144. JOSEPH WALLER proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing a flannel petticoat, value 3 s. three muslin handkerchiefs, value 2 s. a cambrick handkerchief, value 1 s. and two muslin caps, value 2 s. the property of Joseph Ford proceedingsvictim in his dwelling house , February 5th .

SARAH FORD < no role > sworn.

I am wife to the prosecutor. I live in Kentish Town . I lost the things mentioned in the indictment (repeating them) on the 5th of February out of my parlour, the prisoner was pursued and taken, and brought into my house.

MARY PITCHELL < no role > sworn.

I had brought the parcel of linen out of the garden, where it was put to dry; coming into the parlour, I saw the prisoner take a flannel petticoat off a chair. I screamed out immediately, and threw down the basket and pursued the prisoner, who got out of the window. I never lost sight of him; he was taken in a ditch with his back upwards, and his head thrust into the hedge, with no shoes on. He is the man, I never lost sight of him; it was about six o'clock, in the dusk of the evening, the 6th of this month; the prisoner was found in the ditch.

CHARLES LEE < no role > sworn.

I was at the next house; I joined in the pursuit of the prisoner. I found him in the ditch in the manner described by the last witness.

ROBERT FORD < no role > sworn.

I was in the publick-house; I heard Mr. Ford's maid call out that her master was robbed of some clothes, and that the man was in the hedge. I went to the hedge; it wasdark; Lee went and got a candle, and we took the prisoner; he had dropped the things as he ran away. We brought him to the publick-house. Mr. Ford's maid came and said he was the man she saw in the parlour. The prisoner said, Young woman, take care what you say, that you do not swear falsely, for it is wet linen, and will take my life away. I asked her if she had brought the things with her; she said, no. I went and fetched them.

He said it was wet linen before the linen was brought? - Yes, he did.

Prisoner. There was a woman came into into the publick-house, and said she saw a man with a bundle, and that I was not the man.

Ford. One Mrs. Kendrick came in and said she met a man coming down the pathway with a bundle. The prisoner ran a different way.

ANDREW DENNIS < no role > sworn.

I am a constable. I was returning from Highgate, and a watchman called me back and said I was wanted, I searched the prisoner, and then took him before a justice.

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

I am not guilty. I went to this place to ease myself; my foot slipped into the ditch. There was a cry of stop thief! I thought it was as well that I was there, as I thought had I been walking along the road they might have suspected me.

GUILTY .

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

[Imprisonment. See summary.]