411. (M.) Elizabeth Wall proceedingsdefend , spinster , was indicted for that she, on the king's highway, on Charlotte Thompson proceedingsvictim , widow , did make an assault, putting her in corporal fear and danger of her life, and violently taking from her person a silk handkerchief, value 2 s. the property of the said Charlotte , August 2 . ++

Charlotte Thompson < no role > . I lodge at Mr. Hill's in East-Smithfield.

Q. What is your employ?

Thompson. I do any work I can get to do; on Sunday the 2d of August, between nine and ten at night, I had been at a public-house, the Ship, for a pennyworth of tobacco; returning I was knocked down, and my handkerchief taken from my neck; there were more accomplices, but I can speak to none but the prisoner; they came behind me.

Q. Did you see any body before you was knocked down?

C. Thompson. No, I did not; I received the blow on my cheek from behind me; the prisoner came behind me, and knocked me down.

Q. How do you know she did it?

C. Thompson. I saw her strike me, I was stunned with the blow.

Q. Did you know her before?

C. Thompson. I had seen her before several times, but had never spoke to her.

Q. Did you know where she lived?

C. Thompson. No.

Q. Did you know her name?

C. Thompson. No, I did not; when I recovered myself, I had a great mob about me; I hallooed out I was robbed, Elizabeth Wall had robbed me.

Q. Did you say so at that time?

C. Thompson. I did; I went home to bed, and she was taken the next day; I had sent to her twice in the morning, for her to send me my handkerchief, and I would forgive the abuse; but if she did not, I would swear a street robbery against her; and the answer I received was, that I might be d - d. After that, I heard she was gone for a warrant; then I thought it necessary to go for one. I went to the bench for one, and when I came home she was there, and acknowledged she had pawned it for half a crown in East-Smithfield.

Q. You just now said, you did not know her name, and the next breath you say you called out, Elizabeth Wall had robbed you; how do you account for that?

C. Thompson Every < no role > body knew her; I heard her name called; they called Bet Wall has got it.

Q. Did you see her after you had recovered from the blow?

C. Thompson. I did, and she went off from the mob.

Q. Did nobody attempt to take her?

C. Thompson. No.

Mary Oats < no role > . I lodge at Mr. Hill's, where Thompson does, in East-Smithfield.

Q. How many young women lodge there?

M. Oats. There are two more, and one of them is in the hospital with a sore leg.

Q. What is your business?

M. Oats. I go out a washing and scouring, sometimes one thing, and sometimes another; I was going home that evening, and saw Bet Wall knock Charlotte Thompson < no role > down, and take her handkerchief from her neck, and said here, to somebody, I cannot tell to who; I went, and called Mr. Hill directly, and came back with him. She had recovered the blow, and went home with us; Elizabeth Wall, and a man that keeps her company, went away together. I heard her say, this b - h, I'll be her butcher.

Q. Was this after you had been for Hill?

M. Oats. It was; they were two or three yards from Charlotte Thompson < no role > ; there were a number of people about Thompson, but I do not know who they were.

Q. Did you tell the people that was the woman that robbed her, when you saw Wall?

M. Oats. I did; Mr. Hill went up to see if Charlotte Thompson < no role > was robbed

Robert Hill. I am a smith, and live in New Rag-fair, East-Smithfield.

Q. How many women lodgers have you in your house?

Hill. I have six; Charlotte Thompson < no role > , Oats, Sarah Cornish < no role > , Elizabeth Wootton < no role > , and two others.

Q. How do they get their bread?

Hill. Some one way, some another, some by needle-work; I was called by Oats; she said, I must come quick, she did not know whether Charlotte Thompson < no role > would be murdered, Elizabeth Wall had knocked her down, and taken her handkerchief.

Q. Where does Elizabeth Wall live?

Hill. She lives about an hundred yards from my house.

Q. Do all your lodgers know her?

Hill. They do, I believe; she used the same public-house as they do: just as I came up, Elizabeth Wall and a woman were going away; I heard Wall say, you b - h, I will be your butcher.

Q. Did not you go to stop her?

Hill. No, I did not.

Q. How near was she to Thompson then?

Hill. She was eight or ten yards from her; I went directly up to Thompson, and in the mean time William Magraugh < no role > and Wall went off.

Elizabeth Hull < no role > . I live with Mrs. Morrison, a pawn broker, in East Smithfield; I took in this handkerchief (producing a silk handkerchief) the 10th of August, of Bridget King < no role > , and about an hour afterwards, Elizabeth Wall came and asked me, if Biddy King had not left such a handkerchief there; I said she had; she said that was all she wanted, and went away. After that, I was ordered to come with it before the Justice; there Thompson said, there were some spots upon it, done by ink, which appear on it now.

Prisoner's defence.

Last Sunday was a month I went out betimes in the morning with my husband; we staid out all day till about nine at night; when we came home, we went in at the ship, and had a pint of beer, we were in a box by ourselves; Charlotte Thompson < no role > came in, and would shove herself in by the side of me; after we had drank our beer, we went to go home; Charlotte followed us; she went to lay hold of my husband's hand; he bid her go along; she wanted to pick him up; I pulled her away from him; she flew up to me, and tore my necklace, cap, and handkerchief to pieces; there were several people came round me; I said, how could you serve me so; she turned round, and fell to fighting; my husband pulled me away, and said, I should have all my things torn off my back; we went home, which was but four doors from the place where we were; the next morning I got up, and went into this public house; the landlady said, Bet, what a piece of work here is about the handkerchief; I told her I knew nothing about it. I went about to see if I could find Thompson; then I went to enquire for the handkerchief, and found it was at this pawnbroker's; then I went to Thompson's landlady, and told her of it; then I found she was gone for a warrant for me; Biddy King and she had been fighting together.

Acquitted .

See her tried with Grief and Delaney, for the murder of Mr. Smith, No 484, in Sir William Stephenson's Mayoralty; and Biddy King and she tried, No 103 in the Mayoralty.