Catherine Johnson

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C H on 25th February 2024

Old Bailey Online CATHERINE JOHNSON. Theft; grand larceny (to 1827). 10th April 1793. Text type Trial account Defendants CATHERINE JOHNSON Offences Theft > Grand larceny Session Date 10th April 1793 Reference Number t17930410-71 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 355. CATHERINE JOHNSON was indicted for stealing, on the 2d of March , one guinea, and 5 s. the monies of Thomas Wilson . THOMAS WILSON sworn. I am a baker ; I live in King-street, Soho; this woman robbed me in Monmouth-street . On Saturday night about eleven o'clock, the 2d of March, I was going home quite sober; I was making water, and the woman came up to me, and kept talking over my shoulder, and put her hand into my leather breeches pocket, and she let a shilling drop, and she went off, and I followed after her, and called watch, and the man went by and took her immediately, and she had the money in her hand, she took a guinea, and five shillings in silver, it was all loose in my pocket. Q. She could not well put her hand into your pocket if she was behind you? - She came on one side, and one hand was over my shoulder, and the other was at my breeches pocket, the money was taken from her out of her hand by the watchman. Q. How far had she ran away from you? - She ran down to Great St. Andrew's-street, exactly facing Monmouth-street, where I catched her; I had never lost sight of her. Q. Had you any more money in your pocket? - No. Q. Were your leather breeches tight? - Yes. Q. Did you feel her take it? - Not till the one shilling dropped on the stones. Q. You are sure there was no familiarity between you? - There was none at all. Prisoner. He gave me all the silver that he had in his pocket, he took me up the passage, and the gold was along with the silver; or else I did not know it was there, till I was taken to the watch-house; I am an unfortunate woman, and poverty and distress obliged me to go along with him to my sad misfortune. DENNIS NEAL sworn. I am a watchman in Monmouth-street; there was a man crying stop thief, and he had hold of the woman; I went up to them, and laid hold of the woman, and took a guinea, and some silver out of her hand, the prisoner is the woman; I never saw her before only once. Prisoner. To be sure the money was in my hand, but it was given me; I did not know the guinea was among the money, till it was produced at the watch-house. JAMES DENNIS sworn. I am a watchman at King-street, Seven-dials; Dennis Neal sprung his rattle, and I went to his assistance, and I saw the money taken from the woman. ANDREW TODD sworn. I am a constable; Neal gave me the money, he gave me a guinea, and eighteen pence; there was no more money brought me. Court to Wilson. Was there any mark on the money? - Yes, it was marked in the watch-house. Q. Was it marked before? - No. Q. You cannot then swear to the money? - Yes, I can, because it never was out of her fist. Q. There is no mark particularly? - Only it was a new guinea that is all I know. Q. Was any money found? - Only one shilling that I picked up myself, which dropped on the stones, when she put her hand into my pocket. Prisoner. The prosecutor swears very unjustly against me, for he gave me all the silver that he had in his pocket, and I did not know the gold was along with it; I have nobody but God Almighty, and a merciful Judge and Jury to have mercy upon me. GUILTY . (Aged 30.) Transported for seven years . Tried by the first Middlesex Jury before Mr. COMMON SERJEANT.

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Description Description 30. 5f 4 Brown hair dark Eyes pox marked stout made Aberdeen Spinster