Adelaide De La Thoraza

41

Roger Churm on 29th April 2019

Old Bailey Proceedings ADELAIDE DE THORAZA,Theft,simple larceny 11th June 1829 1286.Adelaide de Thoraza was indicted for stealing,on the 28th of April,6 sheets,value 15s.,the goods of Martha Davis. Martha Davis.I live at No 15,Finsbury -street.I am single,and am a dress-maker-the prisoner was a servant at my house for fifteen months and a fortnight;she was there I believe at the time the sheets were stolen-she was the only female servant in the house;it was her business to mind the bedding and the bed-room;a butcher came to me to ask for a sum of money which I did not owe-I then went and searched the prisoner's box;I found a sheet and a night-gown belonging to me I knew the sheet was mine ;it had been worn a little,but was not dirty-it was a sheet from her own bed,but it was mine;I examined her bed soon after,and both the sheets were gone-this was on the 28th of Spring;I never saw the corresponding sheet;the officer produced some duplicates ,by which we found six sheets;I knew them to be mine,as I have assisted to spin them,and made them up myself. Susannah Perry.I live at No.7,Camden-court,Grub-street,Chiswell-street.I had known the prisoner for about a fortnight before she went into this service;she brought me a pair of sheets and a bolster one evening,some months before she was taken up-she said she was tired that they bailiffs had come into her mistress's house,and she had got a bed out and pawned it-she had a pair of sheets and a bolster in her apron;she asked me to go and pawn them on her mistress account -I pawned them in my own name,at Mr.Upsall's,in Barbican;Christopher Deer advanced me 8s-I gave the 8s to her. Christopher Deer.I am in the service of Mr.Upsall.of Barbican.I know Perry by visiting the shop;I cannot speak positively to her pawning these sheets,though I have reason to suppose she did,by her name and address being on them.I gave this duplicate-they were afterwards claimed by Davis. Martha David.These are my sheets,they are marked with my name;the prisoner had no authority to pawn them-I never authorized her to pawn a bed;I had an excellent character with her. Thomas Brooks.I am an officer.I am a pawnbroker.I have four sheets pawned at two different timed.one pair on the 19th of February,in the name of Eliza Wilson,No.8 Camden-court,a lodger,for 3s;I did not take them in-the duplicate was given;I did not know who pawned them-the other pair was pawned on the 2nd of March,in the name of Winson;I suppose the person who took them in did not rightly understand the name.I do not think Davis is swore to these because they are not marked. John Bee.I am an officer.I was sent to take charge of the prisoner-she was not at first accused of stealing sheets,but was afterwards;I found two duplicates of Mr.Brook's,White cross-street,and one other duplicate on her. Court to Martha Davis.Q. Look at those four sheets,and tell me what reason you have to claim them as yours ?.A. I made up part of them-some of them were kept in a cupboard and some in a box,they are both kept locked;I never sent the prisoner to take the sheets out;I also do that myself. GUILTY.Aged 23 Transported for Seven Years.