Mary Welsh

116

Tony Beale on 18th November 2021

Old Bailey online 857. MARY WELCH was indicted for stealing, on the 27th of February, 1 bag, value Id.; 7 sovereigns, and 4 half-sovereigns; the property of Thomas Whinfield, from his person. THOMAS WHINGIELD . I am a boatman, and live in Derbyshire. On the 27th of February I came to town on business, by the boat—I was in Edgware-road, about ten o'clock at night, with Smith, one of my boatmen—the prisoner came up to us as we were standing—she asked me where I was going—I said, where my mate was, as I was a stranger—she wanted us to go home with her and sit down by the fire, and be comfortable—I went—I spent sixpence, and had some beer, and then came out—I went to a beer-shop and had a pot of beer—Smith was with me, and a woman—we then went to another shop, and had two quarterns of rum—we then came out—the prisoner still kept pulling me, and persuading me to go home with her, and at last I went with her to an up-stairs room—I did not give her any money—I laid on the bed with her for a few minutes—I had at that time a canvas purse with seven sovereigns and four half-sove-in it, in my right-hand trowsers'-pocket—I felt the prisoner draw the purse out while I was on the bed-side—she had just got off the bed—I accused her of it, and tried to get it from her—there was no light in the room then—she had put out the candle—she had the purse in her hand, and she put it out of one hand into the other—I did not see it in her hand, as it was dark, but I felt it in her hand—I made a noise, and Smith and the other woman came up—the woman brought a light with her—the prisoner was then standing by the fire, and my purse was at her feet—the woman picked up one sovereign and one half-sovereign—I picked up one sovereign—my purse was not tied, it was only twisted—I lost three sovereign sand two half-sovereigns—I was quite sober. Cross-examined by MR. THOMPSON. Q. You were walking in the road when you met the prisoner? A. I was standing—I had left my boat perhaps an hour—I had not been in any public-house—I went to the prisoner's to warm myself by her fire—Smith was not with me then—I and the prisoner were alone—I then sent for some beer, after that I went out to a Jerry-shop to look for Smith, and there we had a quart of ale—I was not willing to go back with the prisoner after that, but I was overcome by her persuasion—I did not make any bargain with her—I concluded I was to pay her something—I was not on the bed many minutes—I did not hear the purse fall from the prisoner's hand on the floor—I was on the bed, and she was gone to the fire-place—I called Smith and the woman up, to bring a light—they came and found the purse and some of the money on the floor—after the purse and money was found, I went down irs—I gave the prisoner a shilling, though I believed she had robbed me of four sovereigns—she said if it was on the floor, she would get it against I came up again—I said I should be up again on the Saturday, and I should call and see if she had got it, and if not, I should see further into it—I gave her the shilling, thinking perhaps she might let me have it then—I did not drink with her—there was some drink got, but I did not drink any—we then parted—I went back to her on the Saturday, and took a policeman with me—she had not found the money, and I gate her in charge—no one persuaded me to give her in charge—I do not know that the policeman asked me to give her in charge—he asked me three or four times if I would give her in charge. COURT. Q. You are certain that when you went on the bed you had your purse with seven sovereigns and four half-sovereigns in it? A. Yes, I had it on the bed—I felt her hand in my pocket, and taking the purse—I tried to get it, and she shifted it from one hand to the other—in the scuffle some of the money fell on the floor. SAMUEL SMITH . I am a boatman. I came up with Captain Whinfleld—I fell in with another woman—she and I were in a room under the room the captain was in—I heard the money drop on the floor—I did not know what the captain had got—I went up, and saw some money picked up. MARY SMITH . I have known Samuel Smith for some years, but he is from Derby, and I am from Cheshire—I was going out that evening, and met Smith—he asked me to have something to drink—we went and had a pot of beer, and the prisoner and the prosecutor came in—we went to have some rum, and the prisoner then persuaded the captain to go home with her, and he did—Smith said, "I won't leave my mate"—I went with Smith, and we sat down in a chair by the fire in the lower room—I heard the money fall, and ran up stairs with a light—the purse laid by the prisoner's feet, and there were two sovereigns in it—I picked up a sovereign and a half from under the bed. CAROLINE BAKER . About half-past twelve o'clock that night I called at the prisoner's to ask for a young man—she said he was drinking at a public-house—she sent for some gin—she offered some to Whinfield—he would not drink it—I was going out, when the prisoner called me back, and said, "Don't go, I will treat you to a glass of the best that any house can afford," and she showed me three sovereigns in her hand—Whinfield then said to her, "Be as good as your word, I shall call on Saturday, and if you don't I will put you somewhere else"—I then went away. Cross-examined. Q. You were a lodger of hers? A. Yes, till I would not pawn my shawl to pay her rent; but we parted good friends. JAMES BENNETT (police-constable D 59.) The prosecutor came to me and said he had been robbed by Welch—I went with him to her house, and knocked—the prisoner came and said, "What do you want?"—I said, "I believe it is you I want about the four sovereigns your robbed the boatman of"—she said, "I know nothing about them"—I called in the prosecutor, and he said, "Now about these four sovereigns, do you intend to give them up?"—she said she knew nothing about them, and he gave her in charge. GUILTY.* Aged 25.— Transported for Ten Years. New South Wales, Australia, Tickets of Leave, 1810-1869 for Mary Welsh Ticket of leave butts (NRS 12202) Dated 11/10/1844 no 44/2440. At Yass