Star.
London, England, 1822-09-18 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY SESSIONS.

• kr_ 1

Yesterday Rosina Davis, aged 19, was placed at'
the bar, charged with stealing nine yards of poplin,l
a pair of bracelets, a gold necklace, and some other
articles, in the dwelling-house of William Staff.
Mrs. Staff stated that she resided at No. 7, Beau-
mont-street, Chelsea, where the prisoner lived with
her as a servant of all-work for about seven months.
Having observed to the prisoner that some articles of
wearing apparel had been stolen from the house, the
latter replied that they must have been taken by the
woman who sometimes assisted in waling. The
prisoner was at lengtir discharged, and in a couple of
days afterwards Mrs. Staff missed the jewellery. She
applied to the Police, and the officers having gone to
a house in Downing-street, where the prisoner was
engaged in a new service, searched her box, and in it
they found the jewellery. The poplin they discovered
in a drawer in the kitchen.
Upon being charged with the theft, the prisoner
said she had the jewellery given to her by a young
man who was now dead ; and the poplin she bought
of a friend in Bond-street.
There being no evidence to prove that the prisoner
had taken all the articles together, and none of them
being separately of the value of 4.05. Mr. Justice
limn AMMON expressed his opinion that she could not
be capitally convicted.
The Jury therefore found her Guilty of stealing to
the amount of 995.
Robert Swadling, a lad of 15 years of age, was in-
dicted for stealing silver coin to the amount of 441.
in the dwelling-house of a poor man named Thomas
Caddy; but it appearing that he bad only persuaded
the prosecutor's son, Thomas Caddy (12 years old),
to steal it for him out of his mother's bar, having
given him a key for that purpose, Mr. Justice Best.
observed that he could not be convicted upon an in-
dictment of the present form. There was, however,
a very salutary Act of Parliament passed in the last
Session, by which he could become at as a receiver;
and he would take care that a fresh indictment should
be framed pursuant to the provisions of that Act.
The prisoner was accordingly Acquitted, but ordered
by his Lordship to be detained in custody.
Joseph Johnstone was indicted for privately stealing
in the dwelling-house of John Layburne, of Park-
street,
in the Parish of St. Pancras, on the 16th of
August, a watch, chain, and seals, the property of the
stidlprosecutor.
Mrs. Layburne stated that, on the day named in
the indictment, the prisoner came to her house re-
questing permissionlu look at a ready furnished room
which she had to let. On being asked to walk in. he
managed to purloin the property in question, with
which he soon afterwards left the house. An alarm
waagiven, and the prisoner was speedily secured. The
watch was found within the knees of his breeches.
The prisoner said that he had bought the watch of
a sailor; but he called no witnesses to prove it.
The JUDGE said that it was well for the prisoner
that this charge was one that did not affect his life.
The Jury found a verdict of Guilty ; but the pro-
secutor recommefided the prisOner to mercy, which
the Judge, in consideration of his appearing never to
have been tried before, promised to attend to.
John Williams was put to the bar, for stealing in
a public-house called the Magpie and Stump, in Tet-
ter-lane, certain property, including one sovereign,
and four half crowns, belonging to James Conway,
an occasional lodger in that house. It seemed that on
the night of the 4th of July, the prisoner, as he had
done on more than one occasion before, hired a bed
at the Magpie, to which he retired about eleven
o'clock at night. In the same room were two other
beds; one occupied by Conway, and the other by a
man named Richley. The master of the house swore
that about one or two o'clock on the following morn-
ing, hearing a noise as of some person stumbling in
the dark, he took a light and went to search the pre-
mises; that at the bottom of the staircase he found
the prisoner, who was stooping down and endeavour-
ing to pull his shoes on; that he interrogated him as
to the reason of his being there at such an hour; that
prisoner replied, he was going into the country by a
coach which was to start at five o'clock, and he was
fearful of being tco late; and that upon the prosecu-
tor's asking him whether he had got any i.ioney he
veplied in the negative, although upon taking off his
hat, some coin rolled out from under it. The pro-
secutor insisted upon the prisoner's returning to his
room ; when Richley said he had lost all his silver
but 6d. and Conway discovered that he had been
robbed of a sovereign in gold, four half crowns, and
other silver. A canvas bag was discovered in the
prisoner's bed, containing among other cash, a sove-
reign and four half crowns, together with several
duplicates to the amount of 21. I3s. apparently for
property pledged by the prisoner in his own and in
other names, on the day preceding, and consequently
anterior to the robbery.
The prisoner protested his innocence. Most re-
spectable witnesses, and among others a Master of a
King's ship, gave the prisoner the very best character.
Tlie..hkey'foond him Guilty, and he was sentenced
to seven years transportation.
Michael Bryan, aged 16 (with Andrew llyall,
aged 16, bat not in custody), was indicted for steal-
ing a silk handkerchief. The handkerchief was stolen
from the prosecutor's pocket whilst he was standing
at a caricature shop in Leicester-fields.—Gui4.
The ROCORDER then passed sentence on the pri-
soner. He was an old offender, and, in order t.
save him from an tgnominiorrs death, he should sett-.
lence him to be transported. The Recorder en.;
joiner} hint to tell such of his companion/ as might
coma lb see hies, that a similar fate awaited chi n, if
apprehended end &maimed. • .0..... A
Jaatei Mediae, William !Weft and Geer/.'li..
genton, tiler' indicted for assaulting Thomas Harper/
and taking fiom his person 51. 19s..ah money, in a
certain 'place Oh the King's highway.
The puttee 'tar seated that on the day mentioned
in the indictment, tea* into a hay-shed at Edge.
wire, so take 'Wan from a storm. The prisoners
.were Otto. Grew pranged on hint to pOtehase
Ai pair of shoes for he 641.1-After the .stentri hi went
the fair, Whfiti he ►Ptak the prisons's. 'They had
591113 C porter .grapther. „ lhey ',s of ifith tieko but his
paresevancinbraase ii sieeseigo: , On going Mit they
folknoed birth - and Gardner knaekad hira
They put a handkerchief into his mouth and robbed
him. they were afterwards taken into custody.
On cross-examination, the prosecutor denied having