350. (M) RIchard Hooke proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing one pair of linen sheets, value 10 s. the property of David Harris proceedingsvictim . ++

Hannah Harris < no role > . I am wife to David Harris < no role > . I live in Nottingham-court, Castle-street . The prisoner came to lodge with me at a shilling a week; he lodged four nights, when he went away I missed the sheets. He had not the room to himself, but had a bedfellow to lie with him; the bedfellow went out that morning, and the sheets were safe after he was gone. The prisoner was getting up, when I saw the sheets safe; I bid him lock the door, and bring the key down; he threw the key to me, instead of giving it me: as he went away, I went up suspecting something not right; I opened the door, and missed the sheets. The prisoner was taken a month after; before the justice, he told where he had pawned the sheets; they appeared to be pawned by him the twenty-eighth of March, at Mr. Peer's, in Chapel-street, Soho. I cannot swear positively to them. I believe they are mine; I think I can speak to the work.

Prisoner's Defence.

I was under distress. I have a wife and five children. I am a labouring man out of place. I did it through distress: I meant to carry back the sheets.

Gulity . T .