357. MARY WALKER proceedingsdefend was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 30th of May , a tea caddy, value 20 s. a writing desk, value 9 s. two seals, value 1 s. a penknife, value 6 d. three ink glasses, value 6 d. half a pound of lump sugar, value 6 d. and a quarter of a pound of tea, value 1 s. 6 d. the property of Samuel Williams proceedingsvictim .

FRANCIS MACKENNA < no role > sworn. I am servant to Mr. Williams, No. 13, Finsbury Square . Through information of the clerk I went up stairs, and missed these things; I went in pursuit of her and took her about forty yards from Mr. Williams' house, with the property on her; when I saw the things, I knew them to be Mr. Williams'; I brought her back and left her in the house, and went for an officer.

ANTHONY AUGUSTUS FRY < no role > sworn. I attend at Mr. Williams' as one of his clerks; I was going into Mr. Williams' back gate, I met a woman coming out, I perceived she had something bulky under her cloak; Mr. Young, another clerk, came up, we asked her what she had got there, she said nothing, she had been speaking to the lady; I said there was no lady, she then said the young woman; we let the prisoner go, and asked the servants if they had seen such a person; they said no; they went to see if any thing was missing, and as soon as they found any thing was missing, four of us went in pursuit of her different ways, I went the wrong way.

Q. When she was brought back did you know whose property the caddy and the desk were. - A. No.

Q. Was the woman at the bar the person whom you saw the desk taken from. - A. Yes.

ROBERT SNELL < no role > YOUNG sworn. Q. Do you live with Mr. Williams. - A. I do; I saw the prisoner pass by the door as I was sitting in the counting-house, and as she was going out I went and asked her what she wanted, she said nothing, she had been speaking with the lady; I asked her what lady, she said the young woman, and from something that I saw projecting under her cloak I had some suspicions; I went and enquired of the servants if they had seen such a person, they said no; the first witness then went into the room to see if there was any thing missing; he immediately missed the tea caddy; we then went in pursuit of her, she was brought back to the house, I saw the tea caddy and the writing desk in her possession, and I went with her to the officer.

JOHN ARMSTRONG < no role > sworn. I am an officer. On the 30th of May I was sent for; Bishop and I went to Mr. William's house, I found the prisoner in the yard, and received charge of her and took her to the office; I received the tea chest and the desk at the office from Mr. Mackenna, they were tied up in this apron, which the prisoner said was hers.

Q.(to Mackenna) Did you know them before you saw them in the possession of the woman. - A. Yes, I can swear that they belong to Mr. Williams, they were taken from the back parlour; I missed the tea caddy immediately the alarm was given, I had seen them she morning before, one of the seals in the desk was marked with a W, the other is a wafer stamp; I have no doubt but the whole is Mr. Williams' property.

Prisoner's Defence. I leave myself entirely to the mercy of the court; I have four small children, my husband left me quite in distress.

GUILTY , aged 40.

[The prisoner was recommended to mercy by the jury.]

First Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Justice Chambre.