Hannah Burke

341

Maureen Withey on 3rd January 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 03 January 2021), April 1806, trial of BRIDGET RUSSEL HANNAH BURKE (t18060416-78). BRIDGET RUSSEL, HANNAH BURKE, Theft > grand larceny, 16th April 1806. 294. BRIDGET RUSSEL and HANNAH BURKE , were indicted for feloniously stealing on the 22d of March , eleven yards of printed cotton, value 20 s. the property of Charles Fisher Bell . WILLIAM PERCIVAL sworn. I live with Charles Fisher Bell , linen draper , Oxford street , the corner of Newman-street. On the 22d of March last, about six o'clock in the evening, I received information that some persons had taken some print from the door, I went out and saw them about five or six yards from the door, I immediately went up to them, I saw one of them had her hand underneath her cloak, I put her cloak of one side and saw her give it to the other prisoner; the other prisoner received it, and asked me what I had to do with it, they had nothing that belonged to me; I seized them both, the girl that had the print dropped it on the ground, Mr. Bell's brother picked it up. Q. When you saw it did you know it to be your master's property. - A. Yes, a paper was pinned to it with our private mark; the print was fastened to a rail at the door with a pin, I had seen it there ten minutes before it was taken, a constable was passing by at the time, the prisoner and the print was delivered to him. Russel. I was never in the shop, did you find the print on me. - A. I did, I saw the property on both, I saw one give it to the other, it was Burke that had the cloak on. RICHARD BELL sworn. I am brother to the prosecutor; I went out of the door and saw the print behind both of the prisoners; Mr. Percival brought them in, I took the print up, it had a paper pinned to it of my own hand writing, I am certain it was my brother's, I put it out myself. WILLIAM CRAIG sworn. I am a constable; I was passing by on the opposite side of the way, I went over and took the prisoners into custody. Q. Had it a paper pinned to it. - A. It had, I produce it. (The print identified by Richard Bell .) Russell's Defence. I was going down Oxford-road to order some oranges at Orange-lane; when we come to the corner of Newman-street there was a man with a top coat on at that gentleman's door, he had a young woman along with him, he came and dropped a piece of print down by the wall; that gentleman came to me and asked me what I was at, he catched hold of me and the other young woman, and said we had taken the piece of cotton, and took us into the shop. Burke's Defence. I was going down Oxford-road, I saw a man with a great wrapper coat on with a young woman, we saw these two people looking at the cotton, and we saw him pull this piece of cotton off the rail; the gentleman came up to us and asked us what we were doing there, we said we were doing nothing, he took us into the shop and took our basket away. Russell called two witnesses, who gave her a good character. Burke called no witnesses to character. RUSSELL - GUILTY , aged 17. BURKE - GUILTY , aged 15. Transported for Seven Years . Second Middlesex Jury, before Mr. Common Serjeant.