| Reference Number | t18400615-1626 |
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| Verdict | Guilty > unknown |
| Sentence | Transportation |
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| Actions | Cite this text Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 11 June 2023), June 1840, trial of MARY OSBORNE (t18400615-1626). | Print-friendly version | Report an error |
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1626. MARY OSBORNE was indicted for stealing, on the 1st of June, 4 candlesticks, value 14s.; 1 cruet, value 1s.; and I teapot, value 1s.; the goods of William Samuel Burton and another, her masters.
MR. BODKIN conducted the Prosecution.
WILLIAM SAMUEL BURTON. I have one partner—we are furnishing ironmongers, and live in Wells-street, Oxford-street. The prisoner came as a char-woman every Monday morning for several years—we have lost a great number of articles, and suspected a servant—we at last desired Smart to conceal himself, which he did early in the morning of the 1st of June—he afterwards made a communication—I desired him to fetch a policeman, and to follow the prisoner—in about half an hour I saw her in custody in our kitchen—the officer produced to me two pairs of candlesticks, a tin teapot, and a glass vinegar-cruet—she said, "Oh, for God's sake, forgive me; " and said it was the first time—these are the articles produced—(looking at them)—they are worth 16s.
Cross-examined by MR. ROE. Q. How many partners have you? A. I have one, that is all—there is a mark on the papers that are round these articles—when candlesticks are sent out of our shop we generally send them without the paper—this paper contains the private mark—the prisoner has been four years or more in our service—she has bought four or five articles of me—I have, perhaps, a dozen pairs like these—there are great many like these come out of the country.
JOHN SMART. I am shopman to the prosecutor. I was desired to conceal myself in the warehouse on the 1st of June, and saw the prisoner come into that warehouse where she had no business whatever—I watched her, and saw her take these two pairs of candlesticks off a shelf—she then went out of the warehouse, and was for about a quarter of an hour cleaning the stairs which lead down to the warehouse—I informed Mr. Burton—he directed me, and I got a policeman—I saw the prisoner coming out of the house with two bundles—I pointed her out to the officer—he brought her back to the house—I was in the kitchen when she was brought down—she said, "Oh, for God's sake, don't let these things be found on me"—I said, "I have nothing to do with it"—these are the candlesticks that she took from the shelf.
Cross-examined. Q. Where were you? A. On a small bench under the window—it was impossible for her to see me—I know these candlesticks by the numbers—she took one pair at a time, and as she took the first pair one knocked against the other—I know them by the piles.
WILLIAM HOUSEMAN (police-constable E102.) I was called, and the prisoner was pointed out to me—she had two bundles—I went up to her, and asked her what she had got there—she said, nothing but what was her own, it was some dirty linen—I said she was my prisoner, and she must go with me—she said, "For God's sake don't; I will give you any thing rather than you should take me"—I took her to the prosecutor's, and found one pair of candlesticks and a piece of soap in one bundle, and a pair of candlesticks and a teapot in the other—during that time she dropped something behind her, which I found to be this cruet—she said, "For God's sake, Mr. Burton, don't go against me for these things; I will pay you doable and treble the value of them"—I took her to the station-house—I found on her 9l. in gold in one bag, and more than 2l. in silver in another bag—I then went to her lodging, and found a great number of new articles of ironmongery.
MR. BURTON.I saw the articles found at her lodging—they were high-priced articles, and totally unfit for a person like her—I have lost a great amount of property—about 9l. worth were found at her lodging.
(Joseph Hunt, and William Hibbert, of Rochester-row; Sarah Dixon, Sarah Green, Sarah Jones, and Mary Stagnall, of Hammersmith, gave the prisoner a good character.)
GUILTY.Aged 45.— Transported for Seven Years