Trial of Jane Leigh Perrot, at Taunton Assizes, on Saturday the 29th day of March, 1800; charged with stealing a card of lace, in the shop of Elizabeth Gregory, haberdasher & milliner, of the city of Bath — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
Trial of Jane Leigh Perrot, at Taunton Assizes, on Saturday the 29th day of March, 1800; charged with stealing a card of lace, in the shop of Elizabeth Gregory, haberdasher & milliner, of the city of Bath
John Stuart Mill · en
I have known her near 30 years, she has always been a most respectable
character, I, as well as numbers of my friends have known her to be
such.
Mrs. WINSTONE, EXAMINED BY Mr. BOND.
I have known her 4 or 5 years; I know not a more respectable woman, &
if I had not thought so, I should not have appeared here in this public
manner. _NOTE.—Mrs. W. was at the bar with the prisoner._
Miss CHOLMONDELEY, EXAMINED BY Mr. DALLAS.
I have known her 40 years, she is a person who has always borne the
most respectable character for religion, and in every other respect: I
have been in great intimacy with her.
Mr. T. COWARD, EXAMINED BY Mr. JEKYLL.
I am a linen draper, and live at Bath; have known her 8 or 10 years,
have always thought her a woman of the strictest honor, she has been a
customer of mine, and I have never had a doubt of her honesty.
W. LONSDALE, EXAMINED BY Mr. PELL.
I live at Bath and am a silk-mercer, I have known her 4 years, she is a
woman of the highest honor.
Mr. WRIGHT, EXAMINED BY Mr. BOND.
I am a jeweller and perfumer at Bath, have known her 5 years, have had
the highest opinion of her, she is very honest and very strict.
JUDGE LAWRENCE went through the evidence most ably, in the course of
which he observed that the character given her was the very best; that
if the Jury had any doubt, her character ought to weigh in her favor,
but that this would depend on their consideration of the facts; that if
they believed Filby, they must pronounce her guilty, for the facts he
had stated proved the offence, but that still there was a material fact
in her favor, the circumstance of her returning to Bath-Street so soon,
when she might have gone home and concealed the lace; the case however
was left with them.
_The Jury deliberated near half an hour, and returned a verdict of NOT
GUILTY._
FINIS.
BATH, APRIL 5, 1800.
_In Reply to a Hand-Bill distributed about this City, the Printer
hereof respectfully informs the Public, that in consequence of repeated
Applications for this extraordinary Trial, and being informed that an
Attorney of Taunton, had taken the same in Short Hand, solicited the
indulgence of a Copy, informing him he intended to print it (not having
the least Idea that he purposed publishing the Trial himself) but
receiving no answer to the Letter, he applied to another Person, from
whom a Copy was procured, taken in Short Hand, at the Trial on Saturday
last._
BATH:
PRINTED AND SOLD BY W. GYE,
MARKET-PLACE.
Transcriber’s Note