The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

414. (M.)   James Mann was indicted for stealing a silver table spoon, value 8 s. the property of   Martha Winks , July 6 . *

  Israel Woolf . I live in Whitechapel; the prisoner came on one Sunday morning to the King's arms by the ditch-side, and said, will you buy a

silver spoon? I said, let me look at it; he desired me to go into a house.

Q. What are you?

Woolf. I am a pencil maker; he pulled the silver spoon out of a hairy knapsack, and gave it into my hand.

Q. What house did you go into?

Woolf. We went into the Hamburgh arms; I asked what he asked for it; he said either 12 or 14 shillings, I don't know which; I said, how can you ask so much; it is no: worth it; said he, give me what you please for it; I said, that is not the thing; I said, I'll wait for you here an hour or two; bring the proper owner of the spoon, and you shall have the value of it; he up with his fist and struck me on the pit of my stomach; I had the bowl of it in my left hand; he took hold of the handle to twist it out of my hand, but I kept it; I kept him and the spoon; he first of all said it was his wife's spoon; and on the Monday following, when he was before Justice Hodgson, he said he found it between Stratford and Ilford; it is a road which I often travel; I happened to be that way some time after, and asked at a public-house for any body that marked their spoons with M. W. I was directed to the Rising Sun; I went there and called for three pennyworth of brandy and water. Mrs. Winks brought it; I asked her whether she had a loss lately; she said she had lost a silver spoon; I asked her what letters were on it; she said, M. W. I said, go to the bottom of the Butcher-row, in East Smithfield, there you will hear of your spoon, at Mr. Wilford's.

Mr. Wilford. I had this spoon of Israel Woolf on the 6th of July; (produced in court) I have had it in my custody ever since.

Woolf. This is the same spoon.

  Martha Winks . I keep the Rising Sun between Stratford and Ilford; I lost a silver table spoon about two months ago, but cannot tell the exact time.

Q. Look at this spoon.

M. Winks. This is like mine, but I cannot swear to it.

Mr. Wilford. This gentlewoman has acknowledged this spoon to be her property before three or four different people.

M. Winks I will not swear to it.

Acquitted .