Herts Advertiser - April 1871

From the Herts Advertiser, 1st April 1871

WATFORD

PETTY SESSIONS

Tuesday, March 28

Present - Colonel Foskett in the chair; Rev. W. Falconer; Rev. A. H. Barker; R. Pryor, Esq.

ALLEGED THEFT BY A DOMESTIC SERVANT

Emma Hessall, 15, a respectably-dressed young woman, was brought up in custody charged with stealing two pieces of netting, six sheets of note paper, muslin frill, three newspaper stamps, three muslin sleeves, three artificial roses, fine net handkerchief, piece of white satin ribbon, six pieces of lace, four pieces of muslin edging, and a miscellaneous collection of articles of trifling value, the property of her employer, Mr. George Cowan, of the Swan public-house, at Leavesden, on the 17th inst.

The prosecutor stated that the prisoner had been in his service as a general servant since November last, at the Swan public-house, Leavesden. Being shown a quantity of ribbons, lace, writing paper, &c., of the estimated value of 5s., he identified a muslin frill and a piece of ribbon as his property, and produced the counterparts. He could give no idea of the value of the property he identified, but eventually put it at 2s. He had no wish to press the case against the prisoner, and would not have prosecuted had it not been that her father had been so insolent to him on the previous evening.

Mr. Hodson, a traveller, identified some writing paper produced and some newspaper envelopes produced as his property. They had been abstracted from his portfolio, which had been left unlocked in the living room. He produced some writing paper of the same quality and watermark, and estimated the value at 3d.

By the prisoner's father: No one had access to the room except the landlord and landlady.

Mr. Cowan deposed that the paper and envelopes were found in a drawer in the kitchen which the prisoner had devoted to her own use.

By the prisoner's father: The articles produced were not rubbish which had been left behind after the packing and dispatch of other goods.

The prisoner elected to be tried summarily, and having been formally charged with the theft pleaded not guilty. She contended that all the articles had been given to her by the wife, with the exception of the paper, and that she declared she knew nothing about.

The Chairman, after warning the prisoner to be more careful in future, ordered her to be discharged.