Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1886-10-09 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

CONFIRMED THIEF.  At the Middlesex— Sessions, before Mr. J. D.Fletther, Mary Jones, 55, described as a married woman, thing at Lewis's-buildings, James-street, H xton, was indicted for stealing a jaceet, value 12s. lid, the goods of Edward Rowell, a draper, of Hackney-road. The prisoner plmtled not guilty. Mr. Maud& prosecuted, and Mr. Wheatley, the secretary of the St. Giles Christian Miss, was in attendance. Ch the 7th inst. two women, one of whom was the pritionerortnt to the shop of the prosecutor, and were waited upon by Miss Harrison; an assistant. They came iv together, and the prisoner asked the price of certain geode-outside and induced Miss Harrison to accompanyher to the door in order that she might point out to her what she required. Whilst she was doing so the other woman was suspected,but under the shawl of a woman named Baker, who, Was nemmarily convicted at Worship-street Police-court, a jacket was found, nil • that practically the prisoner was charged with eon-spiracy in stealing. Shigularly, only Baker was taken into custody, and the priconer was not arrested untilsome time afterwards. When arrested by Detectivesergeant Robinson, of the- Gr divides, in respect of this charge, she alleged rtAt, she could prove that she had not been near the pines- on the day in question. She then handed to Robinson a isamber of pawntickets relating to expensive jewellery, which she said had been given to her by Moe. Baker, who was then undergoing a sentence ok six weeks' imprisonment. This woman Baker, it may be stated, had represented herself as the wilier? Baker, the notorious criminal who was hanged at Carlisle for what was known at the time as the "Netherby Hall murder," I and when she was sentenced to ox weeks' imprisonment Mr. Wortley, M.P., interested himself in the case, with the result that the Home Secretary commuted the remainder of her sentence, and she was provided with sufficient funds to eriabidi,her to emigrate to Canada, she being after the commutation of her sentence kept at one of the homes-el 'the St. Giles Christian Mission. The jury found - the prisoner guilty, and a female warder from the House of Correction proved a large number of convictions against her, the first one dating as far bacbeas 21 years, and it was proved that for years she hadibeen a practised shoplifter. Detective-sergeant Robinson informed the Court that the prisoner, when the woman Baker was convicted, produced a letter, which she had written herself, and was allowed to take away Baker's furniture, so that when she came out of prison everything belonging to her had been removed. Mr. Geoghegan; stated that a great deal of sympathy had been shown for the woman Baker, but it had since been conclusively ascertained that she was not Baker's wife, hut his mistress, and the real wife of the convict Baker was then within the precincts of the court, and could, if his lordship thought nee, ssary, be called. His lordship said he did not think it at all necessary. In passing sentence, he said that but for the age of the prisoner he should have had no hesitation in sending her to penal servitude, as there could not be the slightest doubt she was a confirmed thief. She would have to undergo 18 months' hard labour.  A