425. CHARLOTTE DAVENPORT , otherwise BARRIMORE proceedingsdefend , a single woman , was indicted for stealing a capped and jewelled watch, the inside case made of gold, and the outside case of base metal, covered with fish-skin, value 5 l. a steel watch chain, value 6 d. a base metal watch key, value 1 d. and two stone seals, set in gold, value 20 s. the property of William Stonehouse proceedingsvictim , privately from the person of the said William , July 16th .

WILLIAM STONEHOUSE < no role > sworn.

I am an apothecary I supped with a friend, on Friday the 16th of July, at the west end of the town; and after supper, having taken rather more wine than usual, I became a little elevated. The gentleman I was with said he would see me part of the way home; going along we were accosted by the prisoner at the bar, and another woman, who asked us to give them some wine.

Where were you accosted? - I do not recollect the street; but it was in our way from Wardour-street, Soho , towards the Strand .

At what time of night was it? - Between eleven and twelve o'clock, to the best of my recollection. We went to a house, known by the name of the Ham, in Cecil-court, where the prisoner took us; we went up stairs, and my friend called for a bowl of wine and water. He went out of the room with one of the women, and told me if I would wait a little while he would come to me again. I accordingly waited with the prisoner at the bar. After a quarter of an hour had elapsed, my friend came out of the room with the other woman. He went down stairs, and then the woman that came out of the room came and sat on the left hand side of me. The prisoner sat on the side where my watch was, on my right hand side. My friend never came back. In a very short time after, the person who sat on the left side of me got up, and went to the farther side of the room, and the prisoner immediately said I want to speak to my friend; in consequence of which, after a little subsequent discourse between themselves, they both went down stairs, and left me by myself in the room. The woman of the house immediately came up to be paid for the liquor which my friend had called for, and upon putting my hand into my pocket for money to pay for the liquor, I missed my watch. I said I had lost my watch; those women had robbed me. I asked her if she knew any thing at all of the two women. She said no, she had never seen them before.

When do you recollect having your watch? - I recollect having the watch at the time I went into the house.

Did you take it out to see what it was o'clock? - I did not.

What makes you remember it particularly? - I cannot say any particular circumstance, only knowing I had it at the time I went into the house.

Are you sure as to that woman at the bar? - I am certain that is the woman.

Have you any thing to lead you to suspect her more than the other woman? - I cannot say I have.

Do you think it possible, from the manner in which you sat with two women, one on each side of you, that either of them might have taken your watch, and you not know which it was? - I cannot say that, because I must have felt the hand of her that sat on my left hand coming across me. I did not feel the watch go. I was a little elevated, but was sober enough to know perfectly what passed.

Have you got your watch again? - No; it was pawned; the pawnbroker is here. It is a gold watch in a fish-skin case, capped and jewelled; there were to it two gold seals, one with a coat of arms, the other a cypher, one a white seal, and the other a red one.

Was you in such a situation that your watch might have dropped out of your fob? - No; I was sitting down all the time.

It could not have dropped out? - It could not; it was impossible.

Had you ever seen the prisoner before? - No.

JAMES COLLINGS < no role > sworn.

I am a pawnbroker, and live at the corner of Walker's-court, Berwick-street. On the 17th of July the prisoner pawned with me a gold watch, in a green fish-skin case, and one gold seal. I lent her four guineas and a half upon it.

Did you know her? - Yes.

Did she give any account of it? - No; I had lent her money before.

Did you guess at her profession; did you think her a woman of the town? - I did.

Court. And you take men's watches of women of the town, knowing them to be such? I would inform you, that such conduct makes you as near being guilty of the crime of receiving stolen goods, knowing them to be stolen, as it is possible to be.

(The watch was produced in court, and deposed to by the prosecutor.)

ROBERT ARTZ < no role > sworn.

I am a pawnbroker. I took this seal in pledge, of the prisoner, on the 17th of July in the morning. I lent her half a guinea upon it.

(It was produced in court, and deposed to by the prosecutor.)

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

I took a walk with another woman, and met that gentleman. He asked us to have a glass of wine. A little time after we were in the house the other gentleman went out. When they were gone he said he had no money, but he would leave me his watch if I would give him a direction, and he would call again. He was very much in liquor.

GUILTY of stealing the goods, but not guilty of stealing them privately from the person .

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron HOTHAM < no role > .

[Fine. See summary.]

[Imprisonment. See summary.]