84. ANN THORNTON proceedingsdefend , spinster , was indicted for stealing a pair of leather pumps, value 3 s. two pair of men's leather shoes, value 12 s. two leather shoes, value 6 s. and one stuff shoe, value 2 s. the property of James Belcher Ball proceedingsvictim , privately and secretly in the shop of the said James , December 16th .

JAMES BELCHER BALL < no role > sworn.

I am a shoe-maker , and live at Kensington . The prisoner came into my shop on the 16th of December to enquire after a pair of shoes which she had before bespoke. I happened to step up stairs upon some business, and upon my return I perceived that a pair of leather pumps which hung upon some hooksin my shop to dry were missing; I followed her out of the shop and asked her if she had not taken the pumps; she said, how could I think any such thing as that? and she wished God Almighty might strike her dead if she had any such thing. I took her back to the shop, and said I would send for a constable.

Did you at that time miss any thing besides these pumps? - Not at that time; I had missed a great number of shoes before that. When I threatened to send for a constable, the prisoner took the pumps out of her pocket and begged I would forgive her; I told her she had robbed me of a great quantity of goods, and I was determined to punish her. Then she confessed that she had pawned in Oxford-street, two pair of men's shoes which she had stolen from me. She likewise confessed selling two pair of shoes and two odd ones; the fellows to which odd shoes a woman purchased of me afterwards. The next morning the officer and I went and searched the prisoner's lodging; I found a shoe upon the foot of the prisoner's sister.

MARY REYNOLDS < no role > sworn.

I keep a clothes shop at Knightsbridge. The prisoner brought a pair of shoes and two odd shoes to my shop, and asked me to buy them; I scrupled buying them on account of two of the shoes being odd ones.

Did not you enquire from that circumstance how she came by them? - Yes; she said her father was ill in the hospital, and starving for want of necessaries; that he had taken a shop at Kensington Gravel-pits, and that the two odd ones were fellows to two shoes her father had sold in mistake; and as soon as her father got better she said he should make two shoes to match them. I gave her 4 s. for the four shoes.

What is the fair value of those shoes? - I cannot tell. I sell a great many shoes and odd kind of things old and new.

To the Prosecutor. What is the value of the shoes? - One pair seven shillings, and the other, to the best of my remembrance, seven shillings and sixpence; they were bespoke work. This woman has four small children, and therefore I did not prosecute her.

Court to Reynolds. I hope you have not many such dealings as these? - I never bought any such before.

Court. If there were not such people as you there would be fewer thieves.

Have you the shoes here which you purchased of the prisoner? - There are the two odd shoes (producing them) I had of the prisoner; I sold the pair of shoes for four shillings.

SAMUEL CLAY < no role > sworn.

I am a pawnbroker, and live at No. 180 Oxford-street. Here are two pair of men's shoes, one pair I took in pawn of the prisoner on the 11th, the other pair my wife took of her on the 8th. We lent her four shillings upon them.

Had you any knowledge of her? - I never saw her before; she said her father was a shoemaker.

(They were produced in court and deposed to by the prosecutor.)

THOMAS FINE < no role > sworn.

I am a peace officer at Kensington. Ball came to my house on the 16th of December, he had a pair of shoes in his hand; and the prisoner confessed she had stolen them. These are the shoes (producing them) which Mr. Ball put into my hand. (They were likewise deposed to by the prosecutor.) I refused to receive them of Ball till she said she had taken them from Mr. Ball, and she hoped he would forgive her. The next day I went and searched her lodging, and found this odd shoe upon her sister's foot.

(It was produced in court and deposed to by the prosecutor.)

PRISONER's DEFENCE.

Mr. Ball promised to forgive me if I would tell where the things were; and he had his shoes again.

To Mr. Ball. Did you make her any promise? - She strongly wanted to prevail upon me to forgive her; I always made answer to such importunities, that as she hadrobbed me of a great quantity of shoes I certainly would punish her.

GUILTY of stealing the goods but not guilty of stealing them privately in the shop .

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury before Mr. BARON PERRYN < no role > .

[Whipping. See summary.]

[Imprisonment. See summary.]