Margaret Morgan

135

C H on 21st February 2024

Old Bailey Online MARGARET MORGAN. Theft; theft from a specified place. 9th January 1788 Text type Trial account Defendants MARGARET MORGAN Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 9th January 1788 Reference Number t17880109-28 Verdicts Guilty > Theft under 40s Punishments Transportation 125. MARGARET MORGAN , alias MARY JONES was indicted for stealing, on the 18th of November last, one watch, inside and outside cases made of silver, value 50 s. a linen gown, value 4 s. a sheet, value 5 s. the property of James McIntosh , in the dwelling-house of Thomas Force . JAMES M'INTOSH sworn. I am a labourer ; I lodge in the house of Thomas Force ; I lost a silver watch on Sunday, the 14th of November, a linen gown and a linen sheet; my wife and me went out to tea; about half an hour after seven the prisoner, and my landlady, Mrs. Force, came to inform me my room door was open; the prisoner said so; I went back with them, and the first thing that I missed was my watch, and my wife missed a gown and a sheet, and two aprons; I locked the door when I went out, and left it locked; the things that are in the indictment were in the room when I went out; I saw my watch, gown and sheet, at the Justice's, they are here. JOSEPH LUMLEY sworn. I lodged in the house about three weeks; the prisoner visited the landlady; I am a watch spring maker; on the 21st of December this woman came to visit the landlady, and there was an outcry of stop thief; that was the day she was apprehended; I live next door to the prosecutor; I went out for a pint of beer, and the house was full of people; there was a cry of stop thief; the prisoner was in my room; I saw some duplicates taken from the prisoner of the watch, the officer has them; I was obliged to come in and open the prisoner's hand, to force them out of her hand, and I delivered them to the officer; I believe there were three duplicates, to the best of my knowledge. ANN LUMLEY sworn. I am wife to the last witness; on the 21st of December I heard the cry of stop thief; I ran into the next court and stopped the prisoner, and brought her to my house; she was examined there, and I saw my husband take three duplicates from her; the officer has them. MARY SPRAY sworn. I go out to wash and iron; the prisoner came into my room; I was going to clean myself to go to church; it was on Sunday; I think it was the 17th of November; she asked me if I would let her look through my door, to see if she could see Mr. Morgan; she did not stop a moment; I live in the Little Minories; she went down stairs, and I went to church; I saw no more of her; I came home to tea, and I went to lecture; and I came into Mrs. Force's house; the prisoner was there; she said to me, have you shut the door? I went up stairs in the dark and the door was open; that was Mrs. M'Intosh's door; Mrs. Force and the prisoner went to fetch home the prosecutor and his wife, and they went up stairs, and the things were gone; the prisoner was there, and she went to fetch the prosecutor's wife some gin; and the prisoner said Madam, I hope you will find the things, I will go with you to the pawnbrokers in the morning, and try to find them. RICHARD BRUCE sworn. I am headborough and beadle; on the 21st of December, a little before nine, I took charge of the prisoner, and she gave me some duplicates, and I took some more out of her hand. (The duplicates produced.) CATHERINE FORCE sworn. The prisoner called me on the day of the robbery, and went up stairs to look through Mrs. Spray's window, and went up again while Mrs. Spray was gone to church, and was up and down stairs from a little before three, silk near four; she was out of my sight for twenty minutes at a time, then she went away, and came at about half after seven, and said, are you so devillish hot as to leave the door open; Mrs. Spray came in directly, and said the door was open, then they all went up stairs, and went to call the prosecutor and his wife. The pawnbroker produced a gown and sheet which were pledged by the prisoner with him, on the 4th of December. (Deposed to, value 9 s.) Prisoner. I have nothing to say; I have plenty of friends, but could not send for them. GUILTY, 9 s. Transported for seven years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury before Mr. ROSE.