The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

373. (L.)   Anne Thomas , spinster , was indicted for stealing nine guineas, one half guinea, one quarter guinea, one 36 s. piece, and one four guinea piece of gold , the property of   Archibald Innis , April 15 . ++

  Archibald Innis . I live in Queen-street, near Well-court, at the house of   Alexander Smith , and deal in cloth, stockings, threads , and the like; about eleven at night last Friday, the prisoner came up to me as I was coming into  Half-moon-passage ; she asked me for a shilling; I told her I had none for her; she clapped her hand upon my pocket, and said, you have got money; I said, I have got none for you; before I knew what I was about, she pulled all my pocket out with her hand, and tore my breeches; I heard my money drop down, there were several guineas; I called the watchman, Mr. Jones came to my assistance first, I desired him to stay with his lanthorn; I picked up one guinea at my foot, I charged him to take hold of the prisoner; he did, and took her to the watch-house; she was searched, but no money found upon her: a little after a boy brought me two guineas, and said he found them at the place where he saw us; when the prisoner came up to me first there was another girl with her, the other girl did not lay hold of me; I never saw the prisoner in my life before, I know the prisoner took my money from me, what she did with it I do not know.

Q. Did you see her take it?

Innis. She tore all my pocket, and I lost my money by that; it was by her means that I lost it.

Court. It does not follow from that that she took it; there was another woman with her, did you observe either of the two women stoop to pick the money up?

Innis. Not that I saw, I had hold of the prisoner.

Q. What money had you in your pocket?

Innis. I had sixteen guineas and a half, a 36 s. piece, a 5 s. 3 d. and a 4 s. 6 d. I only saved four guineas in my pocket, and one I picked up, and two were brought me.

Court. If had got your money, you did not let her go out if your custody.

Innis. No, I did not.

Q. Did you let the other woman go without searching her?

Innis. The watchman searched her, but found nothing at all upon her?

Q. How near was the other woman to the prisoner at the time you lost your money?

Innis. She was close by her.

Q. Was any body else near you?

Innis. No, nobody was when they stopped me first.

Q. Did you search the ground carefully?

Innis. The two boys went back to search, but I did not.

Court. Perhaps all your money would have been found if you had searched there.

Innis. I was a great deal surprized, and thought they had had the money?

Q. Have you ever had reason since to believe they had your money?

Innis. No, this woman at the bar was the occasion of my losing my money.

Mr. Bland. I was coming from Bishopsgate-street at eleven o'clock that night, I was just entering into Leadenhall-market, that part that is the leather market; a gentleman who lodges with me was with me; there were a few people gathered together, curiosity prompted me to go and see what was the matter; there were two women in custody of the constable; I went with them to the watch-house, the young man showed me his breeches, and said he had been robbed of his money; there was charge given of the woman at the bar, and the other; the prisoner did not give any account of herself, she gave charge for charge; they were searched, but no money found; afterwards there was some money brought in, but I know nothing about that; I was very much surprized to find myself bound over on so strange an affair as this, because I knew I was like a chip in porridge, doing neither good nor harm.

The constable gave an account of his searching the prisoner and other woman, but found no money upon neither.

Acquitted .