Joseph Andrey

135

C H on 19th April 2024

Old Bailey Online EDWARD WHITAKER. JOSEPH AUDREY. SARAH WALKER. Theft; shoplifting. 16th February 1791 Text type Trial account Defendants EDWARD WHITAKER, JOSEPH AUDREY, SARAH WALKER Offences Theft > Shoplifting Session Date 16th February 1791 Reference Number t17910216-18 Verdicts Guilty > Lesser offence Punishments Transportation 117. EDWARD WHITAKER , JOSEPH AUDREY , and SARAH WALKER were indicted for stealing, on the 14th day of February last, eleven silk and cotton handkerchiefs, the property of William South , privately in his shop . WILLIAM SOUTH sworn. I keep a haberdasher's shop , in Silver-street, Wood-street . The prisoners stole some handkerchiefs out of my shop: I was not at home. DEBORAH SOUTH sworn. I am sister to the prosecutor. I heard a kind of rustling in the shop; I looked up and missed the handkerchiefs; I said, the handkerchiefs are gone: they were hanging on a wire near the shop door: there were forty-two of them: I did not see them go: I called a lady from above stairs and my brother; and she was taken the next day; I saw her at Guildhall: it was about half after seven as near as I can justly say: it was last Monday evening. REBECCA MADDEN sworn. I was up stairs; I came down on the call immediately: I spoke to the woman at the bar, and she appeared very much frightened. I know nothing further than what this lady has said. She bid us good night. RICHARD WILLEY sworn. I am a patrol belonging to St. Sepulchre's within. I was going my rounds in Long-lane, between two and three, and I and my partner went in there, and we saw Whitaker and Audrey in the publick-house; the Half Moon; the name is Meredith: I took particular notice of their swearing and blasting, and of those handkerchiefs, which were about Whitaker's neck, that they were not trimmed; and I took them for thieves: I searched Whitaker, and took these two handkerchiefs on him, but nothing else: Whitaker said, he bought the handkerchiefs in Golden-lane, and gave eighteen-pence a piece for them; the other prisoner said, he gave three shillings for his; Audrey open and voluntarily said, Whitaker took them out of a shop in Silver-street, while he was standing by; I told him, if he would make his story good before the Alderman, he might shew him some mercy; but he said nothing before the Alderman: I saw him sign the confession himself, and I saw the magistrate sign it; and Sir James Sanderson said he would contrive to be on the bench if he could: after we took the prisoners to the Compter I knocked up the young woman in Silver-street, and informed her. There was no promise or threat in the world. (The examination read, omitting the name of the woman.) "London. The voluntary confession "and examination of Edward Whitaker , "taken before me, as follows: he says, "that on Monday evening last, the 14th "of this instant February, he went into "the shop of Mr. William South , of Silver-street, "and took therefrom a parcel "of silk and cotton handkerchiefs, of "which he believes this produced before "me to be a part. Subscribed with the "letter E. SAMUEL ROBERTS sworn. I am a constable. When they brought up the prisoners I examined them; and Whitaker said, he gave three shillings for the two; Audrey said, he gave three shillings for his one; afterwards he said, they were taken in Silver-street: I believe the patrols made him promises: when he came into the watch-house again, he said he waited against the post, by the Bird Cage, the corner of Silver-street; and after that he said there was a woman with them; then he said, some of them were sold in Rotten-row: we found the handkerchiefs at the daughters of Mrs. Rogers; she delivered them up without any search at all; these are them; here are eight all in one piece. SAMUEL SIMON CARTER sworn. I am another patrol. (Deposed to the same effect.) I took this handkerchief off of Audrey's neck; he said, they stole them from a shop in Silver-street, by Wood-street: Audrey said there was sixteen of them stole, and I heard Whitaker say so. (The handkerchiefs produced.) ESTHER ROGERS sworn. Whitaker and the woman prisoner came and asked me to buy some handkerchiefs; I said no, but looked at one: they said, I should not have one without I bought the whole: I gave ten shillings for the eight handkerchiefs; I laid the money on the counter; but which of them took it I know not: I went to my daughters with intent to make them a present of them; then Roberts and Willey, the officers, came to me for the handkerchiefs, and I went back to my daughter, and gave the officers the handkerchiefs: I keep an old iron shop: my husband is a carpenter. There are eight handkerchiefs in one piece, and three single ones. (The handkerchiefs deposed to by prosecutrix.) There is some marks of paint by which I know them by, which they got from the wire they hung upon; I know them to be the same. JOSEPH AUDREY 's DEFENCE. The officers of the night took me up, and they made me drunk, by giving me so much liquor. EDWARD WHITAKER 's DEFENCE. The woman prisoner shoved me against the window. SARAH WALKER 's DEFENCE. I wish the witnesses to be examined separate. I am a child's pump maker . I never received any money for the handkerchiefs; I know nothing about them: I never saw the other prisoners in my life. The prisoner Whitaker called two witnesses to his character. The jury withdrew for a quarter of an hour, and returned with a verdict WILLIAM WHITAKER , JOSEPH AUDREY , SARAH WALKER , GUILTY, Of stealing, but not privately . Transported for seven years . Tried by the London Jury before Mr. RECORDER.