598. WILLIAM PARKER proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing, on the 14th of May , one linen gown, value 5 s. one stuff bed-gown, value 6 d. three linen aprons, value 2 s. three linen half handkerchiefs, value 1 s. and one pair of stuff shoes, value 2 s. the property of Hannah Griffiths proceedingsvictim This name instance is in a workspace. .

HANNAH GRIFFITHS < no role > sworn.

I am servant at an eating house , I lost the things mentioned in the indictment, I was inticed away by this young man, in the way of marrying me, I lost these things in Princes-street, Leather-lane .

How long have you left your service, since you lost your clothes? - I left my place about 10 o'clock on Thursday, I lost them on Friday the 14th.

Did you go to bed together? - Yes, Sir, he got up in the morning and was to come home to breakfast.

How long had you been acquainted with him, before you went together? - A month.

What country woman are you? - Shropshire.

How long have you been in London? - About three years.

Have you been in several services? - Yes, I live at the eating-house, he returned again to breakfast, and he brought a note along with him, when he came to breakfast, and told me he had some money to receive on that note at the Royal Exchange, I took the note and went, and could find no such person.

How came you acquainted with this man? - He lived at the publick house, and used to bring beer to our house.

When was you to have been married? - On Sunday in church.

What countryman is the prisoner? - I do not know.

WILLIAM CATCHPOLE < no role > sworn.

I am one of the six Marshalmen of the City of London; on the 19th of this month, I went down with search a warrant to search the house of one John Alford < no role > , who keeps an old iron shop in Chick-lane, in which I found the property which the young woman has deposed to.

Court to Prosecutrix. You left the things in the room? - Yes, I went with the note to receive the money that he sent me after, and when I returned about four o'clock, the things were all gone, he had left the key with the people of the house, somebody sent for me, and when I went it was him, he sent for me a day or two after he had done it, he had some things up in my room and he told me to go and bring the things out, the gentlewoman in the lodgings would not let me go out and I stopped a bit, and he came himself, he would not own to them, but insisted on having an officer, there was an officer fetched and he went to Bridewell, and he confessed afterwards in prison where he had sold them, which was at this iron shop in Chick-lane, that was the occasion of the finding the things.

(Catchpole produces the things, except the stuff bed-gown and the shoes.)

(The things deposed to.)

Prisoner. I have been about five years at sea, and I had been at home about six weeks when I first got acquainted with that - !

MARY DAVIS < no role > sworn.

I am sister to the prosecutrix, she has been in London three years, I have been married about 11 years.

Was your sister a virtuous girl as you believe, when she came to town? - I believe she was.

How came she to be seduced? - I do not know, she sent for me, I went the next morning, and going down to Hatton Garden I met my sister crying, says I, what is the matter with you, says she, I durst not tell you, says I, for what reason, says she, I have lost all my clothes, I am robbed and durst not tell you how, a young man got my clothes and promised to marry me, and this morning he sent me with a false note; when I was at Hicks's-Hall, the young man confessed he sold the clothes for 4 s.

Were any promises made to him? - No.

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

I am quite a stranger to that woman, I came home about six weeks ago, and I got acquainted with this young woman, she asked me to take her away from her lodgings, we were together two or three days, she had been connected with twenty different people before ever I knew her, when our money was gone she gave me these things to sell, I belonged to the Punch schooner, I met her in the street, and after I sold the things I gave her two and threepence of the money, I came to an acquaintance in Pelican-court, they said to me you have robbed the girl, I went immediately to the house, and the man knocked me down and used me very ill, I said I would go before the Justice, the Justice said if I would let him know where the things were sold he would let me go, I told him where they were; it was in the street that I met her, and I parted with her there; she lived on my money while it lasted, I never saw the sister.

Court to Mary Davis < no role > . Your sister lived at an eating-house? - Yes; I never heard any thing to the prejudice of her character before now; my husband is a shoe-maker.

Were there any promises made to him when he confessed? - I did not hear any.

Prisoner. The prosecutrix's master told me she was a common woman.

Jury to Griffiths. Did he give you any of that money he sold the things for? - No.

Jury. Did the woman of the house where you lived know that he had taken your things? - No, Sir, she did not tell me so.

Court. I should be very glad to know from the girl's master what her character was; though she has been very frail and weak, yet I should think it a very bad seduction; I wish the master of the girl may be asked, for her character will alter my idea of the affair with respect to the punishment.

(The master called.)

Court. How long has the prosecutrix lived with you? - Near three months, and she lived with me before four or five or six months; then she went to her friends; she was remarkably honest, she is a thoughtless, simple girl, but I never saw the least want of propriety in her behaviour. I told the prisoner he would make her a common woman, I never told him she was so: if I was not provided I would take her again.

Court. I wish you would recommend her to a place.

GUILTY .

Transported for seven years .

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice WILLES.