

to. have represented the matter to Dr. Ramsbti
thara with a view to some proper restraint being placed
the Kticio of the Finger, the 104%904 00,44.0