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saying that if the charge was twice or thrice as much she could send for a
friend who would pay it。 Her attitude probably made the turnkey
suspicious。 At any rate； after Sarah had mixed for some time with the
felons in the prison taproom； Johnson called her out and； lighting the way
by use of a link； led her to an empty room。
‘‘Child；'' he said； ‘‘there is reason to suspect that you are guilty of this
murder； and therefore I have orders to search you。'' He had； he admitted；
no such orders。 He felt under her arms； whereupon she started and threw
back her head。 Johnson clapped his hand on her head and felt something
hard。 He pulled off her cap； and found a bag of money in her hair。
‘‘I asked her；'' Johnson said in the witness…box； ‘‘how she came by it；
and she said it was some of Mrs Duncomb's money。 ‘But； Mr Johnson；'
says she； ‘I'll make you a present of it if you will keep it to yourself； and
let nobody know anything of the matter。 The other things against me are
nothing but circumstances； and I shall come well enough off。 And
therefore I only desire you to let me have threepence or sixpence a day till
the sessions be over； then I shall be at liberty to shift for myself。' ''
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To the best of his knowledge； said this turnkey； having told the money
over； there were twenty moidores； eighteen guineas； five broad pieces； a
half…broad piece； five crowns； and two or three shillings。 He thought
there was also a twenty…five…shilling piece and some others； twenty…three…
shilling pieces。 He had sealed them up in the bag； and there they were
（producing the bag in court）。
The court asked how she said she had come by the money。
Johnson's answer was that she had said she took the money and the
bag from Mrs Duncomb； and that she had begged him to keep it secret。
‘‘My dear；'' said this virtuous gaoler； ‘‘I would not secrete the money for
the world。
‘‘She told me； too；'' runs Johnson's recorded testimony； ‘‘that she had
hired three men to swear the tankard was her grandmother's； but could not
depend on them： that the name of one was William Denny； another was
Smith； and I have forgot the third。 After I had taken the money away she
put a piece of mattress in her hair； that it might appear of the same bulk as
before。 Then I locked her up and sent to Mr Alstone； and told him the
story。 ‘And；' says I； ‘do you stand in a dark place to be witness of what
she says； and I'll go and examine her again。'''
Sarah interrupted： ‘‘I tied my handkerchief over my hair to hide the
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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SHE STANDS ACCUSED
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 peop