| Reference Number | t17570114-24 |
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| Verdict | Guilty |
| Sentence | Transportation |
| Related Material |  |
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| Actions | Cite this text Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 02 December 2023), January 1757, trial of Martha wife of William Perry (t17570114-24). | Print-friendly version | Report an error |
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80. (M.) Martha wife of William Perry was indicted for stealing ten linen sheets, value 10 s. two linen shifts, value 1 s. one check'd apron, value 1 s. the goods of persons to the jurors unknown, Jan. 3 . +
John Swallow . I am overseer of the parish of St. Margaret's Westminster. The prisoner was a nurse in the workhouse belonging to the said parish, our board sets every Thursday night; during the time they were fitting, there was complaint made, that eighteen sheets were missing. The maron said, she believed the prisoner had taken them out of the house and pawned them. She was sent for down, and charged with so doing, and before the board she own'd she had carried some out to pawn. The gentlemen desired I would take her before justice Manly the next morning. She confessed she had taken ten sheets out of the workhouse. I went to the justice to desire him to grant me a search warrant, which he did; then I took a constable with me, and we went and search'd at Mrs. Adams's, a pawnbroker, in College-street, and at Mrs. Griffith's, a pawnbroker in Tothill-street; we found five in each place, mark'd with the parish mark, SMW. ( produced in court.)
Q. Did you find any thing else?
Swallow. We found a check'd apron at Griffith's, and two linen shifts at one Cooper's.
Ann Fletcher . The prisoner was a nurse in St. Margaret's workhouse .
Q. What are you?
A. Fletcher. I am matron there; the prisoner had taken these things out of the house and pledged them.
Q. How do you know that?
A. Fletcher. Because she owned it, and directed us to the pawnbrokers where we found them.
Q. Are you sure they belong to the house?
A. Fletcher. Here is the house mark upon them.
Q. Was you present when the woman was examined?
A. Fletcher. I was, and heard her acknowledge she had taken them, but not with an intent to defraud, but to bring them back again.
Mary Adams . The prisoner brought four sheets to me, and I lent her money upon them.
Court. Here are five produced, said to be found at your house.
M. Adams. There are so, but I can swear but to the taking in of four of them.
Q. Did you know her before?
M. Adams. I did.
Q. Who did you deliver the sheets to?
M. Adams. To the constable and overseer.
Mary Griffith . I took five sheets and a colour'd apron in, of the prisoner at the bar.
Q. Did you know her before?
M. Gr iffith. I did.
Q. Where do you live?
M. Griffith. I live in Tothill-street.
Q. Is that in the same parish where the prisoner lived ?
M. Griffith. It is.
Q. How came you to take in these things, knowing where she lived, and what they were?
No answer.
Q. Who did you deliver them to?
M. Griffith. To the overseer.
William Cooper . The prisoner came to Peregrine Hutton 's, who is my uncle, and pawned two shifts with me.
Q. What did you lend her upon them?
Cooper. I lent her two shillings.
Richard Wicks . I am a constable. The overseer sent for me after the prisoner was taken up. I went to the justice, who granted a search warrant, and we went to these pawnbrokers, and this linen here produced was delivered to me.
Q. What did you find at each place?
Wicks. I found five sheets and a blue and white apron, at Mrs. Griffith's; and five sheets, at Mrs.
Adams's; and two sheets at Cooper's, in the Ambury.Q. What did the prisoner say for herself ?
Wicks. She said, she had nothing to say for herself, only that she did intend to redeem them again.
Prisoner's Defence.
I have an unfortunate daughter that is drawn away from me, and I took these things in order for her use, with an intent to bring them back again as soon as I could raise the money.
Guilty .