The Proceedings of the Old Bailey

 

437.   CATHERINE ROWE (25), and   ANN MORGAN (17) , Burglariously breaking and entering the dwelling-house of   Richard Goodman and another, and stealing therein 120 yards of silk, value 20l., their property. Second Count, Feloniously receiving the same.

MR. BARRY conducted the Prosecution.

  RICHARD GOODMAN . I am a partner in the firm of Moss and Goodman, drapers, of 169 and 170, Edgeware-road. On the night of the 10th, or rather on the morning of the 11th February, I went to bed about 1 o'clock—I was the last person up—I saw the doors fastened and everything quite secure—I was called about 7 in the morning, got up, went into the shop, and saw that a quantity of silks had been removed, value about 400l.; also about 12l. in Silver and gold from the till—I had seen the goods safe at half-past 9 the night before—I sent for the police—the entry had been made through the skylight, which was cut or broken—it was all right the night before—they could then slide down by a rope—they had not got out the same way; they opened all the doors through the house—they picked the locks of three doors—some of the silk has been shown me, and is part of what I lost.

  EDVIN HEWLETT (Police-sergeant, M 8). On the afternoon of 23d February, I went with Sergeant Potter to 36, Little-Surrey-street, Blackfriars-road, and saw the prisoner Rowe standing at the door with another female—I asked her to walk into the parlour, as I wished to speak with her, which she did—I told her I had come to apprehend her for being concerned with others respecting a burglary at Messrs. Goodman's, in the Edgeware-road—she said she knew nothing at all about it—I asked her if she had been disposing of any silks, or had any in the house, or if she had any pawn tickets relating to silks—she said that she had none—I told her I should take her to the station—I searched the house, but found nothing—I afterwards fetched Willet, Mr. Barnett's, the pawnbroker's, assistant, to the station, and asked him if he knew either of these females—the other prisoner had been taken by Potter in the same house in my presence, and brought to the station—they were together, and Willet said, "These are the two females that pledged some silk at our place"—they heard that, but made no answer.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. Did you find any tickets at the house? A. Not relating to the silk.

  THOMAS POTTER (Police-sergeant, A 488). I went with Hewlett to Little Surrey-street—Rowe was standing at the door—she went in, and I heard Sergeant Hewlett charge her—I saw Morgan come running down stairs—she hurried very fast towards the street-door—I ran out of the down stairs-room, and stopped her—neither of us had our uniform on—I said, "You cannot go out; I want you for being concerned with others in a robbery at Messrs. Moss and Goodman's, in Marylebone—she said, "I, so help me God, I know nothing about it"—I said, "Have you any silks in your possession, or have you had any?"—she said, "I have never seen any"—I said, "Be cautious; I will ask you again, have you seen any silks, or pledged any!"—she said, "No"—I said, "You must go to the station with me"—I heard Rowe say twice, that she had seen no silks, and knew nothing about it—on the following morning, before we went before the Magistrate. Morgan said, "It is no use

denying it; I did pledge some"—she did not say when or where—I had told her that we had found a piece of silk which had been pledged by her—Willet had no conversation with the prisoners—he did not speak to them—there were three or four women in the room, and Hewlett said to him, "Can you identify any of these?" and he picked out the prisoners—nine or ten pieces of silk were found, worth 25l.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. Did Rowe say anything with regard to the silk? A. She said, "So help me Christ, I have never pledged any," and she said at the police-court, that she would not suffer for it all—that was on the following day—I am quite sure I have said that before—I said it repeatedly at the police-court—I do not say that I said it to the Magistrate—I was going to do so, and was stopped—Rowe did not say she would not suffer for it at all, but she would not suffer for it all.

  WILLIAM WILLET . I am in the employ of Mr. Barnett, a pawnbroker, of 10, St. George's Circus. On 1Ith February, about 11 in the morning, Rowe brought this silk, and pledged it for 1l. 5s. in the name of Rowe—she came again at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and pledged this other piece of silk (produced) in her own name—on 14th February, Morgan came and pledged this piece of silk (produced) for 12s. in the name of Rowe—I had seen them both before.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. Was it a fair pledging value for the silk? A. It did not excite my suspicion—I had known Rowe about 6 months, but had not known Morgan so long—Rowe had pledged there before, and I have seen Morgan there—I made no inquiries when the silk was pledged.

  EDWARD DYSON . I am Messrs. Goodman's assistant. I identify these pieces of silk as part of the property stolen.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. How long have you been their assistant? A. About thirteen months—I missed the whole of the silks at 7 o'clock in the morning, with the exception of a few lengths of black—I had assisted in straightening them the day before—the marks are all taken off—this piece measures sixteen yards, which is rather an extraordinary length—I had had to out off ten yards from twenty-six the day before—I have measured it since the robbery—this other piece is flouncings—they run fourteen to the piece.

Cross-examined by MR. PHILIPS. Q. When things are sold from your shop, do you take off the marks? A. Sometimes; but we frequently leave them on—we sell these flouncings as they are—I do not know the lengths, because they are flouncings, but there are fourteen widths—there are very few of them sold.

MR. BARRY. Q. What is the custom when a quantity of silk is sold; is it ticketed? A. Yes—I can decidedly form an opinion as to the number of yards left in this piece; because, after cutting off ten from twenty-six, there would be sixteen left—I also believe this to be the silk by the quality—I was only shown three pieces, but I saw about a dozen more at the station—they were all patterns and qualities which had been in stock—I only found one flounced robe, which I am sure was not in the stock.

  EDWIN CHAPMAN . I am a pawnbroker, of 5, Witley-place, Walworth. I produce fifteen yards of black silk, pawned at my place on 12th February by the prisoner Rowe, for 1l. 1s.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. Are you sure of her? A. Quite; I have seen her at the shop before.

  EDWIN DYSON , re-examined. I believe this black silk to be part of the property stolen—I have not the least doubt of it—we lost a similar piece.

Cross-examined by MR. SHAROPDE. Q. Is it not a very ordinary quality?

A. Yes; the trade mark has been cut off—we sell hundreds of pieces, but I can say we had a piece of similar quality the day before the robbery—I am in the habit of showing these things, and could tell everything that was in that particular department the day before.

  EDWARD CARDDOCK . I am in the employ of Mr. Turner, pawnbroker, of Crown-row, North-road. I produce a piece of silk, pawned on 12th February for 1l. 2s. by, I believe, the prisoner Rowe, in the name of Smith, but I cannot swear to her.

  EDWARD DYSON , re-examined. I recognise this silk—I identify the pattern.

  WILLIAM VINCENT . I am assistant to Mr. Fisher, a pawnbroker, at Walworth. I produce a piece of silk, pawned on 11th February, in the afternoon, I imagine; for 1l. 2s.—I do not recognise the prisoners.

  WILLIAM McLACHLAN . I am assistant to Mr. Fryath, a pawnbroker, of 16, Whitechapel-road. I produce two pieces of silk pledged, one on 21st February, for 2l. and the other on the 28th, for 1l. 5s. in the name of Smith, and by the same man on both occasions.

  EDWARD DYSON , re-examined. This light piece of silk has been in our stock some time, and so has this other piece—I cannot speak positively to this long length.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. Is not that parcel the same pattern as that produced before? A. As near as two pieces can be—I do not speak positively whether it was in the stock or not—we had twenty-six yards: ten were sold, and sixteen remained—I cannot say that we had both in stock at the same time.

  RICHARD GOODMAN (re-examined). I have seen all this silk—we had the same goods in stock previous to the robbery—there is no pattern here that I had not in stock.

  PHOEBE  CHATFIELD . I am the wife of William  Chatfield, of 9, Newman-street, Portman-market—I did keep a coffee-stall up against Messrs. Goodman's shop, but I have been ill—on the morning of 11th February I was at that stall from 5 o'clock till half-past 8—I saw nobody come out of Messrs. Goodman's private door, till the alarm was sent out of the robbery—if they had, I must have seen them.

Cross-examined by MR. SHARPE. Q. How far from the shop door were you? A. About eight yards—a person could not have got out at the back without going into the road—it is a corner house at the corner of the Edgeware-road and Church-street—I was in Church-street.

COURT to RICHARD GOODMAN. Q. Was the front door in a condition in which a person could open it and shut it behind him, when you came down? A. Yes.

MR. SHARPE. Q. Is it possible for a man to break out at the back door? A. They could only get out at the back door—they could get into Church-street.

  SARAH FINCHER . I am unmarried, and in the employ of Moss and Goodman—on the morning of 11th February, I was very ill—I was walking about the room early and bad been most of the night—I looked at my watch, and it wanted five minutes to 5—I had my hand on the bedroom door to come down for some hot water, but heard a great rattling of boards as if a board was being broken, and went to bed again—I went down in the morning at a quarter to 7, and found the shop open, the skylight open and the till; and a cheque book lying on the table—the wainscoting was broken away—I told Mr. Goodman.

ROWE— GUILTY, on the second Count. — Four Years' Penal Servitude.

MORGAN— NOT GUILTY .

Eighth Jury.