[Excerpts from "Select Trials for Murders, Sodomy, Robberies, Coining, Rapes, Frauds,
and other Offences: at the Sessions-House in the Old-Bailey", Vol. II, 1724-1732]
[Excerpted 22 Dec 2006, Mark Murphy]
[see also excerpt from "New England Courant", 25 Dec to 1 Jan 1725]

p. 49
Jonathon Wild, for Felonies

Henry Kelly. On Friday the 22d of January last [1725], I went to visit Mrs. Johnston,
who then lived at the Prisoner's House.  Her Husband brought me over from Ireland  I 
found her at Home, and we drank a Quartern of Gin together.  By and by in comes Peg
Murphey, with a Pair of brocaded Shoes and Clogs, and makes a Present of 'em to 
Madam Wild, the Prisoner's Wife.  The Prisoner was in Company with us at the same
Time, and when we had drank two or three Quarterns more, Murphey and I got up to go
away together.  He asked us which way we were going?  I said, To my Lodging at the
Seven-Dials.  I suppose, says he, you go along Holbourn!  We answer'd, Yes.  Why then,
says he, I'll tell ye what- There's an old Blind Bitch that keeps a Shop within 20
Yards of Holbourn-Bridge, and sells fine Flanders Lace; and her Daughter is as blind
as herself: Now if you'll take the Trouble of calling upon her you may speak with a

p. 50
Box of Lace- I'll go along with ye, and shew ye the Door.
Court. What did you understand by speaking with a Box of Lace.
Kelly. To speak with a Thing, is to steal it- So we agreed, and the Prisoner and I
and Murphey went together, 'till we came within Sight of the Shop, and then he
pointed and shew'd us which it was, and says he, Do you go, and I'll wait here, and
seeing ye off, if any Disturbance should happen.  Murphey and I went in, and [look'd?] 
over several parcels of Lace, but could find not that which please us; for it was our
Business to be mighty Nice [not?] Difficult: This Piece was too [wide?], and that
was too narrow, and [t'other?] not fine enough.  At last the old Woman stept up
Stairs to fetch another Piece, and in the mean Time I took a Tin Box of Lace, and
gave it to Murphey, who put it under her Cloak.  The old Woman came down again with
another Box, and shew'd us several more Pieces, but we could not agree about the 
Price, and so we came away, and found the Prisoner where we had left him, and told
him we had spoke.  We all went back to his House, where we open'd the Box, and found
Eleven Pieces in it.  He asked us if we'd have ready Money, or stay 'till an
Advertisement came out.  Stock was pretty low with us at that Time, and so we
chose ready Money, and he gave us three Guineas and four Broad-Pieces.  I can't
afford to give any more, says he, for she's a hard mouth'd old Bitch, and I shall
never get above Ten Guineas out of her.  I took the three Guineas and a Crown
for my own Share, and Murphey had the rest- I was taken up by Means of Butler, and
so I made my Information.
Margaret Murphey. (She was hang'd March 27, 1728, 'er stealing a silver Salt and a
silver Tea pot.) I have known the Prisoner three Years.- On the 22d of Jan last, about
Two o'Clock in the Afternoon, I went to his House to present his Wife with a rich
Pair of Shoes and Clogs, and there I found Kelly and Johnston with the Prisoner and
his Wife.  They were drinking Hollands Geneva, and I sat down and drank with them.
When I has staid about an Hour, Kelly and I got up to go away together.  The Prisoner
enquir'd whither we were going, we told him to the Seven Dials.  Then, says he, you'll
go up Holbourn. - There's an old blind Bitch that keeps a Lace-Shop [hard?] by
Holbourn-Bridge, and she has got a Daughter as blind as herself, so that if you'll
call there, you may easily speak with a Box or two of Lace.- I'll go wif ye, and show
ye the Door, and then wait at a little Distance to bring ye off, if any Thing should
happen.  So we all went.  He shew'd us the Shop, we left him, and stept in.  The old
Woman and her Daughter were both there.  We cheapen'd some Lace, and turned over
several Parcels, but were so difficult, that none we saw could please us.  At last
the old Gentlewoman went up Stairs for another Parcel, and left only the Daughter and
us in the Shop: The Daughter turning her Head aside, Kelly took a Tin Box of Lace, 
which at first he put under the Skirt of his Coat, and then handed it to me.  The
old Woman came down, and shew'd us another Parcel.  We pitch'd upon a Piece, and she
ask'd us (I think it was) 5 s. a Yard, we bid her four.  She would not take it, and
so we came away, and found the Prisoner where we had left him, and told him what
Success we had met.
 
p. 51
met with.  We all went back to his House.  He took us up Stairs, where we open'd the
Box, and found Eleven Pieces of Lace in it.  He asked us if we'd have the Cole, that
is, the Money then, or stay to see what Reward would be offer'd in an Advertisement.
We chose ready Money, and so he gave us three Guineas and four Broad-pieces.  I can't
afford to give any more, says he, for tho' I have got some Influence over her, by
helping her to Goods two or three Times before, yet I know her to be such a stingy
old Bitch, that I shan't get above Ten Guineas out of her.
Catherine Stetham, the Elder.  On the 22d of January, between Three and Four in the
Afternoon, a Man and a Woman came into my Shop, on Pretence of buying some Lace for
Stocks.  I shew'd 'em two or three Parcels, but they were so difficult, that nothing
I had below would please 'em: And so leaving my Daughter in the Shop, I stept up
Stairs and brought down another Box.  Well, that would do, but what was the Price?
I ask'd 'em 6 s. a Yard.  No, they would give me four.  I told 'em I could not take
it, and so they went out; and in about three Hours afterwards I mist a Tin Box of
Lace, which I valued at 50 L.
[follows with reading of indictment, further description of incident, etc.]

p. 52
Prisoner. I hope the Court will consider the Service I have done in convicting a
great Number of Criminals. -I beg that Murphey and Kelly may be call'd in again, and
that I may ask them a Question or two.
Court. Let them come in, -Now what is your Question?
Prisoner. Mrs. Murphey, I desire to know, -
Court. You must not propose your Question to the Witness, but to the Court; and if
your Question is proper, the Court will require the Witness to answer it.
Prisoner. I beg your Lordship will ask her who stole the Lace.
Court. That's not a proper Question, for as she's upon Oath, we cannot require her
to answer any Questions to accuse herself.
Prisoner. She swore upon the first Indictment, that-
Court. What ever she swore upon on that Trial, we cannot take Notice of it upon this,
except she was now to swear it over again, which we cannot require her to do.
K. Council. This Indictment is laid for taking Money of Catherine Stetham under
Pretence of helping her to Goods that had been stolen by Persons UNKNOWN, and the
Prisoner would ask the Witness, Who stole those Good?-
Prisoner. I would ask her then if I stole the Lace.
Murphey. No, but he was concern'd with those that did steal it, and he receiv'd it
after it was stolen.
Here the Prisoner's Council beg'd leave to observe, that as Murphey has sworn the
Prisoner guilty of a Felony in being concern'd with those who stole the Goods, they
presumed that the Act upon which he was now indicted, was never intended to affect
him, or any other Felon, but only such Persons as were not Felons themselves...

p. 54
The Jury acquitted the Prisoner of the first Indictment, and found him guilty of
the second.  Death.

p. 377