Sarah Seaton

343

Maureen Withey on 18th August 2022

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 18 August 2022), April 1798, trial of AUGUSTUS SEATON SARAH SEATON , otherwise BROWN (t17980418-62). AUGUSTUS SEATON, SARAH SEATON, Theft > theft from a specified place, Theft > receiving, 18th April 1798. 297. AUGUSTUS SEATON , and SARAH SEATON , otherwise BROWN , were indicted, the first for feloniously stealing, on the 9th of February , two pair of leather shoes, value 4s. a pair of silver shoe-buckles, value 20s. and a linen tablecloth, value 2s. the property of John Marshall : A cotton gown, value 10s. A pair of stays, value 20s. A silk petticoat, value 5s. a bombazeen petticoat, value 5s. A muslin handkerchief, value 2s. and a silk cloak, value 40s. the property of Harriet Brown , in the dwelling-house of the said John ; and Sarah Seaton , for receiving the same, knowing them to have been stolen . JOHN MARSHALL sworn. - I live at No. 11, Gray's-inn-square : On Friday the 9th of February, in the morning, when I got up, I found that my chambers had been robbed of the several things enumerated in the indictment, they were all there overnight. James Clarke , a person concerned in the robbery, gave information of the prisoner, at Worship-street, that was the cause of the prisoner being apprehended, I have seen the buckles and shoes since. Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. Did you see your chambers fastened the night before? - A. Yes; I fastened them myself. Q. What time did you first discover the robbery? - A. About a quarter before eight. DAVID LIOYD sworn. - I am a pawnbroker, had a pair of shoes pledged with me the 9th of February, by a woman, but who I cannot say; I have not the least recollection of the woman at the bar. Mr. Marshall. These are my shoes. GEORGE DOBREE sworn. - I am a pawnbroker;I took in a clock of the woman prisoner, on the 9th of February, I am positive it was her. Mr. Marshall. That is the cloak that I lost, I know it by a white stripe in the silk, the selvage, it had been left at my chambers the night before. - HAVILAND sworn. - I am a pawnbroker; I took in a pair of shoes, (produces them). I cannot say of whom I took them in. JOHN ARMSTRONG sworn. - On Thursday the 22d of February, I apprehended the prisoners; I searched the lodgings of the woman, and found these seven picklock-keys in a drawer; the duplicates, Wray, the other officer, has got. Q. Did any of these duplicates lead you to this discovery? - A. Yes; Seaton was apprehended at the public-house. JOHN WRAF sworn. - I was searching the lodgings of one of the prisoners, and found a number of duplicates, (producing them); and where these duplicates were, I found a sixteenth of an English lottery ticket, which, before the Magistrate, Seaton owned to be his. Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. What he said before the Magistrate was taken down in writing, was not it? - A. I believe it was. Q. You did not find the man at this room? - A. No; she was there, and she owned to the duplicates. THOMAS JONES sworn. - On the 2d of March I was apprehending four men, under the Piazzas in Covent-garden, and one of them had these boxes upon him; he was admitted to bail before Sir William Addington , and has not made his appearance since. JAMES CLARKE sworn. - On the 9th of February, about half past six in the morning, Seaton and I were going down Gray's-inn-lane, we observed a woman opening the shutters of Mr. Marshall's chambers; I said to Seaton, if you will stop a-while, I dare say there is some property to be got out of that house; and when the woman was gone up stairs, I got in at the window myself; I went into the front parlour, and saw a quantity of wearing apparel, a gown and stays, and two pair of shoes, and a pair of silver buckles, accordingly I took them to the window and gave them to Seaton; after I came out, Seaton went in himself, and fetched some more things out; we took them to his house, and his wife was gone out. Q. You do not mean that she was his wife? - A. Yes. Q. Is she married to him? - A. I never heard to the contrary; we went with the property to a Jew's, and he would not give money enough, and we brought them back to Seaton's house, his wife was at home then; we agreed that the property was to be pawned, and she took out the things separately to pawn, I said there while she went with them; she came back with the money and the duplicates, and shewed them to me; she pawned two pair of shoes, and a black silk cloak, and the remainder of the property I pawned myself, and the money was equally divided. Cross-examined by Mr. Gurney. Q. You were taken up, you know? - A. Yes. Q. Where were you sent to? - A. New-prison. Q. Was it Coldbath-fields? - A. No. Q. What day of the month was it? - A. I cannot say; it was eight or nine days after. Q. When you were taken up, you thought you might chance to be hanged for it? - A. No, I did not. Q. Do not you know you deserved it? - A. Yes. Q. But you did not think you might chance to be hanged for it? - A. I might. Q. Did not you being to think it a mighty clever thing to hang somebody else to save yourself? - A. No. Q. Upon your oath, you did not charge anybody with this robbery for the purpose of saving yourself? - A. Not at all, by hanging anybody. Q. By swearing then? - A. I never thought concerning hanging anybody. Q. Did not you think, by swearing against some person or other, you might be able to save yourself? - A. Yes, no doubt. Q. And then, for the first time, you charged the prisoner? - A. Yes. Q. Have you ever been tried here before? - A. No. Q. Nor any where else? - A. No. Court. (To Marshall.) Q.Whereabout is the value of what you lost? - A. Full eight pounds. The prisoners did not say any thing in their defence. A.Seaton, GUILTY Death . (Aged 26.) S. Seaton, GUILTY (Aged 28.) Transported for fourteen years . Tried by the second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Baron HOTHAM.