The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

614.   JANE RUTH was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 13th of April , in the dwelling-house of   William Hall , fourteen silver spoons, value 10 l. his property; a watch, value 1 l. a watch-key, value 3 d. the property of   Elizabeth Broad , spinster ; a watch, value 2 l. a seal, value 18 s. a watch-key, value 6 d. and a 5 l. bank-note, the property of   Benjamin Wait ; two bank notes, value 20 l. a 2 l. banknote, and three 1 l. bank notes , the property of   William Clayton .

  WILLIAM HALL . I live in  Berry-street, in the parish of St. James's . The prisoner was my servant ; she came into my service on the 27th of March.

Q. Do you rent the house that you live in - A. Yes. I have no lodgers in the house, only my own servants.

Q. How long did the prisoner stay with you - A.Until the 13th of April, and then she absconded from my service. I missed her about one o'clock in the day. She never asked me for her wages, nor to suffer her to go.

Q. When you found that she was gone was any thing missed in your house - A. I desired the servant to look over the things with me. We found six table-spoons missing, six dessert spoons, and two gravy spoons, all silver. I missed nothing else, my property. I immediately wrote to the sitting magistrate, and requested his assistance. He sent me an officer of the name of Godfrey. I sent a servant of mine to identify the prisoner in case he could find her.

Q. What servant was that - A. Benjamin Wait. In the course of that day they returned to me, and said they had found all the articles upon her. I recovered all that day.

ELIZABETH BROAD. I live servant with Mr. Hall. In April last, when the prisoner went away I missed a watch of my own, a watch-chain, and key. I got them again the same day.

BENJAMIN WAIT. I live with Mr. Hall. On the day that   Jane Ruth went. I went in pursuit of her with Godfrey, and she was taken at Mr. Lightfoot's, the pawnbroker, in Marybone-lane. After she was taken I missed my watch; it had a ribbon, seal, and key to it. I also missed a five-pound bank note; I do not know the number of the five-pound note; I received it of Mr. Hall for wages about a month or five weeks before. It was in a small box within my large box; it was not locked.

Q. Did you ever recover your watch - A. Yes; the watch was pledged at the pawnbrokers in Chandler-street. I have never recovered the five pound note.

WILLIAM CLAYTON. I am a servant to Mr. Hall, and was so in April last.

Q. Do you remember the day when Ruth went - A. Yes. While the officer was in search of her I went up to any box; I found that fifteen pound was gone from there; two five-pound bank notes, one two-pound, and three ones. They were all brought back by the officer.

  WILLIAM GODFREY . I am an officer of Bow-street. On the 13th of April I was sent to Mr. Hall. I received instructions from him, and went in search of the prisoner with   Benjamin Wait . apprehended the prisoner at Mr. Lightfoot's, a pawnbroker, in Marybone-lane. Benjamin Wait said she was Mr. Hall's servant. I asked her what she had got in her pocket; she said, nothing but her own. I searched her; I found on her two five-pound notes, one two-pound bank notes, and three one-pound notes, all bank notes; twenty-eight shillings in silver, and twenty-five duplicates; two of them were for eight silver spoons, each of the duplicates for two table and two dessert; one was in Chandler-street and the other in Jermyn-street, and a duplicate of a watch I found. I went to the pawnbroker in Chandler-street, and in Jermyn-street, and I got six spoons at another place, which she had left for safe. I found a gold seal and a gold key upon her; the seal and key were owned by Wait; a silver watch I found in her pocket, that was owned by Broad, the servant girl; and in looking over the duplicates I found there was not the quantity of spoons that Mr. Hall had lost. I asked her where the remainder of the property was. She told me she, would take me to a shop where she had left it for sale. She said her master should have all his property back if he would forgive her. I told her it was not in my power to promise her that; I would tell her master of it. She took me to a cook's-shop, there she demanded a large bundle of wearing apparel of different description, which she had left there. I took the bundle under my care; then she took me to a shop in Marybone-lane; it is a kind of sale-shop where they buy second-hand plate. She went in, and asked Mrs. Manuel for the plate that she had left. I went in with her; six spoons were delivered to her; two table, two dessert, and two gravy spoons; she had them delivered to her. I took them out of her hand. No other property was found. These things have been in my custody ever since, all that is here present. I put her in the watchhouse a little before five. I apprehended her a little before four. I went down to Mr. Hall with the property that I had in my possession. Mr. Hall said his servant was robbed also. I did not know it then. Then William Clayton stated that he had been robbed of two five-pound notes. I produced the notes; he said he believed they must be his by the numbers. I went to the pawnbrokers the same evening, taking these spoons with me. These are the duplicates that I found on the prisoner. I recovered a watch by these duplicates. the property of Wait; a gold seal I found on her person; four silver table spoons and four silver dessert spoons I obtained by the duplicates. That is all I know.

Q. to Mr. Hall. Look at your own things - A. The spoons have my initials all of them; I believe them to be mine; they are worth ten pounds.

Q. to Elizabeth Broad. Look at that watch - A. That is my watch; I value it at one pound.

Q. to Clayton. Look at the note - A. I can only swear to one five-pound note. I took it at the bankers; I know. It by the number, it is in the bankers book; the book is here.

  JOHN DOMAN . I paid this note as part of payment to Mr. Hall's servant,   William Clayton ; it was paid on the 1st of March, 1813; I took the number

at the time I paid it, 646, five-pound. The rest I paid in one-pound notes.

  EBENEZER ARNOTT . I produce a watch. I took it in of the prisoner on the 13th of April.

Tusti. This is my watch, I am positive of it.

Amitt. I produce four silver spoons, two table, and two dessert-spoons; cannot swear to the prisoner. They were pawned with me on the 8th of April.

Mr. Hall. These spoons are mine.

The prisoner said nothing in her defence; called two witnesses, who gave her a good character.

GUILTY - DEATH , aged 20.

First Middlesex jury, before Mr.   Baron Graham .