Select proceedings at the Old-Bailey ... Containing the trials at large of I. Captain Morris, for a rape on the body of Mary Shortney. II. Miss Hannah Philips, a young lady, for shop-lifting. III. William Adams, for defrauding His Majesty / [James Morris].

Morris, James.

Date:: 1757

Credit: Select proceedings at the Old-Bailey ... Containing the trials at large of I. Captain Morris, for a rape on the body of Mary Shortney. II. Miss Hannah Philips, a young lady, for shop-lifting. III. William Adams, for defrauding His Majesty / [James Morris]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$[ *4 ] ters, and got her back into my matters (hop, by telling her (he had left fomething in the {hop; and as foon as I got her into the (hop, 1 directly faid to Mortimore, I charge this lady with taking a piece of lace; {he direCtly faid to me. Me with a piece of lace, I have not got any fuch things neither do I know any thing about it. I directly faid you have, and there is no occafion for you to deny it, for the lace you have got; and then I turn’d back her cardinal, and found the lace held between her body and her arm, (produced in courts the card of lace fo took from her) and he defcribed the manner in which foe held it, putting his left hand clofe to his body, and ficking the lower part of the lace between his arm and body, and depofed, that he took the lace himfelf on the prifoner, and from between her body and arm under her cardinal, and gave it to the faid John Mortimore. CX Were there any things befides under her arm ? Pojh No, there were not. Where did {he put the paper with the lace and ribbon (he bought of you ? Poft, I cannot be pofitivewhere (he put it, but I imagine (he put that in her pocket. CX What quantity is there of the lace on the card you took from her? Pojl. There are ten yards., Q. What is the length of the card ? Pojl. I believe it is about five inches long. o, Was it of that fame fort of lace that fhe bought ? , Pojl. No,of a different laceabout half inch wide, like zvhat he produced in court, and the lace which the prifoner took was about an inch and three quarters wide. What is that lace worth that you charge the prifoner with taking? Pojl. It is worth about two {hillings per yard to any (hop-keeper in London. John Mortimore carried the lace up to Mr. Dean, and whep he came down and the cafe was told to him, he font for a conftable, and charged theconttable with the prifoner, and I left them and went forward to fe- cure the box of lace that I had left upon the coun¬ ter, and likewife the other card, that the prifoner had moved from the drawer, and laid on the coun¬ ter, and then I left Mr. Dean and the prifoner talking together. Crofs Examination. Q. What did the prifoner afk for at firft com¬ ing into the {hop? Pojl. She afked for blond-lace. Q. How many pieces might there be in the drawer ? Pojl. I believe there might be between ten and twenty cards. Q. Is this a whole piece, and what is the length ? Pojl. I believe it is, the pieces don’t run in par¬ ticular lengths, fometimes they contain more, fometimes lefs; I believe there was none cut off the card, but it was as my matters bought it., Q\ Was the end of it fo as it is now ? Pojl. I believe it came to my matters fo as this is. Q. Was there any lace in that drawer of larger quantities than this? Pojl. I can’t juttly fay whether there was or not; I believe there was fome of this narrow lace that ran longer in length, and it might be more in bulk. Q. Did you obferve the prifoner had any other parcel with her when fhe came into the {hop ? Pojl. Not that I faw. Council. You fay you imagine the perfon might think you faw her take the lace, and then fhe prefently afterwards laid it down and took it up again ? Pojl. I do fo, and that when {lie faw I took no manner of notice of her firft motion, {he ventur’d to take thefecond refolution. Council. Then you imagine {he faw herfelf de¬ tected in the firft attempt, and after that took it up a fecond time? Pojl. To be fure I do imagine {he thought I faw her, or {he would not have laid it down again. ' Defcribe the manner of the firft taking. Pojl.. The firft was done with a fort of a Aide, and thefecond with a fudden jirk. Q. In what pofition was you at the time ? Pojl. I was right before her all the time. CX How did {he put it down again ? Pojl. She drew her cardinal back with her left hand, and Aid the card of lace on the counter with her right, and after {lie had examined feveral other cards of lace, then fhe put her right hand by the fide of the drawer, and took the card of lace up agaif \ I$