The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-17 00:00:00

THAMES.

COMMITTAL OF Two SnorLlFlErts.--Emma Smith,
aged 24, of No. 10, Butler's-buildings, Brick-lane, Spital-
fields, calling herself a willow weaveress, and Ellen Leary,
23, of No. 2, Crown•court, Upper East Smithfield, who
described herself as a servant, were brought before Mr
Paget on a charge of shoplifting.
Mr. Beard, solicitor, defended the prisoners, who were
tolerably well-dressed.
Mr. John Basden, manager to Mr. George Emery,

linendra7er, of No. 31 and 32, SidnEy. place, Commercial-
road, Stepney, said the prisoners came into the shop and
asked to look at some mantles. He called a young man
to attend to them. He left them looking at the mantles
for 20 minutes or half an hour. They looked at a great
many mantles but did not buy any. They left the
mantle room and went to the ribbon department. He
suspected they did not want to buy anything, and on leav-
ing the shop without making a purchase a piece of ribbon
was missed. He charged the prisoners with stealing it,
and the piece of ribbon was immedittely dropped on the
floor of the shop by Emma Smith. She then took a piece
of linsey from some part of her dram, and threw it down.
The ribbon was valued at 2s 9d, ani was the property of
Mr. Emery. He knew nothing of the linsey.

Charlotte Weatherfield, of No. 6, Philpot-street, Com-
mercial-road, said " these ladies" (the prisoners) came into
the shop of Mr. Griffiths, my employer, at No. 5, Bedford-
place, Commercial-road, and said they wanted to purchase
a square mantle. They looked at many, and could not find
one to suit. We afterwards missed the piece of linsey now
produced. _

. -
Lydia Matthews said she was in the same establishment
aq the last witness. She exhibited a great many mantles
to the prisoner Smith. Leary was seated the whole of the
time close to a pile of lin seys.

William Pople, 288 K, said that Leary told him she was
living at 2, Butler's-builings that her husband was a
sailor, and that he had been home a fortnight. She after-
wards said her husband had been living with her six weeks,
;
but she could not say which it was.
Mr. Beard felt that he should insult the understanding of
the Magistrate if he attempted to °cutest the facts. The
parents of the two young women were very respectable, and
were in attendance. The prisoners were not in poverty.
The articles they had stolen were not worth 55., and he
could not think what possessed them to steal three yards
of ribbon and a small piece of linsay. All the friends of
the young women were persons of good reputation. He
would not set up the absurd
plea of kleptcmania, but he
really could not divine what two respectable young women
could be about to steal two articles of paltry value.
Inspector Griffin, K division, said the prisoners had no
money in their pockets to pay for anything.
Mr. Beard—Ladies will go out shopping sometimes with-
out money in their pockets, and order things they purchase
them on delivery.
shoplifting in a summary manner.
Abier.sepnotghotem
sasidanhde pdayidfonrotlike
to dispose of a case of

- -
Mr. Beard—There are two cases if you think you cannot
punish sufficiently in one case.
Mr. Paget—l don't think the prisoners are novices, and
I shall commit them for trial.

Mr Beard ingeniously attempted to alter the magistrate's
decision and obtain a summary conviction, but Mr. Paget
was inexorable, and the prisoners were committed for trial.