Eliza Walker

135

C H on 11th March 2024

Old Bailey Online SARAH NEWMAN. ELIZA WALKER. Theft; pocketpicking. 20th October 1831 Text type Trial account Defendants SARAH NEWMAN, ELIZA WALKER Offences Theft > Pocketpicking Session Date 20th October 1831 Reference Number t18311020-74 Verdicts Guilty, Guilty Punishments Transportation 2029. SARAH NEWMAN and ELIZA WALKER were indicted for stealing, on the 10th of October , 1 watch, value 2l.; 1 ribbon, value 2d.; 1 seal, value 12s.; 2 keys, value 4s., and 1 ring, value 4s., the goods of James Young , from his person . JAMES YOUNG. I am a seaman - I was keeping a gentleman's house at Bedford-place, Bloomsbury. On the 10th of October, at twenty minutes to nine o'clock, I looked at my watch in Long-lane, and am certain it was safe; I was walking behind the prisoners, who were strangers to me - a drover was passing, and struck Newman on the arm: she exclaimed that he had made her arm bleed, and that she had been bled that day - Walker turned round to me and said, "Did you take hold of that woman's arm?" I said, "I did not;" she looked me full in the face - I walked up Long-lane, and as I crossed Smithfield Walker laid hold of my arm, which I did not wish; I have a wife and children - I shook her off me, and turned up King-street; I turned up Salisbury Arms-yard for a necessary purpose - I had a bundle under my arm, and a basket in my hand; Walker came up, and took indecent liberties with me, and said she wanted to feel if I had any money to go with her; I said I did not want any thing to do with her - she immediately snatched my watch; she told Newman, who stood close by, to feel if I had any money, for she could make nothing of me; and when I went to run after her to get my watch, Newman laid hold of me to prevent my following her - I never got my watch again; Walker got away entirely - I secured Newman, and found Walker next day at the bottom of Salisbury Arms-yard; I went up to her - she said, "Do you know me?" I said Yes; she said, "What do you know of me?" I said,"No good;" she called out Joe! I saw several men; I ran, called a watchman, and told him to come, for I had a prisoner at the bottom of the yard - two watchmen assisted in taking her; she declared she had been at home for a week before, and was never out till that night - I have not a doubt of her; she was in the same dress exactly when I took her. Walker. He came and said, "Let me look at you?" I said I would go any where with him; he said, "I should not like to take you wrongfully;" he did not come again for two minutes. Witness. I told her I had made no mistake, that I knew her. Newman. Q. Did not I ask you what you were about knocking against my elbow? A. You exclaimed, "What the hell are you after?" MICHAEL RYAN . I am a watchman, of West-street. I know the prisoners; I had seen them both before, but not together. About a quarter to nine o'clock I stood at the end of Salisbury-yard, and heard a scuffle - I looked round, and saw Walker running down the steps as fast as she could run; I am sure of her - I knew her before, and a few minutes after, Young came down stairs and asked me which way the woman had gone; I did not see Walker again that evening - Young said, "Stop, watchman, let us take her pal," and he gave Newman in charge; he said he should have secured Walker, but Newman had held his jacket - I was present next day when Walker was taken in West-street. Newman. Q. Did you see me standing listening to what was going on? A. No; the transaction was in the yard, before I came to the steps - directly I saw her, Young gave her in charge. JAMES YOUNG . I am positive of both their persons, and cannot be mistaken - I have not recovered my watch; Walker changed her dress at the Compter. Walker's Defence. I was going along; this man came and dragged me round - he said he thought he knew no good of me; I lifted up my bonnet - he said, "No, I do not think I do know you." but in about twenty minutes he came and took me; he said, "I think this is the woman;" the watchman said, "Had you a black gown on last night?" I said, "No, I was not out last night;" he said he could swear to me by my blue gown, black bonnet, and red handkerchief, with yellow spots - here is the handkerchief I had on; he owned to the Alderman that he let me go the first time. Newman's Defence. I never spoke to the man; I was standing in the street, fainting away - the prosecutor stood at the corner of the street - he ran after some woman; he knocked against my bad arm - I laid hold of his coat, and said, "What are you about?" he ran on, and having lost sight of the woman, turned round and said, "Watchman, take this woman, she will do as well; we will keep her till we find the other;" as I went to the Compter he said,"Tell me where the other woman lives, and I will let you go" - I said I did not know her, or I would soon tell; I never saw Walker till she was at the office. MARY WARD . I live in Peter-street, Saffron-hill - my husband keeps a broker's-shop. Walker took a lodging of me on the 10th of October; she walked to my house and took a lodging on the first floor, at the time this gentleman says he lost his watch - at seven o'clock she came to me for the key; the prosecutor came next day with a watchman to search her room - she slept in one of my houses on the 10th of October, at No. 25, Eagle-court, St. John's-lane, for a lodger told me so; I was at home when she came for the key; she took the room at twenty minutes past nine o'clock in the morning - I delivered her the key at seven at night, because I asked where I was to get her character - she was moving her furniture in from seven till ten o'clock at night; I was not present; I went to the house about seven, and saw her and a woman moving her furniture; I left about a quarter to eight - she came to my house with a bed-wrench about ten, and said she was too tired to put up her bed, and should lay on the floor - I have three houses in Eagle-court; I let them to families -I had not time to go about her character. ELIZABETH MORGAN . I am a milkwoman, and live in Parrot-court, Playhouse-yard. I was standing at my door when Walker, (who I did not know before,) came by; she asked me to come and help her to move - it was about five o'clock, and I took some bed-clothes from Golden-lane and some earthenware - a bedstead was carried by a bricklayer; the bedstead was carried about eight; it was on Monday night last - I beg pardon, it was on the 10th; I know it was Monday night; I left about ten o'clock, and left her in the room; it was last Monday week - I went there about half-past six and staid till near ten o'clock; she might be absent from me more than an hour of that time. NEWMAN - GUILTY . Aged 24. WALKER - GUILTY . Aged 25. Transported for Seven Years .