| Reference Number | t17670218-18 |
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| Verdict | Guilty |
| Sentence | Corporal > whipping |
| Related Material |  |
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| Actions | Cite this text Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 08 December 2023), February 1767, trial of Elizabeth, wife of William Berridge (t17670218-18). | Print-friendly version | Report an error |
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148. (M.) Elizabeth, wife of William Berridge , was indicted for stealing a silver table-spoon, value 2 s. the property of John Stanton , Feb. 4 . ++
Mary Stanton . My husband is named John Stanton ; we live in Turnmill-street, Clerkenwell ; I went out for the afternoon on the fourth of this instant, and left the prisoner in care of my house; she is a chair-woman ; the table-spoon was in the kitchen when I went out; I returned about six in the evening, and found her in my house; she told me she had taken the spoon out of the kitchen, and carried it to a pawnbroker to pawn, and he had stopped it: I went to the pawnbroker's house with her, he was not at home; he came between eight and nine that evening to my house, and the prisoner came in at the time, and before the pawnbroker she confessed she took it; he brought it with him.
Q. Did you give her leave to take and pawn it?
M. Stanton. No, I did not.
Q. How came you to let her go away after she told you the spoon was stopped?
M. Stanton. She promised to come again in the morning.
Mr. Bruin. On the 4th of February the prisoner came to my shop with this table-spoon (producing one.) I looked at it and said, if I did not know you, I would stop you; go and fetch the owner; she went and brought a woman, who said, it was not her own property; then I sent her about her business; after that, I went to the prosecutrix's house, and shewed her the spoon; the prisoner came in at the same time, and upon being charged with it, owned she did take it.
Prisoner's defence.
That spoon was bought and paid for; my brother-in-law bought it of her husband, and gave it to me.
To her character
Sarah Gilbert . I have known the prisoner four or five years; I have trusted her several times, and never missed any thing.
Sarah Mussle . I have known her a dozen years; I never knew any ill by her.
Mary Peder . I have known her ten or a dozen years; I always looked upon her to be a very honest woman.
Mr. Bruin. I believe I can account for what the prisoner means in her defence; Mr. Stanton was not for prosecuting her if he could have helped it; I said, you must go before a magistrate, and if the prisoner is discharged, then she must have the spoon; if that is the case, then they said they were not willing to that; when they came before Justice Girdler, Mrs. Stanton would not swear to the spoon; then the Justice said to her, she was liable to a prosecution for a false imprisonment; then she said she would swear to the spoon; then the brother-in-law said he would pay for the spoon, in case she does not return it, but there was no money passed.
Guilty . W .