Old Bailey Proceedings:
Old Bailey Proceedings: Accounts of Criminal Trials

11th January 1753

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Currently Held: Harvard University Library

LL ref: t17530111-18




75, 76. ( M.) John Simpson proceedingsdefend This name instance is in set 3096927. , and James Ellice proceedingsdefend , were indicted for stealing five silk handkerchiefs, value 15 s. the goods of John Gillingham proceedingsvictim , privately in the shop of the said John . January 6 . +

John Dillingham < no role > . The two prisoners came into my shop last Saturday, being the 6th of this month; they asked to see some silk handkerchiefs, I shewed them several sorts, and they fix'd upon one particular sort, and asked the price of them, I said 5 s, 6 d. they bid me 3 s. 6 d. and on looking over my handkerchiefs I missed a parcel of a particular pattern, which I knew I had taken down to shew them.

Q. Where were the prisoners when you missed them ?

Dillingham. They were then in the shop: I stepped round the counter, and took Ellice by the collar, who began to swear when I asked for them, and said he had non. I opened his coat, but saw them not. Then Simpson pull'd them from under his cloaths; I could not see from where, but it was from about him, and flung them on the compter; on which I sent for a constable, and they were secured and taken before justice Fielding; there Ellice behaved very saucily; the other said little.

Q. Were any body else in the shop besides them?

Dillingham. No, there was not, they flung down 3 s. 6 d. several times, and would fain have had one of the handkerchiefs, and gone off.

The five handkerchiefs produced in court, and deposed to.

The prisoners said in their defence, they went in with a design to buy only.

Guilty 4 s . 10 d.

[Transportation. See summary.]




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