179. (M.) Elizabeth Glascow proceedingsdefend , spinster , was indicted for stealing one pair of laced ruffles, value 5 l. the property of Hannah Crosby proceedingsvictim , and Ann Crosby proceedingsvictim , spinster s, privately, in their shop , January 14 . ++

Hannah Crosby < no role > . I am a milliner , in partnership with my sister, Ann Crosby < no role > . On the 14th of January, between 7 and 8 in the evening, the prisoner came to our shop, and wanted to look at a Sattin bonnet: I shewed her one: After that she looked at some cloaks: She bid two guineas for a sattin cloak; I said I could not take under three; she said she would consider on it, and come again on Monday morning, as we had agreed for the bonnet. I had a very fine pair of laced ruffles, that I had made up for the queen's birth-day, which hung upon a line in the window; I went to open a glass-case, and, on turning my head about, I miss'd the ruffles; I immediately took hold of her cloak, and said, you have robbed me of a pair of Dresden ruffles: She had her hands under a long black cloak; she turned herself aside, and said, I have not your ruffles; don't go to say that I have your ruffles. She was then on the threshold of the door; then she had, as I thought, an opportunity to drop them: I kept hold of her arm and cloak and pulled her, and said she should go into the back parlour: She did not seem unwilling to go. When I had got her into the middle of the shop, I left her, and went to the door; there I took up the ruffles, all done up together like a pocket handkerchief; they did not appear at all like ruffles; I shook them out, then I saw they were the ruffles I miss'd; but I miss'd the bosom: I told her I miss'd the bosom; she shook her apron, and I found the bosom of the ruffles lying at her feet: I took her in to the parlour; she behaved very impudent and very rude. We found in her pocket a gause cap, doubled up as the ruffles: that was not mine. I took her before Sir Sir John Fielding < no role > . She told me she was a girl of the town, and had been but four days in town. She said her name was Glascow: The justice's clerk asked her how long she had been of that name; he said she had been in custody before. She was there desired to turn her pocket; she did, and there was not a halfpenny-piece in it.

Prisoner's Defence.

I went into the shop to buy a hat; she asked eight shillings for it; I offered her seven: She went and put up the bonnet, and said, Where are my ruffles? I said, I had none: She put me in the parlour, and slapp'd my face, and used me cruelly; and after that she found her ruffles.

Prosecutrix. I no ways used her ill.

Guilty 4 s. T .