106, 107. (M.) Jane Knight proceedingsdefend , widow , and Ann Clements proceedingsdefend , spinster , were indicted for stealing one stuff pocket, val. 2 d. one cloth cardinal, val. 9 s. four linnen shifts, val. 6 s. four linnen shirts, val. 6 s. one dimmity stock, one linnen apron, eight linnen caps, one muslin handkerchief, one brass pepper-box, four linnen handkerchiefs, and 7 s. in money numbered , the property of William Ashworth proceedingsvictim , Jan. 13 . *

William Ashworth < no role > . I live in Bowl-yard, St. Giles's. About 9 o'clock on the 13th of January last, at night, as I was in bed, my wife fell into a fit; she was pulling off her gown, and it struck against the candle, and put it out: I was obliged to hold her: I heard somebody in the passage; I called, and begged they would come in and light my candle for me: she had 2 fits, which continued some time. I had seen some linnen in a tub that day, which my wife had put there ready for washing. And in the morning my wife first missed her pocket, then her cardinal, then she went to look for the linnen, and that was all gone.

Q. Who lighted the candle for you?

Ashworth. Clements did. Jane Knight < no role > lived in the same house, she was coming down stairs as we missed the things, we called her into the room, and told her our loss. My wife said she had not a farthing left in the world, and desired she would go and pawn a gown for her. She went with it, and the pawnbroker would not take it in. Then my wife, and she, went to the alehouse for a dram; there the landlord informed her, there had been a woman at his house drying wet linnen by the fire that night, who had set her up some drams there, and that he should know her again if he saw her. Then Knight said, do not be afraid about your cardinal, for a young woman brought it to her room: she delivered it to my wife, and went with her and me in search of Clements; and at Clements's mother's house, in the Coal-yard, there we found my wife's pocket; we took the mother in charge till we found the daughter: when she was taken, she confessed she had sold a shirt and a shift to a woman in St. Giles's for 18 d. which we found accordingly: we found one of my wife's aprons, not quite dry, at Mr. Desalear's, a pawnbroker, pawned in the name of Jane Knight < no role > ; after that we got a search warrant, and found there 3 handkerchiefs pawned in her name.

Ann Ashworth < no role > . I am wife to the prosecutor.

She confirmed the account given by her husband, with this addition, That Clements owned she took away a white apron full of linnen, which she lost in the street. (The shirt, shift, and apron produced in court, and deposed to by the prosecutor's wife.)

Anthony Desalear < no role > . I am a pawnbroker, I live in Holborn. Jane Knight < no role > brought this check apron, and pawned it with me on the 13th of Jan. about 9 or 10 at night; she had brought 2 handkerchiefs the day before. (Produced in court and deposed to.)

Mary Weatherly < no role > . I live in St. Giles's, and keep a sale shop in a cellar. I bought this shirt and shift, here produced, of Jane Knight < no role > ; it was some time since Christmas, I cannot tell the exact time.

Knight's Defence.

I found the 2 handkerchiefs as I was coming down stairs, they were all dirty, that was a week before she says she was robbed.

Clements's Defence.

I washed the things for the prosecutor's wife, she was drunk, she sent for half a pint of gin to make me drink. Another woman came in, she charged her with taking the things. She went out, and came home with her gown torn from her back, and said she was stopt in the street: she gave me a shirt and a shift to make me a handkerchief of. She makes it her practice to take poor creatures lives away. She was in Newgate herself a sessions or two ago

Prosecutrix. I was, but I was discharged. I have a good opinion of Jane Knight < no role > ; I believe this woman was the most to blame.

Knight Acquitted .

Clements Guilty 10 d. T .