Mary Kelly

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C H on 1st March 2024

Old Bailey Online MARY KELLY. Theft; stealing from master, Theft; simple larceny (from 1827). 5th September 1833 Text type Trial account Defendants MARY KELLY Offences Theft > Stealing from master, Theft > Simple larceny Session Date 5th September 1833 Reference Number t18330905-32 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation, Transportation 1233. MARY KELLY was indicted for stealing, on the 28th of July , 3 sovereigns, the monies of Joseph Johnson , her master . JOSEPH JOHNSON. I am a publican , and live in Drury-lane - the prisoner was my servant of all work for about five weeks - on the 28th of July, which was Sunday, I and my wife went out about three o'clock to take a walk; we left the prisoner and Sarah Ann Hawes , my niece, at home - we returned between eight and nine o'clock, and in consequence of what my niece said, I looked at the drawer where the money was kept, and missed three sovereigns - I said to the prisoner,"Mary, what has become of this money?" she said she knew nothing at all about it - I called the policeman and she was taken to the station-house - she there denied it again before the inspector; but just as she was going to be locked up she wished to see me - she said to me,"This won't hang me, will it?" I said, "I know nothing about that" - she then said, "Don't let me be locked up with this parcel of dirty people, I will tell you all about it; you will find three sovereigns under a seat in the kitchen" - we went there and found it - the next morning she asked me if we had missed a pair of sugar-tongs; I said not that I knew of - she said, if we went and looked under some wood, we should find them, which we did. SARAH ANN HAWES . When my uncle and aunt went out, I was left at home - the money was kept in the corner of a drawer, in a chest of drawers in the bar-parlour - the door was shut but not locked - there was no one in the house but the prisoner and the lodgers - I was drawing some gin, and hearing the money rattle, I turned and saw the prisoner at the drawer; I set down the gin and went to her; she had an apron of my aunt's in her hand, and was putting it into the drawer - I said she had no business there, and she walked out - I told my aunt when she came home. MARIA JOHNSON . I had counted the money in the morning; there was 21l. 10s., and when I returned there was only 18l. 10s.; the prisoner was accused, and said she had seen nothing of it - I saw it found afterwards. Prisoner's Defence. I went up stairs to clean myself; when I came down I went into the parlour, there was no one there; I then went into the little parlour and saw Sarah at the chest of drawers - she took several articles out; she showed me some things, and said she was looking for her likeness to show me; I then heard the parlour-bell ring; I went, and was ordered to get a penny biscuit, which I paid her for, and took it - I then went into the kitchen and saw her there with a small brown purse of gold; she said on the Friday before that her mother had been there, and asked her mistress for some money, which her master did not lend her, and I saw she had three sovereigns in her hand in a bit of paper, which she said she was going to lend to her mother - I went out with the baby, and when I came home she told my mistress that I had taken the money; my mistress did not look at the drawer till eleven o'clock at night, when she brought the money up-stairs, and said she was 2l. 10s. short; and when they took me, Sarah told me she would put the money back if I would go to the station-house. SARAH ANN HAWES . There is not a word of truth in this. GUILTY . Aged 17. - Transported for Seven Years . 1234. MARY KELLY was again indicted for stealing, on the 10th of May , 5 handkerchiefs, value 10s.; 2 night-gown, value 3s., and 3 shifts, value 12s. , the goods of Sarah Idle . SARAH IDLE . I am single . In May last, I lived at the Ship Tavern, Aldersgate-street , and the prisoner lived there as housemaid for about nine weeks - while she was there I missed five handkerchiefs, a night-gown, and three shifts; part of them from my box, and part from a pair of drawers - I suspected the prisoner, and spoke to her; she denied it. EDWARD MULLINS . I live in St. John-street, and am a pawnbroker. I produce the articles stated, which were pawned by the prisoner.(Property produced and sworn to.) Prisoner's Defence. When I went there I had not clothes sufficient for my situation, I asked the prosecutrix if she could oblige me with any money, she said she had a brother who had bad eyes, and she could not lend me any money, but she would lend me that which I could get a pound on; she lent me these things, on which I got but 17s. 6d. SARAH IDLE. She never had them of me - she accused the young woman who lived there before of taking them. GUILTY . Aged 17. Transported for Seven Years longer .