Star.
London, England, 1822-09-27 00:00:00

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oLD BAILEY SESSIONS.

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41

Yesterday, Martha Fox was indicted for stealing
two pair of stays, the property of Elizabeth Turner.
The prosecutrix keeps a haberdasher's* shop in
Marchmont-street ;has an imperfect knowledge of
the prisoner; she came to the witness shop and
*lrked the price of an article, when she missed the
stays, on which the witness pursued her and overtook
her. The stays were thrown over a fence in an ad-
joining street.
Thomas Matthews heard a cry of" Stop thief!"it- in
Joseph-Street ; saw the prisoner running away) w
Vas took her into custody.
Smith, the constable, produced the articles, which
were identified by the prosecutrix.
The prisoner declined asking the witnesses any
questions, or to make a defence. In tears she said she
•had no friends.—Guilty.—Aged 14.
Smith, the officer, said her friends were respectable,
but did not know of her trial coming en.
The Cover.—l dare say she was driven to this by
distress.—The prosecutrix earnestly recommended
her to mercy.
Charles Askew, a respectable looking young man,
was indicted for stealing, on the Slst of July, 1821,
twelve silver spoons, and a variety of other articles of
plate, the property of Robert Garrard and others.
Mr. ALLEY stated the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner kept a small shop in St. James s-street ;
he went to the prosecutor's to borrow the articles in
question; they were sent accordingly; the prisoner
Ara the servant of the prosecutor on the way, and
wished to take them, but the servant properly de-
clined, and took them according to the direction ; the
prisoner received them, and never returned them, al-
though several applications were made to him. He
contended that according to law a person who bor.,
rowed a horse or any other thing for a short time, and
applied it to his own use, was guilty of a felony.
William Robinson is servant to the prosecutors; an
application was made by the servant of the prisoner
to the witness, °retire day in question, and the articles
were sent ; does nut know, only by repute, that it was
the prisoner's servant; about seven weeks back the
witness saw the prisoner go into a shop in Bow-street,
he followed him, when he stated that he bad seen one
•orthe prosecutors, and made an arrangement to re-
turn the articles. A little time after he had the goods,
kis shop was shut up.
Cross-examined by Mr. ADOLPHUL—He had bor.
towed other spoons, does nut know whether the con-
versation applied to these spoor-, only supposes so
because all the others were returned.
Mr. ADOLPHUS objected to this mode of examina-
tion.—Mr. ALLEY replied.
The CosiNION SEEJEANT thought there could be no.
explanation necessary, because of course the conver-
sation between the prosecutor and the prisoner ap-
plied to the spoons which had not been returned. He
considered the explanation complete. Therefore the
objection was over-ruled.
Herbert Gilbert examined.—Witness is a potter to
the prosecutors; carried the spoons and forks to the
prisoner's, and delivered them at his house ; on his
way he met the prisoner, who asked whether he had
got them ? Witness said -yes. He wished them to he
delivered in the street ; witness refused, and took them
accot dieg to direction, and delivered them to the pri-
soner's servant, in the prisoner's presence ; saw the pri-
soner some days afterwards, and requested the spoons
and frisks; he said they were locked up, and he could
nut get at them ; saw the boy afterwards, whom he
supposed to be the prisoner's servant.
Cross-examined—Called a day or two after the deli-
y at the prisoner's house by request of his employe, s,
di 1 not know that the le ismer had purchased articles
of elate several times of his master.
Frederick Preston, a shopman to the prosecutors,
deposed as to the order heieg delivered and executed;
never had any other dealings with the prisoner ; he
absconded, but winless afterwards saw him in Pall-
Mall, when he tried to.evade witness ; he had some
conversation with him about the spoons; prisoner
said he was done up and ruined, and a drowning man,
would catch at anything; was sorry for what he had
dOne, and that distress was the cause of his improper
conddet ;he said they were in pawn, and if prosecutors
would take them out he would give his bill for the
di&rence; he stated where the spoons were deposited
on pledge ; the value of them was la. or 201.
Cross-examined—They were lent to him, not for
sale, but for him to lend to another person for use •
prosecutors got back the duplicates.
Slr, Arcbbutt, the pawnbroker, produced the forks
end spoons, on which IW. ss. was lent by him ; they
were pledged in the name of Church.
The articles produced were identified by the pro-
secutors' servant.
Mr. Anoeenus—Witness knew the spoons by the
crest; did not know whose crest it was, or whose pro-
perty they originally were; there might h ave been 1000
spoons with such a trest, for aught he knew.
The prisoner,who seemed deeply affected at the situ-
ation in which he stood, called witnesses,who gave him
a..good character.
-The C 911114014, SERJZANT, in summing up, said the
question for the consideration of the Jury was, whe-
ther he had a guilty intention at the time of borrow-
ing? if he had,- he was guilty of felony. There wns
doo doubt but that the young man had a good cha-
tacter up to a certain time ; if any doubt existed on
the minds of the Gentlemen, as to the identity of
the articles, the prisoner was entitled to it.
The Jury returned a verdict of °Witty.
DOMCS Shepherd was charged with feloniously re-
ceiving a quantity of 'let al pipe, the property of the
London Gas Company, knowing the same to have
been stolen.
The prisoner, it appears, keeps an old iron shop
Field-lane,ties Holborn, and purchased the pipe in
erections which was sworn above the value of four
shillings, for sixpence-halfpenny, from a workman'
in the employment of the Gas Company, who was
nfterwards convicted of having stolen it, and who
bad on his working dress when he sold it.—ThieJury
found the prisotter—Guitt.y.
The Recoanza said, that a shop of the description
of the prisoner's was a most dangerous thing, unless
honestly conducted ; and, therefore, to bold out an
example to others engaged in that kind of busineek,
the sentence of the Court was, that he be publicly
whipped, and kept to hard labotur in the House of
Correction for six calendar months.
Me briars war pet to the bar for stealing from

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the stables at sli. Robert Nrignan trop eaaelmentia,
boa coats, the property of the Worthy Baronet.
John Ireland, a witness, stated that he had known
the prisoner upwards of twenty yews. Early on the
morning named in the indictment, he met him on
Stratford road, with a long bundle under his arm,
and was asked by him to give him a ride to town.
Witness agreed, on condition thit theprisoner Would
give hilts some in ; but on hi's.saying he had no
money in his poiet, witness a •,, treat the pri-
soner. On the road the latter *,, ad bought the
coats, and was going to sell th a Mr. Levy, a
Jew, residing near Mile-end Old Town; where, at
his request, the witness set him down. Witness said
to him, " John, d—n me ifl don't think you prigged
them there coats; but the prisoner protested that he
had not; that he came by theme honestly, and paid
for them 21.125.
The prisoner, on being secured, had told the officer
that he had sold the coats at a house in the netorioui
Field-lane, at the bottom of Holborn-hill, for 21.165.
On being charged with the theft he cried very much,
acknowledging that he had sold the property, and
regretted that he had acted so ill towards Sir Robert.
from whom it appears that, besides other kindnesses,
he received an allowance of seven shillings per week,
being past his labour.
The Jury "found the prisoner Guilty, but recom-
mended him to mercy.
The Common SELMAN!' said he should attend to
-their recommendation; but the offence was certainly
aggravated by the sort of return which the prisoner
had made for Sir Robert Wigram's good offices to.
wards him.
Mary Bates wayindicted fcir stealing seven sove-
reigns trom the person of Beecher.
The prosecutor, a seafaring man, stated, that he
lodged at the prisoner's house, and about sit o'clock
on the evening of the 7th of July, he returned home
quite sober. He went up stairs, and observed that a
board was out of the partition of the room in which
he slept. It was only occupied by himself, and he
had locked it on that morning on going out. He had
eight sovereigns in his pocket, and went down, when
the prisoner, who keeps a public-house, was stand- i
ing at her bar, and asked witness to treat her. Hsi
made her no answer. An old man who was there,
then asked him to treat him. Witness said he had
no small change, but gave him a sovereign, and di-
rected him to get change for it at the bar, and keep
a shilling himself. The old man ran off with the so-
vereign, and when witness was about to pursue him,'
the prisoner caught him by the arm, pulled him
back, and shut the bar door. She put her hand into
his pocket, and took out his seven sovereigns. He
laid hold of her arm, and asked her to return them.
She said she should not, and told him to go to hell.
The witness did not know what to do. He is a Ile-
noverian, and has been eleven years in the East India
Company's surveying service. He did not call out;
he was a stranger; several soldiers were in the tap-
room. Witness went up stairs to consider what to
do, and expected that his money would be returned
to him next morning. He went to bed quite sober,
and on the next day, at eight o'clock, lie went down
and asked the prisoner for his money. She replied,
" Go to hull, you old fool: what I got, you gave me
tospend." Witness said he would go to a friend, who
would enable him to see into it. She said, "Go to
hell, old fool, out of this." Witness called on a ship-
mate of his, and went with him tO the Thames Police
Office. The transaction took place on a Monday; he
called',ll his fiend on Wednesday, and went to the
Office on Thursday. He slept in the prisoner's house
on Tuesday night, and with his shipmate on Wed-
nesday night. She would not allow him to takA away
hi. box and bedding. When he called for it, she told
him to go to hell. lie is now in prison at the hus-
band's suit, for a false debt.
Cross-examined by NI:. Asoaswa.—They arrested
him for £l9, about three weeks ago. He had re-
ceivtd twentrone sovereigns, four of which he had
parted with before lie went to Bates's house, and paid
five to Mrs. Bates for lodgings. The rest of his cro.,s-
examination went to skew how he had spent his
money; and the possibility of his having lost it, by
going to a house where there was a dance.
James Jones saw the prosecutor receive L'..10 odd,
in the ship agent's office. He was the friend to whom
the prosecutor went on the Wednesday. A warrant
vas taken out, in consequence of which the prisoner
attended there ;.but whether voluntarily or not, be did
'trot know. This was the case for the prosecution.
Elizabeth Hinkley, the wife of an Excise Officer,
swore that she went out with Mrs. Bates on the tit!'
of July (Monday), and parted from her in Ratcliffe
high way, at about half-past four o'clock. She then
went directly to Mrs. Bates's house, and stayed there
until nine o'clock, at which time Mrs. Bates had not
returned, nor was the prosecutor there. Witness at-
tended at the Police Office, whete she gave the same
account which she has given here; and told the pro-
secutor before the Magistrates that what he said was'
untrue, as Mrs. Bates was not in the house at the
time he stated the transaction to have taken place.
Eleanor Holt, wife of a labourer in the East India.
Company's service, swore that the prisoner came to
skink tea with her on the day in question, at about
four o'clock, and they went out together at five to
shops. Witness and prisoner went to the house of the
latter at about half-past eight o'clock, at which timel,
Beecher was not there. Witness then went home.
On the nest Wednesday she was at the prisoner's
house, when she saw the prosecutor come these in a
coach with two women of the town. He said, "Mo-
ther, get some dinner for me and these twe women."
She replied, that " she would get him some, but none'
for the women: he owed her enough, alieasly."
Anne Tabbing also swots t 6 an alibi.
The prosecutor was then se-estuniised by the Its.
cotton' as to whether he owed the prisoner any money
upon a former account for board and lodging, about
three years and a half ago said he owed her
nothing, for her bus went to Doctors' CaßignOint
drew his money, and paid himself.
The prisoner received algOod character, and thy
Jury, without waiting for the itaannwen to en Nip
the evidence, returned a verdict of ileepiiirel..
The Court refused the proseiutor his septum . -
The follsiwing wereatee convicted of els"—
Moses Wasenosa. owl Japtisi sisal•B • waleaamst; TWIN
phgrdy iipd newt KO* mole; Nis
is, kw stealing W ; Hwy 3 oath Nod 11.
atiodlos a •caatitaapsaa I Tclba MoWsop, . flo• pro.
as min;; Job* Mawr, iitil Ali, .aces.itivka 4100
Hoary aerbsdopt If, Sae "Mai a laeriaoaoo;
David aged 15, tat males a M.* mossta;