386. ANN MAYWOOD proceedingsdefend and SARAH COWDEN proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 3734. This set is in the group(s): MothersCD . were indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 14th of August , a bushel of wheat, value 10s. the goods of William Jones proceedingsvictim .(The case opened by Mr. Valiant.)

WILLIAM JONES < no role > sworn.

I live at Brentford. I rent a hundred and thirty pounds a year fields in Hanwell parish . We had missed wheat out of the field for several mornings, what was taken was from that that was in sheaves and reaps.

Q. Did you see it on the 14th of August? - Yes. My man brought these two women whom he had taken with wheat.

Q. Did you see the wheat that they had? - Yes; the wheat was in their aprons, with about half a foot of straw, cut off as level as could be

Q. Did the quantity cut off appear as near as possible to be the quantity that was wanting on the sheaves. - Yes.

Q. What quantity of sheaves had they? - As much as they could carry; and theyhad in the house of one of them two five bushel sacks full.

Q. Do you think they had a bushel? - No, it may be half a bushel.

Q. Was there any other corn down in the neighbourhood? - Not a bit.

Q. Was what you found in their aprons all cut in this way? - Yes, every bit.

Q. Was what you found in the house? - Yes. In the afternoon we found the straw hid, a great deal in the field, and some straw throwed over the hedge into a lane, which was adjoining to it.

ROBERT HAWKINS sworn.

Q. Are you a servant to Mr. Jones? - Yes The 14th of August I got up about five o'clock; I was at this field about a quarter after five, I see he two prisoners in the little lane close to the field, it joins the field; they had two bundles of corn; I took the corn from them; I will not say whether it was up on their heads or under their arms; they said they would make me sorry for taking their corn. It was wheat about half a foot long, ears and all; the corn was almost as high as I am that was in the field.

Q. Was there any corn in the neighbourhood besides your's? - Yes, some standing corn just by, belonging to Mr. Nellett. Afterwards I went into the field, and there was some straw that was left in the field where the wheat had been cut from it; I went a little further and I found some more, and I went a little further and I found some more. It was left as it was cut off. I suppose they were not above six yards from the field when I first saw them. I carried the bundles into the field and then I followed them; I took them and took them to Brentford.

Q. Did you go to their house? - No. My fellow servant see them before me.

Court. I want to know in what condition you found the straw. - A good handful together, and then another handful, and so on.

Q. Did you find any straw about the wheat that had been reaped? - They had pulled it out of the sheaves and then cut it off about the girt.

Q. Supposing they had been gleaning, would it have been scattered in the same manner? - They could not be gleaning there, because the corn covered all the ground, it lay scattered for the sake of drying.

RICHARD STEVENHILL < no role > sworn.

I am a working man.

Q. Did you see these prisoners on the 14th of August? - Yes, I see them get over Mr. Jone's gate, over the field, coming towards Brentford; they thought I was the farmer, and when I came up to them, one of them said, he be d-mned, he a farmer; and they went on towards Brentford; they had got a little bundle under their arms, each of them, of wheat.

Q. How long was the straw? - Pretty nigh full length as it was cut.

Q. Was there any other field of corn reaped? - Not that I know of.

Prisoner Cowden. I was leasing in the field near the old Hats, and came across this field for nearness, we got over the gate to come into the road, and Mr. Jones's man came up to us and took the corn from us.

Prisoner Maywood. We were leasing at the Old Hats, and I picked up four handfuls of corn, and we went across Mr. Jones's field for nearness, and we met Mr. Jones's man, and he asked us where we had been? and I said, it is nothing to you where we have been; and he said, that is my master's property, and I will take it away from you.

Jury to Hawkins. Is the field a thoroughfare? - No, I don't know that I ever see any go that way for that purpose.

Q. This corn was all laying down? - No, some was standing.

Ann Maywood, GUILTY . (Aged 29.)

Sarah Cowden < no role > This name instance is in set 3734. This set is in the group(s): MothersCD . , GUILTY. (Aged 20.)

Imprisoned three months in Newgate and fined 1s.

Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. Justice ROOKE.