The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

251.   ELIZABETH THOMPSON and   ELIZABETH COX were indicted for stealing, on the 11th of February , six guineas and eighteen shillings , the monies of   William Scott .

  WILLIAM SCOTT sworn.

I am a tallow chandler , a married man; last Tuesday was a week, three quarters before one o'clock in the morning; I had been up into the city settling some of my affairs with my creditors which I serve with candles; my customers I mean.

Q. Had you been drinking? - No I had not.

Q. Where was the place you had been settling this business? - One was in Chancery Place, the other was in Leadenhall-street; I met the women in upper  East Smithfield , they were standing by a corner, the women stopped me,   Elizabeth Thompson kept hold of my collar, and   Elizabeth Cox put her hand into my pocket, my left breeches pocket, and then they both ran off immediately.

Q. Did you say nothing to them at the time? - No, not at that present time.

Q. Did you perceive her take any thing? - I perceived she took my money out of my pocket, I immediately clapped my hand on my pocket and I found what it was, I kept hold of the chain of my watch, with my right hand; I immediately called out for the watch, and they both ran as fast as they could; I called out to the watch and laid hold of   Elizabeth Thompson , and   Elizabeth Cox at the time she was running she dropped her bonnet which   Elizabeth Thompson picked it up; there was a fire at some distance off, and a crowd of people;   Elizabeth Cox ran in among the crowd of people, and I lost her in the crowd; I detained Thompson and gave charge of her; the officer pursued Cox; Thompson was brought up before a court of justice and carried to the watch-house, she was examined by the justice.

Q. Was she examined that night? - They overhauled her, her pockets were overhauled by the officers of the watch.

Q. Was any of your money found? - None on   Elizabeth Thompson .

Q. How soon did you see Cox afterwards? - I did not see Cox till she was taken by the officer, I never saw her till she was taken up, and carried before the justice in the afternoon; she was in the officer's custody, he brought her up, I saw her at justice Davis's in Fore-street, I believe she was brought by the officer, I don't know who was along with her when she was taken.

Q. Was any body with her but the officer? - No.

Q. You saw her in one of the rooms at the office, was there any other woman

in the room? - No, not in the office, the officer took her by the description I gave of her.

Q. When she was brought into the office, did the officer point her out to you? - I told them that was the woman as soon as I saw her, she did not say any thing to me at the time.

Q. Are you quite sure that she was the woman? - Yes.

Q. You say she had a bonnet on? - Yes, but she dropped the bonnet, and the other picked it up.

Q. Were there any lamps near the place, or was it a moon light night? - The night was pretty clear.

Q. Had you any conversation with these women before they did it, or was it done instantly? - It was done instantly.

Q. You had two people to take notice of, one collaring you, and the other employed with her hand in your pocket? - I had.

Q. Did you take observation enough of them to swear to them? - I did.

Q. Did you ever see them before? - I never did.

Q. Now was Cox examined at all? - Not that I know of.

Q. Has your money ever been found? - No.

Q. Now you was perfectly sober? - I am sure I was perfectly sober.

Prisoner Cox. Was you not drunk? - I was not.

Prisoner Thompson. Had you not been drinking with one officer, Mr. Bare? - I was not.

Court to Scott. Have you told exactly all that passed between you and this woman, had not you conversed with them, or any thing? - No.

  JOHN DAWS sworn.

I am a supernumerary man, I was in the watch-house facing Smock-alley, and I saw this Elizabeth Thompson and another come by my watch box; and the first had never a bonnet or hat on, and they had both past my box about five yards, and the prosecutor caught hold of   Elizabeth Thompson and stopped her; I don't know as ever I saw them in my life before.

Q. Who dropped the bonnet? - I cannot say,   Elizabeth Thompson had it in her hand when she came by me, and the other that was before her, said why don't you come along? when the prosecutor caught hold of them, he said, return me my money? she said, what money? says he, the money you took out of my pocket, or else I will charge the watch with you, with that he gave charge directly; she put her hand into her pocket and said, I will shew you all the money I have got, and pulled out two or three halfpence; as soon as the other found that she was stopped, there was a fire close by, and being a crowd, she set off directly into the crowd, and I could not get any more sight of her.

Q. Did you observe Cox enough to swear to her? - I did not, I cannot say the other woman was Cox.

Prisoner Thompson. That bonnet I picked up at the fire in East Smithfield.

Court to Prosecutor. When was it you had last seen your money, before these people took it out of your pocket? - About ten minutes before I came to this place; I had six guineas in gold and eighteen shillings in silver, I lost it all every halfpenny? it was loose in my breeches pocket, I had changed at a public house in this place, right facing Newgate, I had change for a guinea, there I paid for a pot of beer.

Q. Was that all you paid? - That is all.

Q. What did you pay for your pot of beer? - I paid two shillings to another man; I paid it as I came home.

Q. That will not make it out? - I had a relish to eat, and they charged me ninepence for it.

Prisoner Cox. I never saw the man till the very next day, when the officer came to take me up; I was searched and I had nothing, I never saw the gentleman before in my life, I have wore a hat for above this seven years, as for a bonnet I never wear any.

Prisoner Thompson. The officer said that he had a bottle of wine and two pots of porter with the prosecutor.

Court to Prosecutor. How much might you drink in the whole course of that time? - I drank nothing but a pot of beer and a pint throughout the whole night.

Both not GUILTY .

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. RECORDER.