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money； but Buck；＇19＇ happening to see my hair fall down； he told Johnson；
upon which Johnson came to see me and said； ‘I find the cole's planted in
your hair。 Let me keep it for you and let Buck know nothing about it。'
So I gave Johnson five broad pieces and twenty…two guineas； not gratis；
but only to keep for me； for I expected it to be returned when sessions was
over。 As to the money； I never said I took it from Mrs Duncomb； but he
asked me what they had to rap against me。 I told him only a tankard。
He asked me if it was Mrs Duncomb's； and I said yes。''
＇19＇ Peter Buck； a prisoner。
The Court： ‘‘Johnson； were those her words： ‘This is the money
and bag that I took'？''
Johnson： ‘‘Yes； and she desired me to make away with the bag。''
Johnson's evidence was confirmed in part by Alstone； another officer
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of the prison。 He said he told Johnson to get the bag from the prisoner；
as it might have something about it whereby it could be identified。
Johnson called the girl； while Alstone watched from a dark corner。 He
saw Sarah give Johnson the bag； and heard her ask him to burn it。
Alstone also deposed that Sarah told him （Alstone） part of the money
found on her was Mrs Duncomb's。
There is no need here to enlarge upon the oddly slack and casual
conditions of the prison life of the time as revealed in this evidence。 It
will be no news to anyone who has studied contemporary criminal history。
There is a point； however； that may be considered here； and that is the
familiarity it suggests on the part of Sarah with prison conditions and with
the cant terms employed by criminals and the people handling them。
Sarah； though still in her earliest twenties；＇20＇ was known alreadyif
not in the Templeto have a bad reputation。 It is said that her closest
friends were thieves of the worst sort。 She was the daughter of an
Englishman； at one time a public official in a small way in Dublin。 Her
father had come to London with his wife and daughter； but on the death of
the mother had gone back to Ireland。 He had left his daughter behind
him； servant in an ale…house called the Black Horse。
＇20＇ Born 1711； Durham； according to The Newgate Calendar。
Sarah was a fairly well…educated girl。 At the ale…house； however； she
formed an acquaintance with a woman named Mary Tracey； a dissolute
character； and with two thieves called Alexander。 Of these three
disreputable people we shall be hearing presently； for Sarah tried to
implicate them in this crime which she certainly committed alone。 It is
said that the Newgate officers recognized Sarah on her arrival。 She had
often been to the prison to visit an Irish thief； convicted for stealing the
pack of a Scots pedlar。
It will be seen from Sarah's own defence how she tried to implicate
Tracey and the two Alexanders：
‘‘I freely own that my crimes deserve death； I own that I was
accessory to the robbery； but I was innocent of the murder； and will give
an account of the whole affair。
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‘‘I lived with Mrs Lydia Duncomb about three months before she was
murdered。 The robbery was contrived by Mary Tracey； who is now in
confinement； and myself； my own vicious inclinations agreeing with hers。
We likewise proposed to rob Mr Oakes in Thames Street。 She came to
me at my master's； Mr Kerrel's chambers； on the Sunday before the
murder was committed； he not being then at home； we talked about
robbing Mrs Duncomb。 I told her I could not pretend to do it by myself；
for I should be found out。 ‘No；' says she； ‘there are the two Alexanders
will help us。' Next day I had seventeen pounds sent me out of the
country； which I left in Mr Kerrel's drawers。 I met them all in Cheapside
the following Friday； and we agreed on the next night； and so parted。
‘‘Next day； being Saturday； I went between seven and eight in the
evening to see Mrs Duncomb's maid； Elizabeth Harrison； who was very
bad。 I stayed a little while with her； and went down； and Mary Tracey
and the two Alexanders came to me about ten o'clock； according to
appointment。''
On this statement the whole implication of Tracey and the Alexanders
by Sarah stands or falls。 It falls for the reason that the Temple porter had
seen no stranger pass the gate that night； nobody but Templars going to
their chambers。 The one fact riddles the rest of Sarah's statement in
defence； but； as it is somewhat of a masterpiece in lying invention； I shall
continue to quote it。 ‘‘Mary Tracey would have gone about the
robbery just then； but I said it was too soon。 Between ten and eleven she
said； ‘We can do it now。' I told her I would go and see； and so went
upstairs； and they followed me。 I met the young maid on the stairs with a
blue mug； she was going for some milk to make a sack posset。 She asked
me who were those that came after me。 I told her they were people going
to Mr Knight's below。 As soon as she was gone I said to Mary Tracey；
‘Now do you and Tom Alexander go down。 I know the door is ajar；
because the old maid is ill； and can't get up to let the young maid in when
she comes back。' Upon that； James Alexander； by my order； went in and
hid himself under the bed； and as I was going down myself I met the
young maid coming up again。 She asked me if I spoke to Mrs Betty。 I
told her no； though I should have told her otherwise； but only that I was
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afraid she might say something to Mrs Betty about me； and Mrs Betty
might tell her I had not been there； and so they might have a suspicion of
me。''
There is a