The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

506. (L.)   Ann Caton was indicted for stealing a brown silk gown, a purple and white cotton gown, a linen apron, a linen shirt, a linen handkerchief, a silk handkerchief, a linen table cloth, and a linen pillow bier , the property of   Elizabeth Johnson , widow; May 19 . *

  Elizabeth Johnson . I live in  Lambert-street, White Friars ; I keep a chandler's shop . I know nothing of the prisoner; I was not at home when my clothes were stole, and I can only swear to them. On the nineteenth of May, I went out about six o'clock in the evening, and they were safe then in the parlour; I did not come home till nine, and the clothes were gone. I think I locked the door about six o'clock, it is a lower apartment; I can't swear that I locked the door. (The goods produced, and deposed to by the prosecutrix.)

  Sarah Phillips . I lodge up two pair of stairs in the same house as Mrs. Johnson lives. I was looking through my own room window, a little after six in the evening, on the nineteenth of May, the prisoner was in the house five minutes; she went out with a lap full of things; she had nothing in her lap when she came in. I am sure it was the prisoner; I had never seen her before; I ran down stairs, and put my hand to this woman's door, and it flew open. I went after her towards the temple, cried Stopthief. I overtook her; and, her apron opening, I saw the corner of the gown. I said, I would swear it was Mrs. Johnson's (as I saw it was a brown silk gown, and pink silk lining); I took her home with me; the constable came; as he was among the rest of the mob, I desired him to take her up to my room. She put all the things upon my table; the constable took her out. I am sure those are the things I took out of her apron.

Cross Examination

Q. Were the things in the bundle?

Phillips. Loose in the apron.

Q. You never saw the prisoner before?

Phillips. No.

Q. How many people were there between you and her, going out of the house?

Phillips. A great many.

Q. It might be another woman that was in the house, perhaps?

Phillips. I am pretty sure it was her.

Q. Did you observe her countenance?

Phillips. I did.

Q. How long was she out of the house before you went after her?

Phillips. Not long; not a minute.

Q. How long did she continue out of your sight?

Phillips. Not two minutes.

Q. There were many people in the street?

Phillips. Yes.

Q. Was there not a funeral?

Phillips. Yes.

Q. What did she say?

Phillips. She said, she should resolve that before somebody else.

Q. Did not she say a man gave them her?

Phillips. Yes; she did, before she alderman.

Q. You saw her come in?

Phillips. Yes. She came in with nothing in her apron, and afterwards went out with her apron full.

- Bishop. About the nineteenth day of May, I was sent for about a robbery committed in the house of Mr. Marshall, about a quarter past six. I saw the prisoner with her apron full of these things; I asked her where she got them; she said, a young man gave them her. When I asked her what they were, she said they were things given her by a young man in brown clothes, to take care of for him; she said she did not know where the man was; I asked her where she was going with them; she said, she would shew me, if I would go with her; I told her she must go with me. I took her up stairs, and took these things out of her apron. These things, they are produced, are the things. When she was before the justice, she made the same defence a before.

Cross Examination.

Q. Did she man gave any reason why he gave them?

Bishop. No.

Prisoner's Defence.

This man was not sent for for above half an an hour after I was in the house; they put me in Wood-street Compter; I don't know who were in the Compter; they never brought me before any justice, and used me very ill. I was cracking nuts; a man, dressed in brown clothes, came, and says to me, Be kind enough to take this bundle; he said that the funeral was of a relation of his. I stood three or four minutes, and then followed the man; I was not gone two minutes, when she ran after me, abused me, and brought me back to the house where I stood upon the step.

Guilty , T