Sarah Crawford

341

Maureen Withey on 30th January 2023

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 30 January 2023), February 1808, trial of SARAH CRAWFORD CHARLOTTE CHAPMAN (t18080217-71). SARAH CRAWFORD, CHARLOTTE CHAPMAN, Theft > grand larceny, 17th February 1808. 238. SARAH CRAWFORD and CHARLOTTE CHAPMAN were indicted for feloniously stealing on the 24th of December , two counterpanes, value 1 l. 13 s. two table cloths, value 9 s. a shift, value 2 s. two petticoats, value 5 s. a silver tea spoon, value 2 s. and a pair of pockets, value 6 d. the property of Sarah Perkins , widow . SARAH PERKINS . Q. Are you a widow. - A. I am; I live at No. 42, Bread-street, Cheapside . Q. Were there any counterpanes lost any time belonging to you. - A. There was; I missed them on the 23rd of January. Q. Did you miss any table cloths. - A. I missed six, four shifts, four petticoats, four silver tea spoons, four table spoons and a pair of pockets; I had the spoons in common use, I missed them before the other articles; I missed them on the 23rd of December; Sarah Crawford had lived servant with me about seven weeks. Q. Had both the prisoners lived servants withyou. - A. No. Crawford came to me on the 29th of October, and left me on the 23d of December; she left me before I came down in the morning. Leaving me in this way, I thought she had done something that was not proper. I went into her bed chamber, I found I missed out of my trunk in her room two counterpanes; from that I looked in the buffet, where I missed four table spoons and four tea spoons, one salt spoon, and a pair of tea tongs; from that I went up stairs. I missed six table cloths, a sheet, four shifts, one shirt of my son's, one night waistcoat, four petticoats, a head cloth of a bed furniture, and five pair of stockings. - I missed two flat irons a day or two afterwards, and one pair of pockets that was found on the prisoner. I was present when she was taken from a house of ill fame in Whitcombe street, by my brother in law. When she was in the coach she mentioned that she had pledged the spoon herself in Chandos street, and the other prisoner Salmon had pawned the counterpane there likewise. We went into the pawnbroker's shop, the pawnbroker found the counterpane and the tea spoon; I stopped there with the prisoner while my brother in law got an officer; the officer came; we then went to Salmon's apartment in Bull's Inn court, where the officer searched her, and found the pockets on her, and in the apartments of Mrs. Salmon he found a number of pawnbroker's duplicates; some of these led to the discovery of other articles belonging to me, which were pledged at another shop. Q. Did the prisoner Crawford lodge with Salmon. A. I am certain she did not. We went to Mr. Ackland's in the Strand; we found a counterpane, a shift, two table cloths, and a petticoat; that is all I can recollect. Q. These were your property. - A. Yes. Q. Had Mrs. Salmon lived with you. - A. I never saw her to my knowledge at my house. THOMAS CHAPMAN . I am servant to Mr. Wegulan, pawnbroker, Chandos street, Covent Garden. On the 23d of December the two prisoners came together. Crawford pledged the tea spoon for two shillings, and Salmon the counterpane for twelve shillings and sixpence. WILLIAM CARTER . I am a pawnbroker, I live with Salkeld and Ackland, I am journeyman to them. I produce a counterpane, two petticoats, and a shift; I took in the counterpane myself on the 23d of December. I did not take in the shift myself. I am not certain who I took the petticoats of. (The property produced and identified.) THOMAS LOVELL . I am a profile painter, 32, Bread street, Cheapside. On the 18th of January I took Crawford at a house in Whitcomb street; I put her in a coach and took her to the public office. I asked her how she could be so ungrateful to rob her mistress; I told her she had taken the silver spoons; she said she did not take the spoons, she had only taken the counterpane, and a shift of her mistresses's. In consequence of that we went to Mr. Wegulan; there we found the counterpane. Mr. Chapman acted in a manner that does him credit, he brought forward the spoon. Crawford's Defence. When he took me in the coach, he told me that if I would confess he would set me at liberty directly; consider, he said, you are almost at the office. Mrs. Salmon is clear of the offence she stands here for; I told her it was my property, I asked her to pawn it for me. Salmon left her defence to her counsel. CRAWFORD, GUILTY , aged 37. Transported for Seven Years SALMON, NOT GUILTY . Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. Baron Wood .