The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

82. (M.)   Mary Lawrence , widow , was indicted for stealing five guineas, 4 half guineas, and 31 s. in money number'd, the money of   Thomas Sipling , privately and secretly from his person . March. 9 . ++

  Thomas Sipling . I am servant to William Belasy in Berkley-Square. On the 6th of March 1754, the prisoner at the bar came to Mr. confield's, an apethocary, in King-Street, St. Ann where I liv'd then a servant. There was another woman along with her. They came in the morning about nine o'clock. She wanted to buy a pennyworth of pomatum. I took down the gallypot and serv'd her. Then she told me there was a person, that died formerly in our house, that had left a great deal of money, and if I would be true to her, she would tell me where it was. She wanted me to mark her hand with the price of silver that I had got, which was a price, which I did; then a sixpence and a pennyworth of halfpence, which I did also. After I had given her that, she went from me to the George in Princess-Street, St. Ann's, and desired me to come to her; which I promised. After I had done my work in the house I went, at the time we appointed, to her to tell me, as she pretended, where the money was.

Q. Was the other woman there when you went ?

Sipling. She was. I call'd for a pint of hot. Then the prisoner told me I was to go and buy a halfpennyworth of peppercorns. I went and bought a halfpennyworth, and carried them to her. After that she ordered me to go and buy a halfpennyworth of beeswax. I went and bought that, and brought it to her. Then they said I must go into my master's cellar, and from under a cask of beer I was to take up a little bit of dirt and carry to them.

Q. How old was you then?

Sipling. I was between eighteen and nineteen years of age.

Q. Did you go and fetch some dirt?

Sipling. I did. I was ordered to bring it in a handkerchief, which I did. Then they asked me how much money I had got, but I would not tell them. Then the prisoner said I must tell them to a farthing, or they could do me no service. Then I told her I had a guinea.

Q. What did she say to that?

Sipling. She told me that would not do. Then I told her I had two guineas. Then she told me I must tell her to a farthing. Then I told her I had seven guineas in gold. I had some silver, which was twenty-six shillings; but she did not know that I had any silver in my pocket. She asked me where my money was. I said at home in my box. Then I was to go and bring it; which was five guineas and four half guineas.

Q. How long had you been in London then?

Sipling. I had been in town just about four months. I was to bring that gold, the halfpennyworth of peppercorns, and the beeswax, all together in a handkerchief, tied up, to her.

Q. And did you do so?

Sipling. I did.

Q. Did you deliver it to her?

Sipling. No.

Q. What did you do with it?

Sipling. I kept it in my pocket.

Q. Did you not shew it her?

Sipling. She never saw it to my knowledge.

Q. Did you secure your pocket well ?

Sipling. I tied them all up together in the handkerchief, put them into my pocket, and button'd my pocket up.

Q. What pocket?

Sipling. My breeches pocket.

Q. Are you sure you did not deliver it to her to look at?

Sipling. I never delivered it at all to her.

Q. Did not she ask you to deliver it to her?

Sipling. No, she did not.

Q. What did she say to you after you returned with it?

Sipling. She only asked me if I had got such a quantity with me. I told her I had.

Q. What was next to be done?

Sipling. Then I was to go from them, at the George, to my master's cellar, where I took the dirt from, and I should find fourscore pounds in gold, fourscore pounds in silver, 4 silver spoons, two gold rings, and a silver cup.

Q. How long did they keep you at the George?

Sipling. They kept me from nine in the morning till about one. It was about half an hour past twelve when we parted. I was not to put my hand in my pocket, or tell any body of it, till the clock struck one.

Q. What was to be done when the clock struck one?

Sipling. Then I was to come back, to the George, to them. I went to master's, and when the clock struck one I went to the George again.

Q. And what then?

Sipling. And then they were gone.

Q. Did you search, where they directed you, for all these riches?

Sipling. I did. It took me up half an hour in searching the cellar, upstairs and down; but I could not find a farthing.

Q. In what part of the publick-house were you?

Sipling. We were in a box, in the drinking-room.

Q. How did you all sit?

Sipling. One of them sat at one end, the other at the other, and I in the middle.

Q. Did you all three sit upon one bench?

Sipling. We did.

Q. Was you all that time in their company you mention ?

Sipling. I was but very little in their company, hardly above ten minutes together. I was obliged to be backwards and forwards.

Q. Did you observe that either of them touch'd your pocket ?

Sipling. No, I can't say I did; but they kept entertaining me with how much money I should get.

Q. Did you drink much with them?

Sipling. I only drank one draught.

Q. Which sat on that side your money was on?

Sipling. The prisoner at the bar did, which was my left hand side. It was in my breeches pocket.

Q. What did you do when you found they were gone away?

Sipling. Then I searched my pockets.

Q. Did you find your money safe ?

Sipling. I found seven king George's new half-pence, instead of my seven guineas, and all my money was gone.

Q. When did you see the prisoner after this?

Sipling. I never saw her till above a year afterwards; then I lived at my lady How's, which was the next place I went to.

Q. When was this?

Sipling. It was last year.

Q. What time of the year?

N.B. The second Part of these Proceedings will be published in a few Days.

 

Sipling. I Can't exactly tell the time. I went to the door, and the prisoner told me she was recommended by somebody (she did not tell me who) to Miss How, to sell her some stockings. She said she heard Miss wanted some, and she had some, very good, of all sorts. I told her she did not want any such things. Upon seeing her I recollected her to be the very woman that had got my money; but she was gone from the door, and I had shut it. I ran out after her, but could not see her. The next time I saw her was on the 16th of December last. She knock'd at my master's door, with a very great knock. I looked out at the area. She ask'd if my mistress would buy any stockings. I said no. I directly ran upstairs, knowing her. When I came out she was gone, I knew not where. I saw a little chimney-sweeper, and asked him if he saw such a woman running. He directed me down into the Mews. I ran after her as hard as I could, and I saw her. She ran also as hard as she could. As soon as she turned the corner she ran in at the Coach and Horses alehouse, in Hill-Street, and when I got to the corner I could not see her. I enquired of a coachman, and he told me she was gone into that house. I went in, and found her. I told her she was the person that had got my money from me, and I would take her up. She scream'd, and wanted to get away. She got out at the door, but I took hold of her and took her into the house again by man strength, and sent for my fellow servant, who came.

Q. What did she say to that charge?

Sipling. She said, how could I be such a lying man to accuse her with such a thing wrongfully. I told her she was the person, that I was very sure of it, and I would never part from her. She desired me and my fellow servant to go backwards, and wanted to treat me with a pot of brandy hot. She desired me to be favourable to her, and wanted me to make it up.

Q. Did she offer you any money?

Sipling. No, she did not; but asked me what I would be willing to do I charged a person to sit there with her, while I went and got a warrant, which he did. Then I charged a constable with her, and I took her to the justice. There I was sworn.

Q. What did she say for herself there?

Sipling. She said, it was a very hard thing to accuse a person wrongfully, and said, she was not the person. The justice ask'd her if she was a married woman. She said, she was. He asked her where her husband was. She said at sea. He asked her on board what ship, and she said she had forgot the ship's name.

Q. Did she own any thing of this robbery there?

Sipling. No, she did not. His worship sent her to Tothill-fields bridewell, and since she has been there she sent two men to me.

Q. How do you know that?

Sipling. They said they came from her, and that she sent them. They wanted to make it up with me.

Q. Did you see her there?

Sipling. Yes, I did. I went to her there, and told her I was determined to advertise her. She beg'd I would not, and desired me to make it up. I told her if there was any possibility I would agree to it. She said, she could not raise all the money, but maybe she might raise five guineas. I said, I was a great stranger to the affair, and did not know how to go about it. My fellow servant, the butler, undertook to manage for me. He told her he would not take less than the money, he would have all or none. He is since dead.

Q. What was her reason for your not advertising her?

Sipling. She said, she had got-friends in the country, and if I did not advertise her maybe she might raise the money; so on that account I did not advertise her. After this these two men came to me with every farthing of my money, but my fellow servant durst not take it without the justice would withdraw the recognizance, which he would not do; so I did not take the money.

Q. Did these two men say that they came by her order ?

Sipling. They did.

Cross examination.

Council. You say it was on the 6th of March, 1754, that you first saw her?

Sipling. Yes, it was.

Council. And another woman was with her.

Sipling. Yes, there was.

Q. Was that other woman with her all the time at the George?

Sipling. Yes, she was.

Q. How long time might it take up to get peppercorns and other things?

Sipling. I was with them from nine till past twelve. It was a little past twelve when I went to fetch the dirt.

Q. When you had got them all together, did you put your money among the peppercorns and beeswax?

Sipling. I did; tied up in a clean cloth, and then put into the corner of my silk handkerchief. I kept the gold in that cloth in my box.

Q. How did you fasten your pocket after you had put it in?

Sipling. I button'd the flap of my breeches pocket.

Q. How long was you in company with them after that?

Sipling. I think it was not quite half an hour.

Q. Are you certain the prisoner is one of the women?

Sipling. I am very certain.

Q. Was your handkerchief, peppercorns, and beeswax in your pocket after they were gone?

Sipling. They were.

Q. Were the halfpence, you found, in the white cloth where the gold had been put?

Sipling. They were.

Q. And was that cloth in the inside the handkerchief?

Sipling. It was.

Q. Was it in the same manner as you had put it?

Sipling. It was.

Q. Do you think it was possible for any body to take that handkerchief out of your pocket, the gold out of it, put the halfpence in, then put the handkerchief in your pocket, and you know nothing of the matter?

Sipling. That was done, I am very sure.

Q. How can you be sure?

Sipling. Because I was in nobody's company but theirs.

Q. Was you sober?

Sipling. I had not been drinking at all, and was perfectly sober. All I can tell of it is, I put my money in my pocket, and after that it was gone. One of them must take it.

Q. What did you charge her with before the justice?

Sipling. I charged her with the whole sum of money.

Q. Did not you charge her with cheating and defrauding you, by false pretences, of the sum of 8 l. 18 s. 6 d.

Sipling. I did.

Q. Did you charge her with a capital offence?

Sipling. No, I did not then.

Q. Was not she committed for a fraud?

Sipling. She was.

Q. Did not she say she was with child?

Sipling. She did.

Q. Did not she express a great uneasiness, for fear of lying in, in gaol?

Sipling. She did; but the justice said he would not discharge her, for she was a very bad woman, and belong'd to a very bid gang.

Prisoner's Defence.

My prosecutor said I was along with a woman who was transported about a year ago, and she was tried here for taking this money from him.

Q. to prosecutor. Did you ever give evidence on this fact before?

Prosecutor. No, never.

Prisoner. He said he was here and saw the woman here, and that she was done for already.

Prosecutor. The other woman that was with her, was committed to Newgate by somebody in the city. I hearing of such a person went to see her, and knew it to be her. She was tried here for such an offence, and after that transported for life. [See No. 235 and 268, in Mr. Jan mayoralty.]

Council. Did you declare that you would have prosecuted that woman, if she had not been convicted ?

Prosecutor. No, I did not; when I was to see her in Newgate, there was a young man with her, that had lost nine guineas and a gold watch by her, but he did not prosecute.

Prisoner. He said he went to see that woman with another man, and he would have taken her life away, and he said I was in company with her, but I never was in company with a woman in my life concerned in that way.

Q. You say you sat between these two women, did you observe that other woman; did she reach over you either before or behind you?

Prisoner. No, I did not.

Q. Did you observe either of them busy with their hands?

Prisoner. No, I can't say I saw either of them move their hands.

Guilty of stealing, but not privately from his person .

[Transportation. See summary.]