The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

899.   MARTHA BAILEY and   BRIDGET BAYS were indicted for feloniously making an assault in the king's highway, upon   John Macklin , on the 2d of October , putting him in fear, and taking from his person, and against his will, a watch, value 3 l. his property .

  JOHN MACKLIN . I am a plaisterer I live in Short's Gardens, Drury-lane. On the 2d of October, about half past nine in the evening, I was coming home from my work coming down  Dyot-street . I met the prisoner Bays on the foot pavement; she took hold on my arms, and Bailey came before me, and took the watch out of my pocket. I extricated myself from the woman that held my arms, and ran after the woman that took my watch she went into No 4 I followed her in, and the woman that keeps the house asked me where I was going. I told her that a woman had gone into that place that had robbed me of my watch. She told me there was no such thing. I left the house, and took the number of the door; there was a crowd, and some one asked me if I knew the woman, and they would make a search. I said, wanted to know the house, to get a proper officer to make a search.

Q. Did you know these women before - A. Yes, by eye-sight. I go by Dyot-street three times a day, sometimes to go to work. I am quite sure these are the two women.

Q. Did you ever find your watch - A. No. I went to Bow-street, and reported it to the officers. I watched for two or three days to see it I could see them. On Tuesday evening, I went into the Maidenhead public-house. I saw both the prisoners in the tap-room I went directly for an officer, and we took them in custody.

  THOMAS MANTZ . On the 5th of October, Macklin came to the office; he gave information that two girls had robbed him of his watch on the 2 d. I went and took them in custody at the public-house in Dyot-street.

  MICHAEL LEA . I was with Mantz. The prosecutor pointed out the prisoners, we took them in custody.

Bailey's Defence. I never saw the prosecutor before. I am innocent of the charge.

Bay's Defence. The same.

  JOSHUA FEME . I am a patrol. I was sent for; the prosecutor said a woman had run into the house. I asked him if he knew the woman if I searched the

houses; he said, it was of no service to search the house, he should not know the woman; and when he gave up the search, I went about my business.

Q. How came these women to find you out - A. I know nothing of it, until the Tuesday following; and then I heard the two women were taken up.

Q. Did either of the women live there - A. I do not pretend to say whether they did, or did not. I have seen them many times in Dyot-street. The prosecutor was very drunk; he said she had run out of the back door, and there is no back door to the house.

Prosecutor. I was not drunk. I told him I did not know them, because I would get a proper officer, that would do me more justice than he would, and that is the reason.

BAILEY, GUILTY DEATH , aged 24.

BAYS, GUILTY DEATH , aged 25.

First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.