Mary Bates

Level 135

C H on 10th March 2024

Old Bailey Online MARY BATES. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 26th June 1809. Text type Trial account Defendants MARY BATES Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 26th June 1809 Reference Number t18090626-8 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 532. MARY BATES was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 20th of June , three candlesticks, value 4 s. 6 d. a curtain, value 7 s. four tablecloths, value 8 s. two napkins, value 2 s. and two handkerchiefs, value 2 s. the property of James Griffiths . JAMES GRIFFITHS . I keep the Horn tavern by St. Paul's ; the prisoner was in my service, she was with me about four months; the things are all in court, when they are produced, I shall swear to them. On the 20th of June I got a constable and searched all the servant's boxes, among the rest I searched hers; the prisoner acknowledged the box to be hers; she unlocked it in the presence of the constable. Q. Before you sent for the constable, had you any suspicion of her stealing these things - A. Not any; my charge was generally against all the servants, I did not know particularly who had committed the fact. Q. What was it you found in her box - A. Nothing of my property; something like a duplicate; that strengthened my suspicion; I enquired of her what induced her to leave my house that morning, she said she had gone into Little Brittain to a particular acquaintance of hers, Mrs. Cox, the White Swan; I went with the constable and enquired, I found by the mistress of the house that she had not been there; she then said that she had been down Ludgate-hill; I sent the constable to the pawnbrokers, and other people to different pawnbrokers; the first thing that was found was a curtain at Mr. Flemings; it was pawned there for seven shillings. Q. When that curtain was produced, did you know it to be yours - A. I did, I had others of the same pattern; I had only missed it that morning, they were going to be washed and calendered, and he put up again; that was the first thing that caused my suspicion. On it being brought before her she owned that she had pawned it that morning. The three candlesticks were sent in to me by a pawnbroker very near to me, his name is Robert Peart , he lives in Little Knight Rider-street; them were shewn to the prisoner, she acknowledged the theft. I know the other things all to be mine, by the marks. PETER CARY . I am beadle of the ward; Mr. Griffiths gave charge of her on suspicion of stealing the curtain; she denied knowing any thing of the curtain till she saw it, and then she acknowledged to pawning it. I took her to the compter. CHARLES TAYLOR . I am servant to Mr. Peart, pawnbroker. Q. Do you know the person of the woman at the bar - A. Yes; she has been in the habit of using our shop about a month; the three candlesticks were pawned by the prisoner in the name of Mary Smith ; she pawned them for one shilling each; one on the 14th of May, one on the 30th, and one on the 14th of June; the constable took them away; there is a pillow case and two handkerchiefs pawned on the 10th of May, I took them in; I cannot say who was the person that pawned them. THOMAS THOMAS . I am servant to Mr. Fleming pawnbroker, Fleet-market. I took two table clothes and two napkins in pledge, in the name of Gregory. Q. Can you say that the prisoner was the person that pledged them - A. I cannot. Q. Did you take in a curtain - A. I did, on the 20th of June of the prisoner; she pledged it between nine and ten o'clock for seven shillings. JAMES LAWSON . I am servant to Thomas Cotterill pawnbroker, Shoe-lane. I took in these two tableclothes, one on the 15th of May, and the other on the 25th; I took it in of the prisoner, in the name of Gregory; I have seen her frequently, I know her person well; I advanced four shillings on the 15th, and the next five shillings, in the name of Smith. The property produced and identified. Prisoner's Defence. I never pawned any tableclothes at Mr. Flemings in my life. It is the first crime ever I committed, I hope it will be the last. I hope the gentlemen will have mercy on me. GUILTY , aged 28. Transported for Seven Years .