375. SUSANNAH proceedingsdefend (a negro) was indicted for feloniously stealing, on the 10th of July , in the dwelling house of Thomas Bridges proceedingsvictim , Esq . forty-two yards of chequered and striped muslin, value 6l. fourteen yards of cambrick, value 2l. 2s. sixty-one yards of muslin, value 9l. 10s. six yards of callico, value 12s. twelve muslin aprons, value 1l. 10s, thirty-three muslin handkerchiefs, value 3l. six cambrick pocket handkerchiefs, value 10s. two muslin handkerchiefs, with red and gold borders, value 2s. three linen shifts, value 3s. three pair of dimity pockets, value 10s. three pair of cotton stockings, value 2s. a pair of stuff shoes, value 2s. a pair of leather shoes, value 1s. a lace vail, value 1l. twelve yards of muslin edging, value 12s. two yards of lace, value 5s. four pieces of ribbon, containing twenty yards, value 10s. a cotton gown,value 5s. a muslin petticoat, value 2s. 2l. muslin cap, value 1s. a muslin handkerchief and tucker, value 1s. the goods of the said Thomas Bridges < no role > ; and a ten pound bank note his property .

POLLY HILL BRIDGES < no role > sworn.

Q. What relation are you to Mr. Bridges? - His wife.

Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar? - Yes, she lived in my family, a servant , about nine years. I missed this property after this girl went away from my house; she left the house on the 19th of July last.

Q. Were you apprized of her going away then? - No, I was not.

Q. Was she a hired servant to you? - No. she was not.

Q. Had she lived with you ever since she came from abroad? - Yes.

Q. You paid her no wages? - None at all.

Q. What name did she go by in your service? - Susannah.

Q. You never knew any other name she had? - No.

Q. Did you miss the things before she was gone? - No, I did not miss any of them till a week after she was gone.

Q. Had you heard of her before you missed the things? - No, I had not.

Q. What was it you missed? - I cannot exactly say, they are set down.

Q. They are chiefly your own wearing apparel? - Entirely mine.

Q. What do you know about any bank note? - I had a bank note in the chest with the muslins.

Q. Were all the things that you missed in the same chest? - No, they were not, they were in two or three chests.

Q. How lately had you seen this bank note in the chest before you missed it? - I suppose about a fortnight before.

Q. Had you any account of the number? - No, I had not.

Q. What was the sum? - Ten pound.

Q. How did your chests appear to be opened? - None appeared to be opened, I left them locked and found them locked.

Q. What was it you first missed? - Some of the wearing apparel.

Q. Did you on that examine all the chests? - I did.

Q. And it was on that examination you missed the other things? - It was.

Q. Did you ever see, and when, any of the property you lost again? - Yes, I see it soon after I missed it, when she was apprehended.

Q. In whose possession was it that you see it? - In the constable's, William Golby.

Q. What was it that Mr. Golby produced to you? - A large bundle of different pieces of musling and wearing apparel.

Q. You knew them to be your's as soon as you see them? - Yes.

Q. What was the bank note in? - In piece of paper.

Q. Had you received it and put it there yourself? - Yes, I had.

WILLIAM GOSBY < no role > sworn.

Q. Where do you live? - At Canterbury, a constable. On the 13th of August last I received a warrant from the Mayor to apprehend Susannah, a black girl; I received information that she had lodgings at one Mr. Read's, a school master; I went to the house, Mr. Read directed me into her appartment, the girl was laying there on the bed.

Q. What time of the day was it? -About five in the afternoon; I told her. she must go before the Mayor of Canterbury, I did not tell her for what then; I asked her whether she had any boxes, or any thing in the room that belonged to her, she pointed then to a trunk, which trunk I took with me to the Mayor with her, the Mayor asked her some few questions, and he desired to have the key of the trunk; the first thing that presented was a pair of shoes; the Mayor would not look any further into the box, but gave me the key of the trunk, and desired me to comeup to town with it, and take the prisoner to Bow-Street, which I did.

Q. Were you present when the box was opened at Bow-Street? - Yes.

Q. What was found? - These articles.(Produced) they were taken out of the box and tied up in this cloth before justice Bond; it was delivered to me, and Lady Bridges had it from me, as justice Bond thought it would be troublesome for me to take it with me to Canterbury.

Q. Of whom did you receive it again? - Of Lady Bridges.

Q. To Mrs. Bridges. We understand from Mr. Gosby, that he delivered a bundle to you at the public office; what did you do with that bundle? - I have kept it locked up ever since, till I delivered it to him this morning. (Deposes to the articles produced.)

Q. Where were they put? - They were in different chests.

Q. This house is Mr. Bridges, he rents it, does he? - Yes.

Q. How long have you lived there? -About three years.

Q.What part of the house were the chests kept in? - In two different rooms.

Q. How lately had you seen them before you missed them? - I really cannot tell how long, but a very short time.

Prisoner. I have nothing to say.

Court to Mrs. Bridges. How did she come into your service? - I bought her when she was a girl; I brought her with me from the East Indies; she is extremely young, not now fifteen; I am afraid she has been ill advised, or she never would have committed such a crime.

Q. Then you had a good opinion of her till this time? - A very good opinion of her.

GUILTY.

Of stealing to the value of 39s .(Aged 15.)

Transported for seven years .

Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. Baron THOMPSON.