7. ALICE HAYNES proceedingsdefend was indicted for stealing, on the 14th day of November last, one card of black lace, containing seventeen yards three quarters, value 30 s . the property of Gilbert Pudner proceedingsvictim .

Mrs. PUDNER sworn.

The prisoner came into our shop, No. 113, Fleet-street , the 14th of November, on a Wednesday, between three and four in the afternoon, for some black lace for the neck of a cloak; Mr. Pudner called for a drawer of black lace; I immediately went out and handed it to him; the prisoner was talking about the lace, but looking at Mr. Pudner's face, that made me suspect that she was not an honest woman, she kept finding fault with the lace; a gentleman came in and spoke to me, which took off my eye for a minute; but I observed her turning to the door, and I thought she had four cards of lace in her hand, but I was not sure; her back was towards me, she gave a shuffle, she had a long black cloak on, but she returned to the counter with three cards in her hand; she threw two cards into the drawer, and asked the price of the third; she had not her left arm in her arm holes, but she had it close to her side, and she brought every thing to that arm without moving it; and I strongly suspected she had a card of lace under her arm, and I hesitated some minutes before I took up her cloak to look, and when I did, says she, my dear, what do you want? I leaned over, and she hove up her elbow, and I saw the card of lace slide from under her arm; I did not see it under her arm, I only saw it slide down; this is the card; she was a great deal more composed than I was; we sent for a constable, and she was committed.

Are you sure that card was one of those that were in the shop before? - Yes.

Mr. Garrow, Prisoner's Counsel. Mrs. Pudner, how far from the door was this woman standing, at the time she was cheapening the lace? - It may be a yard.

Your's is a narrow shop; is not it? - Not very broad.

She was looking towards the door to look at the lace? - She turned to the door.

That is the best situation of examining any commodity that is in your shop? - Yes.

After that she returned three pieces into the box, and you thought she had four? - Yes.

She was then talking about the price of one? - Yes, when I looked at her, I saw the lace slip down.

I believe you found afterwards that she had been buying some other commodity at Mr. Lee's, your neighbour? - Yes, she said she had been at the next door to enquire for lace; that I found to be true of Mr. Lee; I never saw her before in my life to my knowledge.

At the time you was serving her, Mr. Pudner was there, and your niece? - Yes.

You said she had a long sattin cloak on with arm holes in it? - Yes.

And you talked of some motion that was natural enough? - Yes, it might.

You have recently before lost a good deal of property? - Yes.

HENRY PUDNER < no role > sworn.

I was in the shop when this woman was in the shop; she came in and asked for some black lace; I asked her of what quality; she said, to trim the neck of a cloak; I set a drawer of lace before her; she said it was not good enough, she wanted something exceedingly handsome; I then called my wife to bring me a drawer of handsome lace; I cannot say I had any immediate suspicion of her; she said she had just been at my neighbour's, and bought a pair of gloves, and they had no lace to suit her; I said I hoped to suit her, as I supposed she came to purchase; she had a long sattin cloak on, and neither of her arms were in the arm holes; of a sudden I saw my wife pull her cloak; the woman said, what would you have, my dear? and I heard something drop on the floor; and a lad came round and picked up this card of lace.

SARAH MANWARING < no role > sworn.

I saw the card of black lace through the arm-hole of her cloak, at the time Mrs. Pudner was pulling her cloak aside; I saw it sliding down the arm-hole of her cloak.

Prisoner. I leave it all to my Counsel.

The prisoner called four witnesses, who all gave her a very good character.

GUILTY .

Transported for seven years .

Tried by the London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.