Rebecca Simmonds

Level 135

C H on 15th February 2024

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 9.0) December 1807. Trial of REBECCA SIMMONDS (t18071202-12). REBECCA SIMMONDS. Theft; theft from a specified place. 2nd December 1807. Text type Trial account Defendants REBECCA SIMMONDS Offences Theft > Theft from place Session Date 2nd December 1807 Reference Number t18071202-12 Verdicts Guilty > Theft under 40s Punishments Transportation 12. REBECCA SIMMONDS was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 3rd of November , in the dwelling house of Elizabeth Mottier , widow , three table cloths, value 12 s. three shifts, value 12 s. four pair of stockings, value 2 s. a pillow case, value 2 s. a handkerchief, value 2 s. and a bank note, value 50 l. her property . ELIZABETH MOTTIER . I live at the King's Arms in Poland-street, St James's parish ; I keep a public hous e. Q. Do you know the prisoner at the bar. - A. Yes, she lived servant with me; the first time she lived with me seven weeks, and the second time she lived with me three days; she came on the Thursday before the robbery; the robbery was on Saturday, and she was taken up at my own house on the Tuesday following. On Saturday the 31st of October, I sent her to buy me three yards of ribbon in Oxford-street, and out of the shop she stole three whole pieces; I took her to the shop and she acknowledged to the officer that she took them; the lady of the shop would not be troubled with it. I was taken very ill on the Saturday, and Mrs. Little came and attended the business below while I went to bed; Rebecca Simmonds went up stairs with me about eleven o'clock and helped me to undress myself; I put three notes, with a bank note of fifty pound, into a little box, which I always keep my money in, I put it in my pocket; I put my pocket under my pillow, I went to bed and the prisoner left my room; my daughter got up in the morning, she is not sensible, she slept in the same bed with me; she went down stairs, I believe it was between nine and ten o'clock in the morning. Rebecca Simmonds came up, I was not awake when she came in the room; I raised up my head, I saw her by the bed side with some tea for me to drink; I took my tea and laid down again, and got up about eleven o'clock. When I got out of bed I saw my pockets lye upon the stool by the bedside, I did not see her lay them there; my box was in my pocket, I put my pockets on without suspicion. On the Tuesday following I missed a pair of stockings, she declared she had not seen them; I insisted upon her being searched and emptying her pockets; Mrs. Little, the prisoner, and me, went up into the dining room; she gave the duplicate up of a pair of stockings pawned at Mr. Dobree's, she said if I would forgive her she would give me up all the things; I told her she must take the consequence. She gave me all the duplicates with the ribbon I before mentioned. Q. How many duplicates were there. - A. There were two of mine; the other was for a broach she stole of her master's she lived with in Broad-street; then I missed the note. I told her if she would give me the note I would forgive her. Q. She did not give up the note. - A. No. Q. Then I cannot hear anything about the note; did you give the officer the duplicates. - A. No, the officer took them from the table. Q. You rent the house since the death of your husband. - A. Yes. Q. Upon your enquiring of this girl for the things you lost, you examined the box. - A. I examined it when I missed my stockings; only the fifty pound note was gone; the other three remained, with some other money belonging to some gentlemen that use my house; there was near one hundred and seventy pound altogether in the box. Q. You do not know what became of the fifty pound note. - A. On the Sunday there was a young man came in and called her out to a gentleman that came from Chelsea; we asked her if this gentleman had the note, she declared that he had not nor had she seen it. THOMAS BARNS . I am a constable of St. James's. I went into Mrs. Mottier's to take some beer, on the 3rd of November, the prisoner was in the bar; Mrs. Mottier said here is an officer come, she said she had lost a fifty pound note; the duplicates were laying on the table; I took them and found out the property. I asked the prisoner if she knew any thing of the fifty pound note, she declared herself innocent. Prisoner. That gentleman, Mrs. Mottier, and Mrs. Little, said they would forgive me if I would own to the fifty pound note. Q. to prosecutor. Had she given up the duplicates before any promise was made to her. - A. When she produced the duplicates I had not promised her any pardon. WILLIAM KING . I am apprentice to Mr. Taite's pawnbroker. The constable produced to me the duplicates; there were three articles pledged, a pillowcase and handkerchief, for two shillings, on the 8th of August, and a table cloth, half a crown, on the 3rd. of August; they were pawned by the prisoner. (The property produced and identified.) JOSEPH GREGORY . My brother officer was ill. I took the prisoner and another before the magistrate on the 4th of November; I searched her, I found nothing about her; she acknowledged stealing every thing but the note. I said I was sorry I had not her at the first, perhaps then I should have found the note; she said I do not mind being committed for this, but they have not got the note. GUILTY . Of stealing to the value of thirty-nine shillings only. Transported for Seven Years . Second Middlesex jury, before Mr. Baron Graham .