The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

Before Mr. Recorder.

1286.   ADELAIDE DE THORAZA was indicted for stealing, on the 28th of April , 6 sheets, value 15s. , the goods of   Martha Davis .

  MARTHA DAVIS . I live at  No. 15, Finsbury-street, Finsbury-square . I am single , and am a dress-maker - the prisoner was a servant at my house for fifteen months and a fortnight; she was there I believe at the time the sheets were stolen - she was the only female servant in the house; it was her business to mind the bedding and the bed-room; a butcher came to me to ask for a sum of money which I did not owe - I then went and searched the prisoner's box; I found a sheet and a night-gown belonging to me - I knew the sheet was mine, it had been worn a little, but was not dirty - it was a sheet from her own bed, but it was mine; I examined her bed soon after, and both the sheets were gone - this was on the 28th of April; I never saw the corresponding sheet; the officer produced some duplicates, by which we found six sheets; I knew them to be mine, as I had assisted to spin them, and made them up myself.

SUSANNAH PERRY. I live at No. 7, Camden-court, Grub-street, Chiswell-street. I had known the prisoner for about a fortnight before she went into this service; she brought me a pair of sheets and a bolster one evening, some months before she was taken up - she said she was tired, that the bailiffs had come into her mistress' house, and she had got a bed out and pawned it - she had a pair of sheets and a bolster in her apron; she asked me to go and pawn them on her mistress account - I pawned them in my own name, at Mr. Upsall's, in Barbican; Christopher Deer advanced me 8s. - I gave the 8s. to her.

  CHRISTOPHER DEER . I am in the service of Mr. Upsall, of Barbican. I know Perry by visiting the shop; I cannot speak positively to her pawning these sheets, though I have reason to suppose she did, by her name and address being on them; I gave this duplicate - they were afterwards claimed by Davis.

  MARTHA DAVIS . These are my sheets, they are marked with my name; the prisoner had no authority to pawn them - I never authorised her to pawn a bed; I had an excellent character with her.

  THOMAS BROOKS . I am a pawnbroker. I have four sheets pawned at two different times, one pair on the 19th of February, in the name of   Eliza Wilson , No. 8, Camdencourt, a lodger, for 3s.; I did not take them in - this duplicate was given; I do not know who pawned them - the other pair was pawned on the 2d of March, in the name of Winson; I suppose the person who took them in did not rightly understand the name; I do not think Davis swore to these because they are not marked.

  JOHN BEE . I am an officer. I was sent for to take charge of the prisoner - she was not at first accused of stealing sheets, but was afterwards; I found two duplicates of Mr. Brooks', Whitecross-street, and one other duplicate on her.

COURT to   MARTHA DAVIS . Q. Look at these four sheets, and tell me what reason you have to claim them as yours? A. I made up part of them - some of them were kept in a cupboard and some in a box, they are both kept locked; I never sent the prisoner to take the sheets out; I always do that myself. GUILTY . Aged 23.

Transported for Seven Years .