BRIDGET KELLY, Violent Theft > robbery, 16th October 1882. 975. BRIDGET KELLY (20) , Robbery with violence on Henry August Redult, and stealing a purse and 4l., his property.
MR. CUNNINGHAM Prosecuted.
HENRY AUGUSTE REDULT . I am a German sailor, staying at the Trafalgar Coffee House, Leman Street, Whitechapel—on 22nd September, a little after midnight, I was at the corner of Batt Street, Ratcliff Highway, and saw a sort of row—I went to see what was going on, and the prisoner drew up alongside of me, and I saw and felt her hand in my left trousers pocket, where I had four sovereigns and 16s. or 17s. in silver, which she took out, and ran—I ran after her, and caught her without losing sight of her—a chap standing in a doorway tripped me up, and said "Let the woman
alone "—I fell on my hands and knees, and got up, and ran after her again—she ran among a lot of people, and tried to hide herself among them, but I was close to her, and kept her in view till a constable came—the two runs before and after my fall occupied about five minutes—I went into the German Flag, and found my hand bleeding—I was stabbed the second time I caught hold of her—I was taken to the London Hospital, and am still under treatment.
Gross-examined by the Prisoner. I charged you of robbing me of 5l.—I was out of my senses at the station.
ALBERT COLLINS (Policeman H 37). About 12.30 a. m. on 22nd Sept. I saw Redult running after the prisoner in Ratcliff Highway—I caught her, and Redult charged her with stealing his purse and 4l.—I got hold of her—she said "I will see you b——before I go with you," and threw herself down—she was very violent, and I heard money drop on the pavement while she was struggling with me—I could not see what became of it as I was engaged with her—I got her with assistance into the German flag beerhouse, and then saw Redult's hand bleeding, and saw blood on the prisoner's apron (produced)—I asked her how she accounted for it—she said "I did it"—on the way to the station she said "I did it, you are a gentleman," but after the charge was read of stabbing as well as robbing him she said that she was innocent—I accompanied Redult to the hospital on the ambulance—he was unable to sit up or speak; he had lost so much blood.
Cross-examined. I did not see a woman cuddle you round your neck and take the purse from your bosom.
CHRISTOPHER FAGAN (Policeman H 260). On 22nd September I was on duty in Prince's Square, and heard a rattle spring—I went in that direction, and came to the German Flag beerhouse—there was a crowd outside—I went in, and saw the prisoner and the prosecutor, whose hand was bleeding into a basin—he appeared very weak from Ions of blood—I saw the prisoner strike a young woman, who said "You have done it, and you will have to pay for it"—the prisoner did not reply—we took the prisoner to the station, and on the way she said "You are a b—Irishman, and so am I; I did it"—and she said to the other officer three times "I done it"—Redult was put on an ambulance, and we took him to the London Hospital—he never spoke.
Cross-examined. I did not see a woman strike you twice in the face in the public-house, but I saw you strike a young woman.
ANN COLLINS . I am an unfortunate girl, and live at 11, Albert Street, Shad well—on 22nd September, about 12.20 a. m., I saw Redult running after the prisoner in Ratcliff Highway—a constable came up, and then three of her companions cuddled her round her neck, and one took a purse out of her bosom—I then heard some money drop, and they scrambled for it—I saw three penny pieces picked up—Redult took the purse, and said that it was his, but there was no money in it—that was while the police had hold of her—they said to him "See if you have not got your purse "—he said "No, I have not," but he put his hand in his pocket and said "Yes, here is my purse, but my 4l. in gold has gone."
By the COURT. I cannot write; I put my mark to my depositions—I did not say "Some money was dropped, they scrambled for it, one of the girls then put the purse back into his left coat pocket"—what I said was
I saw him take the purse out of his pocket, and hold it up—yes, It was so, but I did not quite recollect it.
RUTH COLLINGWOOD . I live at 1, Palmer's Folly, Shad well, and am an unfortunate girl—on 22nd September, after midnight, I was standing at the corner of John's Hill, and saw the prisoner and five more following Redult—the prisoner went deliberately and took a purse out of his pocket, and was about to see what was in it, but he ran after her two or three times up and down John's Hill—he caught her once, but she got away—I think some one tripped him up—she ran up Bett Street, and was coming back, and a policeman caught her—a young woman caught hold of her, put her hand down her bosom, and took out the purse—the other four women were near, and one of them scattered the money about—they were all together, the same five women who ran at first—I could not see the money, but I beard it jingle—Redult held his hand out, and blood was pouring from a wound—I went into the German Flag, and the prisoner struck a young woman, who said "For the like of you we can't get our living; you are not satisfied with robbing sailors, you maltreat them," and struck the prisoner, who struck her back—I did not see what was done with the purse.
Cross-examined. I was in the public-house—the master of the public house did not tell you to take off your apron for the prosecutor to wipe his hand, nor did the policeman take hold of your hands, and strike you twice in the face because you did not take your apron off quick enough—I saw him strike you once, and you struck back—I did not see you take your apron off—I noticed that it was stained with blood—at the station you accused a witness of striking you, but it was not her—I know the young woman who you struck.
Re-examined. I noticed blood on the apron while it was on the prisoner.
BASIL WOOD WALKER , I am house surgeon at the London Hospital—Redult was brought there on 22nd September, a little after midnight, in a state of collapse, from profuse bleeding from a wound on his hand, across the palm from the centre to the side—it went about threequarters of an inch into the palm, and must have been done with a sharp instrument—he is still under treatment.
Prisoner's Defence. I saw a lot of women and the prosecutor following me; he fell and got up and followed me again and asked me for his purse. I asked what he meant and he charged me with stealing his purse. I went with the constable into the beerhouse. The master of the public-house sprang his rattle, which brought another constable. A woman struck me on my face because I could not get my apron off fast enough. There was a piece of an umbrella-handle with a seal to it there, and she said "Here is the knife, I can see that that done it. "He took it to the station.
CHRISTOPHER FAGAN (Re-examined). This piece of an umbrella was given me by a woman—I took it to the police-court—the Magistrate said it could not have been done with that.
GUILTY of stealing only. She then PLEADED GUILTY** to a conviction at Clerkenwell in September, 1881.— Five Years' Penal Servitude.
Text from the Proceedings of The Old Bailey
MR. CUNNINGHAM Prosecuted.
HENRY AUGUSTE REDULT . I am a German sailor, staying at the Trafalgar Coffee House, Leman Street, Whitechapel—on 22nd September, a little after midnight, I was at the corner of Batt Street, Ratcliff Highway, and saw a sort of row—I went to see what was going on, and the prisoner drew up alongside of me, and I saw and felt her hand in my left trousers pocket, where I had four sovereigns and 16s. or 17s. in silver, which she took out, and ran—I ran after her, and caught her without losing sight of her—a chap standing in a doorway tripped me up, and said "Let the woman
alone "—I fell on my hands and knees, and got up, and ran after her again—she ran among a lot of people, and tried to hide herself among them, but I was close to her, and kept her in view till a constable came—the two runs before and after my fall occupied about five minutes—I went into the German Flag, and found my hand bleeding—I was stabbed the second time I caught hold of her—I was taken to the London Hospital, and am still under treatment.
Gross-examined by the Prisoner. I charged you of robbing me of 5l.—I was out of my senses at the station.
ALBERT COLLINS (Policeman H 37). About 12.30 a. m. on 22nd Sept. I saw Redult running after the prisoner in Ratcliff Highway—I caught her, and Redult charged her with stealing his purse and 4l.—I got hold of her—she said "I will see you b——before I go with you," and threw herself down—she was very violent, and I heard money drop on the pavement while she was struggling with me—I could not see what became of it as I was engaged with her—I got her with assistance into the German flag beerhouse, and then saw Redult's hand bleeding, and saw blood on the prisoner's apron (produced)—I asked her how she accounted for it—she said "I did it"—on the way to the station she said "I did it, you are a gentleman," but after the charge was read of stabbing as well as robbing him she said that she was innocent—I accompanied Redult to the hospital on the ambulance—he was unable to sit up or speak; he had lost so much blood.
Cross-examined. I did not see a woman cuddle you round your neck and take the purse from your bosom.
CHRISTOPHER FAGAN (Policeman H 260). On 22nd September I was on duty in Prince's Square, and heard a rattle spring—I went in that direction, and came to the German Flag beerhouse—there was a crowd outside—I went in, and saw the prisoner and the prosecutor, whose hand was bleeding into a basin—he appeared very weak from Ions of blood—I saw the prisoner strike a young woman, who said "You have done it, and you will have to pay for it"—the prisoner did not reply—we took the prisoner to the station, and on the way she said "You are a b—Irishman, and so am I; I did it"—and she said to the other officer three times "I done it"—Redult was put on an ambulance, and we took him to the London Hospital—he never spoke.
Cross-examined. I did not see a woman strike you twice in the face in the public-house, but I saw you strike a young woman.
ANN COLLINS . I am an unfortunate girl, and live at 11, Albert Street, Shad well—on 22nd September, about 12.20 a. m., I saw Redult running after the prisoner in Ratcliff Highway—a constable came up, and then three of her companions cuddled her round her neck, and one took a purse out of her bosom—I then heard some money drop, and they scrambled for it—I saw three penny pieces picked up—Redult took the purse, and said that it was his, but there was no money in it—that was while the police had hold of her—they said to him "See if you have not got your purse "—he said "No, I have not," but he put his hand in his pocket and said "Yes, here is my purse, but my 4l. in gold has gone."
By the COURT. I cannot write; I put my mark to my depositions—I did not say "Some money was dropped, they scrambled for it, one of the girls then put the purse back into his left coat pocket"—what I said was
I saw him take the purse out of his pocket, and hold it up—yes, It was so, but I did not quite recollect it.
RUTH COLLINGWOOD . I live at 1, Palmer's Folly, Shad well, and am an unfortunate girl—on 22nd September, after midnight, I was standing at the corner of John's Hill, and saw the prisoner and five more following Redult—the prisoner went deliberately and took a purse out of his pocket, and was about to see what was in it, but he ran after her two or three times up and down John's Hill—he caught her once, but she got away—I think some one tripped him up—she ran up Bett Street, and was coming back, and a policeman caught her—a young woman caught hold of her, put her hand down her bosom, and took out the purse—the other four women were near, and one of them scattered the money about—they were all together, the same five women who ran at first—I could not see the money, but I beard it jingle—Redult held his hand out, and blood was pouring from a wound—I went into the German Flag, and the prisoner struck a young woman, who said "For the like of you we can't get our living; you are not satisfied with robbing sailors, you maltreat them," and struck the prisoner, who struck her back—I did not see what was done with the purse.
Cross-examined. I was in the public-house—the master of the public house did not tell you to take off your apron for the prosecutor to wipe his hand, nor did the policeman take hold of your hands, and strike you twice in the face because you did not take your apron off quick enough—I saw him strike you once, and you struck back—I did not see you take your apron off—I noticed that it was stained with blood—at the station you accused a witness of striking you, but it was not her—I know the young woman who you struck.
Re-examined. I noticed blood on the apron while it was on the prisoner.
BASIL WOOD WALKER , I am house surgeon at the London Hospital—Redult was brought there on 22nd September, a little after midnight, in a state of collapse, from profuse bleeding from a wound on his hand, across the palm from the centre to the side—it went about threequarters of an inch into the palm, and must have been done with a sharp instrument—he is still under treatment.
Prisoner's Defence. I saw a lot of women and the prosecutor following me; he fell and got up and followed me again and asked me for his purse. I asked what he meant and he charged me with stealing his purse. I went with the constable into the beerhouse. The master of the public-house sprang his rattle, which brought another constable. A woman struck me on my face because I could not get my apron off fast enough. There was a piece of an umbrella-handle with a seal to it there, and she said "Here is the knife, I can see that that done it. "He took it to the station.
CHRISTOPHER FAGAN (Re-examined). This piece of an umbrella was given me by a woman—I took it to the police-court—the Magistrate said it could not have been done with that.
GUILTY of stealing only. She then PLEADED GUILTY** to a conviction at Clerkenwell in September, 1881.— Five Years' Penal Servitude.
Text from the Proceedings of The Old Bailey
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