2. HANNAH WILLIAMS proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 16th of October last one pair of silk stockings, value 11 s. the goods of Mary Smithers proceedingsvictim , privily in her shop .

SAMUEL REEVES < no role > sworn.

I live with Mary Smithers < no role > at Holborn Bars ; she keeps a hatter and hosier's shop ; on the 16th of October, about ten minutes before one, the prisoner and another person came in to ask for some cloth; I told them I had none of the cloth that they wanted, but I had a piece of sleezy at seventeen pence a yard, which they desired me to cut two yards off; the other asked to look at some black silk stockings at about half a guinea, which I shewed them; then for some white silk, which I shewed them; the prisoner paid me for the cloth that I sold her, and went out, the other stayed a little while after; as soon as they were gone I looked at the white silk stockings, and saw several pair gone; I pursued them immediately; I went down Chancery-lane, and met three of them together at the corner of Southampton Buildings; I said to the prisoner, Damn you, you bitch, you have robbed me! she run away, and I saw her drop this pair of stockings out of her hand into a hair-dresser's area; the other two got away, and one of them that had some more of the stockings dropped this pair in Staple's Inn.

Court. Confine yourself to the stockings mentioned in the indictment. - This is the pair that the prisoner had; I secured the prisoner immediately, I stood by the area when she dropped them. (The stockings produced.) I saw them taken out.

Can you swear to them being Mrs. Smithers's? - Yes, Sir, they are my own marking.

Court. What value do you put upon them? I will tell you the consequence of it, if you swear that they are above the value of 5 s. it is a capital offence, and her life is affected if the jury find her guilty. - The stockings cost us 11 s. you may value them at what you please, I would not wish her hanged.

Prisoner's Counsel. Was there any other persons in the shop at this time? - Yes, there was a person that lives in Gloucester-street.

Who else? - Nobody at all.

How many people were there in the shop when she came in? - There were two came in, the prisoner and the other came in together; two came in afterwards, and bought a pair of black worsted stockings, and went out again.

Then there were five in the shop at a time? - Two came in while the prisoner was there.

How many people were to serve in the shop? - Nobody but myself.

Then you had all these people to serve at a time? - Yes.

When you run after this woman you met several together? - I met three.

You laid hold of one, I suppose, the first you came to? - I laid hold of her.

Who else saw her drop the stockings? - Nobody as I know of but myself.

Why this made some little hubbub? - It did; but I do not know that any body saw her drop the stockings but myself.

Were there not other people by? - No.

Nobody by at all? - Not as I know of.

Why, this is a very great thorough-fare? I saw no body by.

Do you mean to swear there was nobody by at the time? - Not that I know of, at the time she threw the stockings.

Now, was not it because you saw an advertisement in the paper? - No Sir.

You saw the advertisement? - Yes.

And that makes you so positive? - A gentleman there offered me 20 l. to make it up two days ago.

Prisoner's counsel. What do you sell them stockings for? - They cost 11 s. into the shop.

Any mark? - There is a mark L. on them, on the toe; they were marked when they came into the shop.

JOHN MASON < no role > , a Negroe sworn.

Court. What are you? - A gentleman's servant.

Where does your master live? - In Staples Inn.

Was you there on the 16th of October, when this woman was taken up? - I was at Staples Inn, and I came down and saw a woman running down the steps as hard as she could run, she run before me and she dropped something, and I called out, halloo mistress you have dropped something, she kept on, then I picked up the stockings.

Was that this woman? - No, this woman did not drop them stockings, whether she dropped any others I do not know.

Court. Where did the woman that run before you drop the stockings? - On the ground.

- BURTON sworn.

I was walking along through Staples Inn, and I met a woman running, thinking it something very extraordinary; she passed me, when I came into Southampton-buildings I saw the prisoner, and this black followed me with the stockings, and said, the woman had dropped them; the prosecutor had hold of her, and the woman cried out to be searched, he called out for a constable, I said you have no occasion for a constable to take a thief; she desired to be searched.

Did you see who it was that threw away the stockings in Southampton buildings? - There was another woman that run past me, and dropped some stockings in Staples-Inn, I did not see who threw them.

ANDREW USHER < no role > sworn.

I serve the prosecutor with some goods; I happened to come past, there were several women in the shop, and when we see people in a shop we never go in; I went further, and when I came into Southampton-buildings, there was a woman with a feather in her hat and very well dressed, threw something in the area.

Was it the prisoner at the bar? - I am sure it was not.

Upon your oath.

Court. Where was this area? - The right hand side of Southampton-buildings, the Barber's shop; the prisoner was on the other side of the way, at that time I saw a mob, the prosecutor laid hold of the woman, she desired to be searched, there was a great mob, somebody gave me a shove; I told the prosecutor I could not get so near to him, or else as I serve him, the affair would not have happened; I am sure that the woman that threw the stockings into the Barber's area, was not this woman, and I endeavoured to tell the prosecutor so then.

BENJAMIN HARRIS < no role > sworn.

I was in Southampton-buildings, I saw a great skirmish, and I saw a woman fling a pair of stockings, over the wooden railing of the area of the Barber's shop; the woman that made her escape was a shortish woman.

Was the prisoner the woman that threw it over into the area, look at her? - That was not the woman, she was on the opposite side of the way when the man seized her.

Court. How was the woman dressed that threw it into the area? - She had a black cloak on, and a hat with something on the top of it.

The prisoner brought two witnesses who gave her a good character.

NOT GUILTY .

Tried by the First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron HOTHAM < no role > .