Maria Cozens

116

Tony Beale on 7th October 2021

Old Bailey Online 2156. MARY WILLIAMS and MARIA COZENS were indicted for stealing, on the 6th of October , 1 watch, value 50s.; 1 watch-chain, value 1s.; 1 seal, value 7s., and 2 watch-keys, value 2s., the goods of William Johnston , from his person ; and WILLIAM KIMBLEY was indicted for feloniously receiving the same, knowing them to have been stolen ; against the Statute, &c. WILLIAM JOHNSTON. I am a mariner . On the evening of the 6th of October, a few minutes after eleven o'clock, I met Williams and another woman in Back-lane, near Ratcliff-highway, in Stepney; I did not see Cozens at that time, nor any man - they asked me to give them some gin; I told them to go about their business, and gave them sixpence to get rid of them; I said I was going on board a ship - they followed me to the canal basin , and then Williams took my watch out of my pocket; I took hold of her hand, and never let go till I got her to the watch-house, which was close by; the other woman ran off while I was feeling in Williams' hand and breast for my watch - I cannot say whether it was Cozens; I was told to appear before the Magistrate, and then I went down with the ship, and was written for to come up; the watch was not found on Williams - it was gone in a moment; I do not know what became of it. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. She might have thrown it away? A. Yes - or given it away. WILLIAM ASHFORD . I am a pawnbroker. I have a watch pawned with me, on the 7th of October, by Cozens and Kimbley, in the name of John Smith. WILLIAM WEBB . I am a headborough. On the night of the 6th of October, Williams was brought to the watch-house by the prosecutor, charged with stealing his watch; I searched her, but found nothing - but recollecting I had seen her in company with Cozens, who she always walked with, I went to look for her, but could not find her till the 10th, when she was with another girl, who she called her sister; I searched her - she said she was innocent; I said it was useless to say so, as William had made a split of it- she said "If she split, I'll split too, if you will be favourable to me;" I said that was not in my power; she then said she and Williams met the prosecutor in the Back-road- Williams asked him to go home, and she, Williams, drew the watch from him, and she went and told Kimbley,(who cohabits with Williams,) of it, and I should be likely to find him at his mother's, Mrs. Smith's - he had come to the watch-house while Williams was there, and gone away again; I went to Smith's - knocked some time at the door; they did not open it - I peeped through the key-hole, and saw a man make his escape out at the back-door; I got in, and found somebody had gone out with naked feet, as there were the marks on the damp ground; I scaled the wall, and found a bit of braces; I then heard a woman in the next house scream out that a man was there; I called to a watchman, who found Kimbley there. Cross-examined. Q. You told an untruth in saying that Williams had split? A. She had told me she had been in trouble before through Cozens - she had said nothing about this watch; I meant to say she had said enough to convince me she was in it.(Property produced and sworn to.) WILLIAMS' Defence. I was returning from Poplar, and met this man, who told me he had lost a watch - we stood talking some time, then he took me to the watch-house; I knew nothing about it. KIMBLEY'S Defence. I own pawning the watch, but that witness did not take it in. WILLIAMS - GUILTY . Aged 26. COZENS - GUILTY . Aged 22. KIMBLEY - GUILTY . Aged 24. Transported for Fourteen Years .