The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

271, 272.   DANIEL WRIGHT and   MARY WRIGHT , spinster , were indicted for stealing ten yards of woollen cloth, value 15 s. three pair of linen gloves, value 2 s. two pair of laced ruffles, value 10 s. a pair of embroidered shoes, value 7 s. four yards of white edging, value 2 s. a pair of silk stockings, value 5 s. a muslin apron, value 5 s. a muslin handkerchief, value 2 s. three yards of silk ribbon, value 18 d. and a yard of black silk lace, value 1 s. the property of   Robert Jones , May 2d .

  SARAH JONES sworn.

I am the wife of   Robert Jones ; my husband is a shoemaker . I had a lodging at the prisoner's house, in  Mary-la-bone-street . I went out on the first of May; I returned on the second, between five and six o'clock in the afternoon; I found the lock of my door on the catch; it is a brass lock; I am sure I double locked it when I went out.

Where was your husband? - I do not live with my husband; we have not lived together for above a year and a half; he is my lawful husband; there has not been any formal separation. When I went into the room I missed the things mentioned in the indictment (repeating them); they were all in my drawer when I went out. I called up   Mary Wright and told her I had lost the two pair of laced ruffles, which she had looked at the day before I went in the country, and said how handsome they were, and that I had lost a great many other things. She said she knew nothing about them.

Was there any maid? - No; the prisoner   Mary Wright used to clean my room and do for me. I then called up her mother Mrs. Wright and asked her, if she knew any thing of my room-door being open? She said no. I told her I had lost a great number of things, and would not leave the apartments till I found the things. She said if I did not choose to leave the house, I might stay; and made use of a very vulgar expression that I might stay and be damned. While we were talking   Daniel Wright came in and pushed me down stairs out of my own apartment into the street, and double locked the door. I got in again, and he tore my breast to get me out of the room. I have the marks now. On the 9th of May I went to Justick Triquet, in Bloomsbury, and took out a warrant to search the lodging. I went with the officer. He knocked at the door;   Mary Wright opened the door. He asked if Mr. Wright was at home? She said no. I said   Polly I know he is at home; the officer told her he had a search warrant and must search the house. I told the constable he had better go down stairs to the left hand kitchen, where Mr. and Mrs. Wright sleep; he went down and knocked at the door three times, the key was in the inside; nobody answering, he insisted on breaking open the

door; he broke it open, and found Mr. Wright standing behind the door. In the top drawer of a chest of drawers, the constable found some of my cloth, and another piece on the table, which was cut out into a little boy's shirt, and partly made, she was at work upon it. I found several other pieces of cloth, and particularly a pair of leather gloves. Then we went up into the two-pair-of-stairs where   Mary Wright lies, there we found some bits of ribbon, bits of silk, and a bit of a jacket and coat of mine; they were in a box of   Mary Wright 's under lock and key.

Did you find any thing in her room that is mentioned in the indictment? - Yes, three yards of ribbon, and a yard of black lace. The gloves were white leather riding gloves with turn down tops; they were made me a present of from Paris.

What sort of ribbon was it? - Plain blue ribbon; the lace was the same as this on my cloak.

Cross Examination.

At the time this happened you was going into the country? - Yes.

Your travelling expences were advanced for you? - I had some money given me.

Was there any rent owing? - Only part of a week, the week was not up.

Did not you introduce the constable as your husband? - No, God forbid! besides my husband and this man are not alike in the least.

Which of the husbands are you speaking of? - I have got but one.

(The things found in the prisoner's possession were produced in court and deposed to by the prosecutrix.)

Prosecutrix. One piece of the cloth had the Duchess of Gordon's coronet upon it, which General Morris, who married the Duchess of Gordon, gave me.

(   James Griffiths and   George Graham , who went with the prosecutrix to serve the warrant, confirmed her testimony.)

WRIGHT's DEFENCE.

She made a riot in my house in my absence. When I came home from my work I found every thing in confusion. She wanted to take away her things; my wife said she would stop the things till she paid her rent. She was at the door; my wife was in the parlour. She was screaming out murder! and gathering a mob about the house. I asked my wife what was the matter; she said the creature, whom General Morris has brought into the house, has scandalized us. She said she would send for two of Sir   John Fielding 's men, and take away her things. She sent for a man, and when he came, she said he was her husband. They came into the parlour, where I was sitting. He used all manner of vulgar language and oaths, and said, what had I to do with his wife. I asked him if he was master of my house, and pushed him out. He took a coach and said he would get a warrant for me for the assault. She took her things away all but a few dirty rags. The cloth was my own; my wife had it sent up from Scotland.

BOTH NOT GUILTY .

Tried by the Second Middlesex Jury before Mr. RECORDER.