Lent Assizes.
The Times, 1824-03-27T00:00:00

Sarah Wharmby was indieted fior stealing at Petersham, on the 21st of February, -quilt, value 201. a scarf, valae 61 and other artiles, the properfy of Charles Biyiey, Esq.,.in his dwelling-house. Mr. rltiHESSMEsLopg7enled thecase for the prosecution. It appeared in evidence, that Air. Bayley, the prosecutor, was in India; that his wife, dlls. Bayley took a house at Petersham, last year, for ber health, vhere she died; in the latter end of last rnonth; tbat the ptisoner was her nurse; bf 'hom the deceased alwavs spoke in termns of the-highest praise. After the deatth of Mrs. Bavley in- quiry wvas made of the ptisoner if she knew any thing of an; lndian silkiuilt that was missing, as the relatives of the deceased meant to be liberal to her servanits, but wished, in the first instance, to be in possession of all her appareL The prisoner at first denied all know- ledge of the quilt, and subsequently said, that it had been sent by her mistress in a parcel by thecarrier,asapresent to a narticular friend. It was further provei that the prisoner, in a conversation with one of the otber servants, stated that she believed it was thought she had purloined the quilt. This conversation took place in the prisoner's bedroom, underneath whose bed a bundle was discovered bv that servant, who being terrified at seeing something unusual there, asked her what it was F To which she replied,that it washer bundle, and that she had placed it there. It was further in evidence that the prisoner, about four or five days after the decease of Mrs. Bayley. had sent the bundle in question to a lodging which the had hired at Richmond, to be taken care of for her, where the constable afterwards found it. The Rev V. Bayley, Sub-Dean of Lincoln, brother of the prosecutor, having caused the prisoner to be examined respecting these circumstances,and she still persevering in her denial of all knowledge of them, had her apprehended; and upon her being informed that a bundle, in which the quilt and scarf in qestion, witlh other articles, had been discovered at her lodging at tichmond then stated that they had been given to her by the deceased. Tne quilt was a very curious and rare article of Indian wrorkmanship, and thc scarf was Cachmere. The prisoner, in her defence, again stated that the property in question had been given to her by the deceased, with atrict injunc- tions to her not to disclose that fact. Mrs. Jones Rurdett (and other witnesses of the highest respecta- bility) spoketothe character of the prisoner, of whom she had been in the constant habit of hearing Mrs.Bayleyspeak in terms of the warm- est affection and regard, and saying that she never could repay her for the assiduity and attention with which she had watched over her during an illness of sixteen months' duration of the most distressing nature. The medical gentleman who attended Mrs. Baylev during her ill- ness, corroborated these facts, and further stated, as did M)lrs. Jones Burdett, that the deceased was a lady of very generous habits. .Mr. Justice BEST summed up the evidence at great length, and particularly dwelt upon the improbability that articles of such a na- ture and rarty as those for the stealing of which the prisoner was indicted, should have been given to her by the deceased; and also called the attention of the jury te the contradictery statements of the prisoner upoon her being appiied to for an account of the articles in question. l'he character which the 7grisoner had received wNa in every respect creditable to her, but in this instance could avail her nothing, unless the jury entertained any doubt of her guilt, which he could not suggest. The Jury immediately found the prisoner Guiltv,; whereupon the Sub-Dean of Lincoln begged to recommeRd her to mercy, to which the learned Judge said he should attend. In the mean time sentence of death was recorded. This case ex- cited very general interest. lUr. Andrews appeared for the prisoner. There was nothing of general interest on the ciril side to-day. A sensation of unfeigned regret was visible throughout the bar, upon hearing the reported death of 2'lr. Scarlett. LENT ASSIZES. KINGSTON. S rMv iFay-nAy. AJCITr 26.