The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

457.   PRISCILLA TURPIE was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 11th of December , twenty yards of black lustre, value 2 l. the property of   John Lively , privately in his shop .

  JOHN LIVELY . I am a linen draper ,  No. 1, Finsbury-place . On Friday the 11th of December between the hours of five and seven, the prisoner came to my shop; she asked to look at some lace, at which time my shopman, Martin, was shewing some lustre, among which was a piece upon a roller containing twenty-two yards black. She had a child with her, which she put on the counter near to where the lustre was. She paid for the lace which she purchased, and some time after she left the shop, I missed the lustre in question; my suspicion fell on the prisoner. I went to the different pawnbrokers in the neighbourhood, giving the description of the prisoner; I went to Mr. Attenborough of Crown-street. He informed me that a woman answering the description had pawned ten yards of black lustre the preceding evening, and there were ten yards pawned at another shop, by another woman, answering another description. I asked him to let me see it, and when I saw it, I had no doubt it was mine. I lost twenty yards; he had ten. I desired him to detain the prisoner when she came to the shop again. She was detained on the 17th of February, by Mr. Attenborough.

  SAMUEL MARTIN . I am shopman to Mr. Lively. I recollect the prisoner coming to the shop, and purchasing some lace: on Friday the 11th of December. I recollect the lustre was at the same place where the prisoner was standing. She dropped the child's shoe, stooped down to pick the child's shoe up, paid for the lace, and went out of the shop. I did not miss the lustre. I saw no more of her, until Mr. Attenborough sent, and said, the person that pawned the lustre, was there. That was on the 17th of February. I had seen the lustre five minutes before the prisoner came in; I had been shewing it a customer.

  RICHARD ATTENBOROGH . I am a pawnbroker, No. 1, Crown-street, Finsbury-square. On Friday, the 11th of December, in the evening, to the best of my recollection between six and eight, the prisoner pledged with me ten yards of lustre, a remnant of cotton, and a pocket handkerchief. Mr. Lively called the next morning; the lustre was shewn him; he said, he believed it to be his property, and wished me to stop the party that pledged it, if they came again. On the 17th of February, the prisoner came to my shop again. I sent for Mr. Lively, and   Samuel Martin came. I am certain she is the same person that pledged the lustre with me.

  DANIEL BISHOP . I am an officer. I went to Mr. Attenborough. I took the prisoner in custody. I searched her apartment, No. 49, Paul-street, Finsbury-square. I there found a number of duplicates

in a pocket-book. One of the duplicates is for a piece of lustre, ten yards, pledged on the 14th of December, at Sadler and Mount's, 134, Bishopsgate-street, in the name of   Mary Smith , Paul-street. The prisoner acknowledged it to be her pocketbook.

Q. to Seward. Is that your duplicate - A. It is.

Prosecutor. I have no doubt of their being my property. It was all in one piece when I lost it.

Prisoner's Defence. A woman of the name of Jones gave me these duplicates to keep for her. That ticket might belong to her.

The prisoner called four witnesses, who gave her a good character.

GUILTY - DEATH , aged 43.

[The prisoner was recommended to mercy by the Jury and the prosecutor on account of her family.]

First Middlesex jury, before Mr. Recorder.