The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

252.   MARY DRAPER was indicted for stealing a woollen cloak, value 5 s. a silk handkerchief, value 1 s. a pair of stuff stays, value 3 s. a cotton gown, value 10 s. a silk hat, value 2 s. a stuff petticoat, value 10 s. a linen apron, value 2 s. and a lawn cap, value 2 s. the property of   Elizabeth Curtis , widow , March 26th .

  ELIZABETH CURTIS sworn.

I live in  Drury-lane : I am a servant to Mrs. Walley; my mistress took the prisoner in out of charity; she was there about ten days; on the 26th of March I got up about eight o'clock and found the back part of the house left open and the prisoner gone: the things mentioned in the indictment were missing; I had seen them in my box on the evening; she was taken the same day at a puppet-show in St. James's-street, by   John Scott , with a gown, a petticoat, a cap and apron of mine on; she said, she was surprized any body should accuse her, that they were her own cloaths: she had talked of going to the puppet-show the night before, which gave me a suspicion we should find her there.

  JOHN SCOTT sworn.

I am an officer: I went with Curtis to the puppet-show and took the prisoner; we carried her to the   Brown Bear in Bow-street; there I stripped her and took the things mentioned in the indictment from her.

[They were produced in Court, and deposed to by the prosecutrix.]

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

I lived in that house before, it is a house that takes in girls to go out of a night.

GUILTY of stealing to the value of 10 d.

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice BLACKSTONE.

[Whipping. See summary.]