The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

562.   HENRIETTA BANKS was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 26th of July , a pair of linen sheets, value

5s. a bolster, stuffed with feathers and stocks, value 2s. 6d. a steel tender, value 4s. the goods of   Henry Bridle , in a lodging room .

  MARTHA BRIDLE sworn.

I did live at the time the robbery was committed at  No. 4, New-street, Cloth-fair , I am a married woman, my husband is a journeyman carpenter .

Q. Do you let part of your house in lodgings? - Yes, the prisoner at the bar had a room there, she took it herself, for herself and her husband, as she said, and a nurse child, that she had then, it was as near as I can recollect a little after Christmas, she continued in it four months, as near as I can recollect.

Q. Did she continue till she was taken up in July? - Yes.

Q. Did she pay her rent regularly? - No, she owes me near three pounds for rent.

Q. What was she to pay you? - Three shillings a week, and she pledged a pair of sheets, she did not pay her rent, and she was very noisy and clamorous, and there was a great confusion among my neighbours, saying they would indict my house if she did not go away, and I gave her notice to quit the apartment, a week's notice; on Saturday I went to ask her whether she meant to quit, she said she would not quit it; she slept in a bureau bedstead, I went to the bed and turned down the coverlid of the bed, and missed a sheet and bolster, and I missed a steel sender, I asked her what she had done with them? her answer was, she had pawned them, and how could I help myself.

Q. Did you make her any promise? - No, she told me she had pawned them to buy gin with, and how could I help myself? - I was ashamed to mention it before, then I sent for an officer and gave charge of her, and he took her to the Compter.

Prisoner. Did not I ask you the liberty to do it, and you said I might if I was distressed, if I would but replace them afterwards? - I never did.

Court. Did you give her any liberty to pawn any thing? - Never.

  WILLIAM PAGE sworn.

I am a pawnbroker, I live in Little Britain, I took a sender in pledge of   Mary Banks , the prisoner was not with her.

Prosecutrix. It is my fender.

  WILLIAM THOMPSON sworn.

I am a pawnbroker in Aldersgate-street, I took in pledge two sheets and a holster, one of the sheets of the prisoner.

Q. What name is on the duplicate? - Harriot Banks.

Q. Who did you take the other of? - I cannot be positive, the other is in the name of Murphy; I know the person of the prisoner I have known her for some time, I took it in the 25th of June, for eighteen-pence.

Q. Have you any recollection about the other things? - I have not.

Prisoner. Please to recollect Mr. Murphy's daughter brought a sheet and a bolster.

Prisoner. I was very much distressed for a shilling that I owed her, and I carried it to pay her and she knew it.

Court to Prosecutrix. Did you know of this woman pawning these things? - No, I never did.

Q. How came you to take her into your house? - She visited a person that belonged to these sheets, that is since dead, and visiting this woman she knew I had a room to let, and I took her on that account.

  ELIZABETH JONES sworn.

My husband was a watch case maker; I am a widow, I live at No. 64, Golden-

lane, I have known the prisoner six years, the prosecutor broke the door of Harriot Banks to turn her out of the room, she said she would not go till she had fetched the things that she had made use of, and she went and fetched an officer, and brought her to the Compter, and on the Sunday evening Mrs. Bridle said she was an honest person, and would trust her with untold gold.

Q. Do you mean to state to the gentleman of the jury that she had sent for an officer, that she said she would trust her with untold gold and an honest woman? - Yes; she took her up on Saturday, and on the Sunday, I called on Mrs. Bridle.

Q. To Mrs. Bridle. Did you ever say such a thing? - I never did indeed.

The prisoner called another witness to her character.

Prosecutrix. These sheets are mine, a cousin of mine that is since dead left them at the apartment, she died, I took them in part of payment, she was a poor woman, and went to the workhouse to lie in, and when she came back she lived but three weeks after.

Not GUILTY .

Tried by the London Jury before Mr. COMMON SERJEANT.