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Guildhall: Mary Macklin was placed at the bar, before Sir Peter Laurie, charged with being concerned in stealing a lady’s neck chain, two silver spoons, and other articles, the property of a lady now at Inspruck. The Chief Clerk explained to the magistrate that, on a previous day three persons now in custody had been charged by a pawnbroker with offering to pledge some property, supposed to be stolen. They alleged it was the property of a relation of theirs. Subsequently, a groom came forward to claim the property, stating that he had found it and had authorized the parties to pledge it for him. He was detained, and the prisoner then at the bar attended on that occasion to speak on behalf of the groom. The officer, suspecting that the master of the two last prisoners had been robbed, waited upon that gentleman, and after looking at the property he said he knew nothing of it, and that the officer was quite mistaken. From some information the officer afterwards received, it appeared that the property had in fact been stolen from that gentleman’s house, and this led to the apprehension of the prisoner at the bar.  Wardle, one of the City detective force, stated that from information he had received he went to Dr. Tilt’s, 8, York Street, Portman Square, the master of the prisoner, Mary Macklin, and asked him if he had the care of any boxes containing property belonging to a lady abroad? Dr. Tilt said he had and that they belonged to his sister-in-law, Mrs. Pincent, who was travelling on the Continent, and had been for the last four years. He (Wardle) told him that he had heard that the boxes had been broken open and the property abstracted. He then went into the kitchen with Dr. Tilt, and there saw eight large boxes, which, on examination, he found to have been broken open and a great portion of the contents abstracted, and the remainder in great confusion. They principally contained books and wearing apparel. Two of the locks had been nailed on again. Prisoner was present during the greater part of the examination of the boxes. He (Wardle) afterwards went up to the parlour, where he found a prisoner in the care of George Mullineux, another detective officer. He (Wardle) told her that he had been told the gold negligee and two silver gravy spoons had been stolen from those boxes, and she replied that “the cook had been the first instigator of it” and that she and the cook first commenced breaking them open. The latter took out a shawl, scarf, piece of linen, piece of calico, and a number of valuable cameos. She told him (the officer) that her brother, Charles Macklin, and Henry Osborne, who are now in custody, came to her on Thursday last at Dr. Tilt’s, and that her brother took the chain and the spoons from separate boxes; he threw the chain into the air and caught it again, exclaiming “I’ve done the old gal at last. I’ve got the chain, and she’s got the box”. Previously, Osborne took from one of the boxes a lady’s dress, a piece of linen, and another of calico, and pledged them. They also took away several pairs of boots and shoes. The only portion of the property she had was a single cameo, which was now in the possession of her brother’s sister-in-law. He then took her into custody and conveyed her to the station. The boxes had been opened about two months ago, a short time previous to Osborne leaving the service of Dr. Tilt. The chain and spoons have been valued, the former at about twenty guineas and the latter about £4. but Dr. Tilt could not identify either, never having seen them before. But he stated that he had heard frequently that his sister-in-law had in her possession two very old and very heavy gravy-spoons, which description perfectly corresponded with the spoons produced. Dr. Tilt said that Mrs. Pinsent had brought from Rome, when she was last in England, a very valuable collection of cameos, none of which had been set, and he believed they were the same that the prisoner had stated his cook had stolen. Sir Peter Laurie said it would be necessary to give time for Dr. Tilt to write to Mrs. Pincent, at Inspruck, to ascertain where she bought the negligee, so that they might have the jeweller’s evidence to identify it, and he would remand the case till tomorrow, in order that the prisoners might be brought up, and all charged together.  

[see also Reynold’s Weekly News: Sunday, June 9^th, 1850] 

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Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.

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Referenced

GRO0469 Hennock: Jane Sparrow: 1809 – 1891