Sarah Northwood

343

Maureen Withey on 20th May 2025

Elizabeth Clark and Sarah Northwood were tried at the Old Bailey on 20 Feb 1834. Before Mr. Justice Patteson. 396. ELIZABETH CLARK and SARAH NORTHWOOD were indicted for stealing, on the 8th of February , at St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, 52 yards of silk, value 6l. 10s., the goods of John Harvey Knight and another, in their dwelling-house . JAMES BENTON . I am sixteen years old - I am apprentice to Mr. Knight, of Crown-street, Finsbury, in the parish of Shoreditch - there are two partners in the house - John Harvey Knight and Samuel Knight - they are drapers - on Saturday, the 8th of February, the prisoners came into the shop and looked at various silks - the shop is part of the dwelling-house - Mrs. Knight served them - they were there about half an hour, sitting close together at the counter - Clark went out first - she had on a large green cloak - she had bought nothing herself - when she got up to go away, Northwood was keeping Mrs. Knight in conversation about the price of some silks and other things - she went away about five minutes after Clark; and directly after Northwood had gone out, we missed a large length of puce silk - I went in pursuit of Clark, and found her in Finsbury-place, about three minutes' walk from the shop - she saw me, and turned back and said, "Have you seen the young woman who was with me in the shop?" - I said I had not - she said, "Perhaps she is in the shop buying something: I will go back with you and see" - I said I wished she would - she walked back with me; and when she got to the corner of Finsbury-square, I heard something drop down an area - a lad, who was passing at the time, said, "That won't do: I saw it" - he spoke loud enough for her to hear it - I immediately laid hold of her; and he went down for the silk into the area - he brought it up to me - I took it; and we then took her to our house, and sent for a policeman - this is the silk - I know it to be my master's property by a mark at the end of the silk and of the roll - it is a private mark - her cloak was large enough to conceal it under it - it is the silk we missed - it measures fifty-two yards and a half, and is worth £6 10s. at 2s. 6d. a yard - I went to the station-house with her - she there said she lived in Baltic-street, and gave the number; but I do not remember it - I went there with a policeman, to No. 4; and as we were coming away, the prisoner Northwood came up to the door - another person was standing at the door, and Northwood said to her, "Where is Betsey?" - that was the same day- I had apprehended Clark between three and five o'clock, and this was about half-past five o'clock - Northwood had then changed her shawl for a cloak - she had on a different bonnet, and her hair was out of paper - the policeman took her in charge. ELIZABETH KNIGHT . I am the wife of Samuel Knight - I served the prisoner - when they came to our shop on the 8th of February, they were, I should think, about twenty minutes in the shop - Northwood asked for dark silks, and looked at them - I wished her to give me an idea of the colour, but she could not - I called the lad to reach some for me, which I showed to her - the silks were placed before Northwood, and clark stood by her side - Clark went away first - Northwood was then engaging me in conversation about the prices of silk handkerchefs, and then about cloaks - they were in conversation while I was serving them - Northwood stayed a few minutes after Clark - before Clark left she had three quarters of a yard of blue silk, which she immediately fixed on without asking the price of; but the other silks she was very particular in asking the price of - what she had came to 2s. 1d., which she paid, and put the silk into her small basket - I perceived that Clark had something under her arm, but I was so fearful I might be mistaken, I could not look to ascertain if anything was gone till Northwood had left - I then missed the puce silk, and sent the lad after her. MALAKI ISNELL. I am an apprentice to Mr. Hughes - on the 8th of February I was going along Finsbury-square, and saw Clark drop the silk from underneath her cloak; it went through the railing of a house into the area - I immediately got over the railing, picked the silk up, and gave it to Benton - I said, "That will not do, I saw it." Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Was anybody with her except the boy? A. I saw nobody. WILLIAM DAMAN . I am a policeman - I apprehended Clark, and have produced the silk. GEORGE GLADWELL . I am a policeman - I apprehended Northwood - I saw her come up to the house in Baltic-street, but could not hear what she said - I was at a distance - Benton was there. Northwood's Defence. I am perfectly innocent - I was full twenty minutes in the shop purchasing silk, which I bought and paid for - I have frequently been in the shop, but not to steal - I did not know whether she had stolen anything at all - I was in there about half-past three o'clock, and was taken about five o'clock - I am perfectly innocent - I know nothing about it. (Edward Coleman, hair-dresser, St. John-street-road, and William How, wire-worker, gave the prisoner Clark a good character.) CLARK - GUILTY . Aged 25. NORTHWOOD - GUILTY . Aged 22. Transported for Life . There was another indictment against the prisoners.