193. Richard Swift proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing one Silk Gown, value 2 s. one Linen Apron, value 6 d. a Velvet Cap, value 2 d. two Pair of Shoes, value 2 d. a Straw Hat, &c. the Goods and Chattles of Mary Isaacson proceedingsvictim , April 7 .

Q. to Mary Isaacson < no role > . What do you know concerning this Matter ?

Isaacson . I did not see the Things taken away, there was a Silk Gown, one Pair of Shoes , a Pair of Stockings, a quilted Coat, and Part of a black Velvet Cap, and a Pair of Gloves , a Straw Hat, and the Handkerchief that they were tied up in, &c.

Q. Where did you lose these ?

Isaacson. In Bishopgate street, I gave them to the Porter to put them into the Hackney Coach, I was just come out of the Cambridge Stage-Coach .

Q. When was this?

Isaacson. Three Weeks ago Yesterday.

Court . You gave them to the Porter to put into the Coach , you did not see them?

Isaacson. I gave them to the Porter to put into the Coach , what he did with them I cannot say.

Q. Did they take them out of the Stage-Coach ?

Isaacson. The Porter brought them into the Inn to me.

Q. Did you go into the Hackney Coach before the things were put in?

Isaacson. Before I went into the Coach, he cried out Stop Thief! he said a Man was about to take my Bundle away; with that, I was frightened upon his crying stop Thief; and he said the Man had dropped the Bundle into the Coach again.

Q. Did you go into this Hackney Coach ?

Isaacson Yes, after that.

Court. When you went into the Coach the things were there?

Isaacson. Yes, the things were in the Coach?

Council for the Prisoner . You say you came up in the Cambridge Coach, and brought these things out of the Country? You desired this Porter to put them into the Hackney Coach , do you know whether he did put them in? I ask you when you come to go in the Hackney Coach, were not these things there ?

Isaacson. Yes.

Council. And you don't know they were out, who is the Coachman?

Isaacson. This is the Man.

Thomas South < no role > -work. I am Porter and Book-keeper belonging to the Cambridge Coach; and I was desired by this Gentlewoman, to call a London Hack; I fetched the things out of the Room, and put them into the Coach, and the Prisoner at the Bar was taking the things on the other Side; I saw him take hold of the things, I spoke to him, and he dropped them; I cried after him, Stop Thief! and I knocked him down in the middle of the Street; he moved them out of the Place , when I spoke, he dropped them into the Coach again ; they lay the Top of the Edge of the Coach ; I have lost a pretty many things, and I am obliged to look very narrowly; I called out to him . What Business have you with those things? I kept Sight of him, he run just across the Street; I run up to him and knocked him down.

Council. What else did you do, did you put him into an Horsepond?

Southwark. No.

Council. What Time of the Night was this?

Southwark. It was about eight o'Clock; it was about the Grey of the Evening.

Council. Where was the Coachman?

Southwark. The Coachman might be seven or eight Yards from the Door, he was in the Street.

Council. Was it not light enough to see what a Man was doing?

Southwark. It was light enough for that, or I should not have seen him.

Q. Did you see any near him? Was there not People about, passing on all Sides? I suppose you had turned your Back to the Coach?

Southwark. No, my Lord, I stepped out backward, one Foot was on the Step of the Coach, and the other on the Ground.

Q. Who took them off the Seat?

Southwark When I spoke to him, he dropped them and ran, I never lost Sight of the Man; when I had him down, the Coachman came and laid hold of him as well as myself after he was down.

Court to the Prisoner. Will you ask this Witness any Questions ?

Prisoner. What I have to say is, one Mrs Riley came to me and said, one William Harper < no role > This name instance is in set 3509. owed her 4 l. 15 s. I cannot be positive to a Shilling. She asked me if I knew an Officer that would arrest him; I took this Writ out for one William Harper < no role > , I was to decoy him out of the City into Middlesex, in order to arrest him. Mr Pincher and one John Kent < no role > were with us; as we were coming along, this Man knocked me down, and kicked me; I said, Friend, What do you mean? D - n you, he said, you are a Bailiff, you shall be ducked; then he pulled me down the Bull-Inn , he took me into the House, and he said I had pulled a Bundle out of the Coach; I said if I have done that , don't kick me and beat me.

Q. to Hugh Pincher < no role > . Was you present at this Time that has been given an Account of, when Swift went after this Fellow that was to have been arrested?

Pincher. Yes, Sir, I was.

Council . How near was you to this Place in Bishopgate-street ? Give an Account of what you saw when you came there.

Pincher. Mrs Gardner, Mr Kent, Riley, and Swift, came out together in order to arrest Harper, we went, in order to find him, to the Bull-head; I says to Swift, I believe there he is on the other Side of the Way.

Q. And did he run over?

Pincher. I saw him run over.

Council. Was you near this Hackney Coach?

Pincher. I saw him run by it, no otherwise.

Council. When you saw him run by the Hackney Coach, did you see the Porter?

Pincher. Yes, this very Man, and he said to Swift, you have robbed the Coach, you are a Bailiff's Follower , you shall be ducked ; d - n him he is a Bailiff's Follower, we will take him and duck him. I said to the Plaintiff, Mrs Riley, let us get away, we shall be served the same Sauce; we came back in about an Hour, and we heard he was gone to the Compter, and I said, G - d d - n you, tell me for what.

Council to John Kent < no role > . Where was you? Was you at this Transaction? Did you go with Mrs Riley? Who were you in Wait for?

Kent. The Officer is my Acquaintance, they were to arrest one Harper.

Council. Was you got up to the Hackney Coach when Pincher gave that Word? Did you see the Prisoner along the Side of the Coach?

Kent. I saw him run by the Coach.

Council. Then if he had stopped to take any thing up, you must have seen him?

Kent. I must have seen him.

Q. to Mrs Gardner. Was you present at this Time in Bishopsgate street? How near was you to this Coach?

Gardner. About fifteen or sixteen Yards, and I heard the Officer say to Swift, run over, I believe he is there at the other Side of the Coach.

Council. When Pincher said there is the Fellow on the other Side of the Way, run and see, were they then got up to the Hackney Coach when Pincher gave this Word of Command to run? Did he stop at the Hackney Coach?

Gardner. He did not, I heard somebody cry out, Stop him ! Stop him ! he is a Bailiff's Follower .

Council to Mary Riley < no role > . I think you had some Demands against Harper? You went along with Mr Pincher in order to catch him, when you came into Bishopsgate-street, was Swift along with you?

Riley. Upon my Oath he was.

Council . When Pincher gave the Word, was he near the Coach?

Riley. He flew like Lightning.

Council. I ask you whether he stopped at the Hackney Coach?

Riley. He never was nor never put his Hand near the Coach.

Council . Was there any Outcry ?

Riley. Yes, Sir, the Cry was, Bailiffs, take him into the Yard and duck him.

Q. to - Blackburn. How long have you known Swift?

Blackburn. I have known him near three Years, he has dealt with me, I am a Grocer and Oilman, and I deal in Wood; he has dealt with me, laid out about 18 l. I have often gone by his House, and I have seen him at work.

Q. What Character does he bear?

Blackburn. I never heard but that he was an industrious Man.

Renten. I have known him upwards of two Years, and I have entrusted him with many Things of Value.

Q. What Character does he bear?

Renten . That of an honest Man.

Smith. I have known him six Years, and the People that I have heard speak of him, speak well of him; what I saw of him was, that he behaved well.

Abraham Larden < no role > . I entrusted him to take in Money for me, I have allowed him about 2 s. in the Pound: Since he has been confined, he had the Value of 40 l. in his Hands, and what he gave me an Account of, I found every thing to be true to a Half-penny.

Goddard. I have known the Prisoner two Years, I live in Covent-garden.

Q. What Character does the Prisoner bear?

Goddard. He is an Ivory Turner, the Character he bears is a very honest one.

Acquitted .