50. (M.) Maria Smith , spinster , otherwise Margaret Levet proceedingsdefend , was indicted for stealing 8 linnen shirts, val. 7 s. ten caps, val 10 s. four linnen forehead-cloths, val. 1 s. 2 linnen waistcoats, and 2 biggins , the property of Thomas Hill proceedingsvictim , Dec. 30 . +

Thomas Hill < no role > . Ikeep a public house in Chandois Street . Yesterday was sen'night, about 6 o'clock in the evening, I lost a parcel of child-bed linnen, tied up in a red handkerchief; I cannot mention the particular things, there were caps, shirts, biggins, forehead-cloaths, and the like.

Q. Why do you charge the prisoner?

Hill. I never saw her before she was taken up; she was taken up on Monday evening; it will appear the things were pawned by her, they were found at a pawnbroker's. ( Produced in court and deposed to.) My wife is very ill, or she had been here.

Q. What did the prisoner say upon your charging her?

Hill. She said she did not steal them, but that they were given her by another woman for a debt, which was owing to her 4 years.

Q. Did she mention that woman's name?

Hill. Yes, she said her name was Murphy.

Q. Did you see one Murphy in your house the day the things were lost?

Hill. No. I did not.

Thomas Hall. The prisoner at the bar pawned these things with me, (here produced,) yesterday se'nnight, in the evening between 9 and 10 o'clock, at the name of Maria Smith < no role > .

Q. What did you lend her upon them?

Hall. I lent her half a guinea.

William Weedler < no role > . I am servant to the prosecutor. The prisoner came to our house yesterday se'night, and called for a halfpenny worth of gin. I served her; she brought this fork and brush with her, (producing an iron beef fork, and cloaths brush) she came in between 5 and 8 o'clock, and staid about 5 minutes; I saw the parcel of child-bed linnen there before she came into the house, they were in the same room where she was; she had not been gone above half an hour before they were missing.

Prisoner. That waiter swore to another woman, and sent her to Newgate in my place.

Weedler. There was another woman came into our house that night, but as soon as I saw the prisoner I knew the other was not the woman.

Mary Scott < no role > . The prisoner was in my shop yesterday was se'nnight in the evening between 9 and 10 o'clock, she said she was going out, and a washerwoman owed her about 15 s. she came home by 11, and said she had given her some things instead of money, she did not know what they were, she had a parcel with her.

Q. Did she mention the washer-woman's name?

Scott. No, she did not, ( she takes up a handkerchief) this is the handkerchief the things were tied up in.

Prosecutor. This is my property, the same handkerchief my things were in.

Scott. She went out between 9 and 10, and returned again and said she had pawned them.

Prisoner's Defence.

The pawnbroker's shop was shut up between 10 and 11 o'clock. I went into the prosecutor's house that night; the waiter was coming out of the parlour and said, my mistress has had her fortune told by a woman that tells the truest fortunes of any. He persuaded me to go in and have mine told. I went into the back parlour, and staid there about 10 or 14 minutes. The woman told me my fortune; it was not that I should come here to the Old-Bailey. I gave her 2 d. and came out at the back door. I had appointed to go to the washer-woman for money she owed me; she told me, she would pay me. I wanted something for supper; she went out and brought some buttock of beef. She lives in Princes's-street. I had lent her some child bed linnen two years ago. The woman told me, she had not received any money for her work, but she returned in about half an hour and said, I can't get any money, but I have got your things and others to them; but I must have them again, for my daughter is big with child. She bade me take care of the handkerchief they were in, and said, it was a gentleman's handkerchief that I wash for, and that he lives in Sheer-lane at a chandler's shop. I came home to this woman's house, she said, she had nothing to eat or drink; so I went out and pawned these things, and got something for supper.

Q. to Weedler. Do you remember any woman having her fortune told her that night?

Weedler. No, I do not.

For the Prisoner.

Elizabeth Clark < no role > . I live in Clerkenwell; I am a cardinal-maker by trade. I have known her twenty years; she is a milliner by trade, that is, she used to work at milliners. I never was so shocked in my life, as I was when I heard she was here. She is a very honest body.

Acquitted .