The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

69. (M.)   Jane Faulkner , otherwise Steward , spinster , was indicted for stealing one pair of silver buckles, value 5 s. one silver stock buckle, value 1 s. four gold rings, one pair of ear rings, one guinea and half in gold, and fourteen shillings in money, number'd, the goods of   Bridget Bourne , widow , in the dwelling house of the said Bridget , December 2 . ++

  Bridget Bourne . I live in  Hedge lane , and the prisoner lodged in my garret: last Saturday, about twelve o'clock at night, she came into my shop for a halfpenny candle, when I was going to bed, for I lie in the shop; my pockets lay by me, and I missed them when she was gone.

Q. What were in your pockets?

B. Bourne. There were in them four gold rings, a little pair of ear rings, a pair of silver buttons, a pair of silver buckles, a stock buckle, a guinea and half, a piece of queen Anne's gold, fourteen shillings in silver; I called out to a poor man in the back room, who went with me and another man to search her room, but could not find the things; she threw them out of the window, and ran down stairs, so in her absence we found the empty pockets out at the garret window, which were reached in with a pair of tongs. We took her below, and searched her pockets, but all we found were a few things of no value, which I had in my pockets before they were lost.

Q. What were they?

B. Bourne. A sciatica bone, a little thimble of my child's, a bit of sealing wax, and a bit of allum.   Thomas Draper , who lodges in the two pair of stairs room, put his hand to her belly, and felt something hard, saying, I believe it is here, so found the money and took it out.

  Thomas Draper . I am a lodger in this house; I was in bed betwixt-eleven and twelve o'clock last Saturday night, about which time it was rumoured in the house that my landlady had been robbed; upon which I immediately put on my breeches and went down stairs; then suspecting the prisoner, I desired she might be searched, which was accordingly done twice, but found nothing upon her; the watchman insisted upon carrying her to the watch-house; I happened to bob my hand against her belly, and feeling something hard, asked her what it was; she replied, it is only my two bones; said another man, if you are going to feel, we are all married men; I took out of a private place under her petticoats all the things, viz. the buckles, stock buckle, a guinea and half in gold, and a piece of touch gold.

  Caleb Birch , I lodge in this house. Last Saturday night about twelve o'clock I was called to my

landlady's assistance, accordingly Mrs. Bourne and I went and searched the garret, but found nothing there; then looking out of the window perceived the pockets hanging upon the eaves; after which the prisoner was searched three different times, the last of which the things were found, whereupon she said, Lard, what have I brought upon my self!

  James Knapper . I lay there on Saturday night with Mr. Burch, and saw the prisoner at the bar as I came in at the door; about ten minutes after that the prosecutrix said she had been robbed; Mr. Burch went up with her and searched the room; I staid below stairs to see who went out; I saw the prisoner searched and the goods found upon her as mentioned in the indictment; I held her by the arm while Mr. Draper and the prosecutrix seized the things.

Q. to the prosecutrix. Are you sure these things were in your pockets at the time you say you was going to bed?

Prosecutrix. I am sure they were.

Prisoner's Defence.

Those two witnesses were along with the prosecutrix when I went for the candle to make my bed; the prosecutrix came after me, saying, you have got my pockets, and stripped me quite naked; said I, if you search my room, search every room in the house; they all came about me, but what they put into my pocket I know not.

Guilty 39 s .

[Transportation. See summary.]