Susan Perry

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Susan Perry of the Parish of St. James Clerkenwel , was indicted for Robbery on the Highway , and Murder, committed on the Body of John Pace (an Infant of 4 Years Old) on the 27th of January last, by first stripping it of a Hat, value 2 d. a Bodice-Coat, value 1 d. and other things; and afterwards strangling it with a piece of Woolen Lift, value 1 d. It appear'd by the Evidence, That the Child was kept out of Charity by an Aunt, who on the Day aforesaid led him to School in Tower-street, and going to call for him in the Evening, was told by the Mistress he was gone a little before; whereupon she went home, but the Child was missing, and she was upon search for him all Night. The Child wander'd to the Glass house in the Minories to warm it self; and not being know there, the Prisoner pretended she knew the Parents of it, and she would have it home. The next Day, a Woman crying Old Hats and Shoes, saw the Prisoner sitting at a Door in Berry-street by the Jews Synagogue, mending her Apron, with the Child's Hat upon her Head, which she sold to her, with a Boddice-coat, Frock and Pettycoat, for 9 d. The Woman afterwards going home, heard a Child cry'd the Description of whose Cloaths answer'd what she had bought of the Prisoner; which having given an Account of, she went to see if she could find her, and by meer Chance met her in the Street, seiz'd her, and had her before a Justice. The Aunt hearing of somebody taken up for stripping a Child, went to the Justice's, and swore to the Cloaths. The Prisoner own'd something of the Stripping; and being ask'd where the Child's Shirt was said it was left upon him, but upon search it was found in her Pocket, as was his blue Bib sew'd into her Apron, which was that she was mending at the Door. The Child was found in a Ditch with a piece of Woolen Garter lying upon its Breast, and a Mark round the Neck; and it was the Opinion of a Surgeon, by that, and other Symptoms, that it was strangl'd. It was naked all but Shoes and Stockings. The Prisoner had nothing to say for her self, but that she did not kill it, tho' she own'd she stript it: But the concurring Circumstances made the Murder so plain, that the Jury found her Guilty of that, as well as the Robbery .

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 6.0, 10 October 2011), February 1713, trial of Susan Perry (t17130225-27).