ated themselves, they first
got into one another's company at a dram-shop near St. Giles in the
Fields, much frequented by Constance Buckle, a most lewd and abandoned
strumpet, and one Rowland Jones, a fellow of as bad principles as
themselves. One night, having intoxicated themselves with the vile
manufacture of the house, they went out, after they had spent their
money, and in Bloomsbury Square attacked one John Ross, from whom they
took away a hat value five shillings, and fourpence halfpenny in money.
This man, it seems, lived the very next door to the gin-shop where they
frequented. Going there the next day, to make complaint, he was
immediately told that the people who had robbed him had sold his hat,
and were coming thither by and by to drink the money out in gin. Upon
this information Ross procured proper assistance, and the people keeping
their appointment pretty exactly, were all surprised and taken.

In the confusion they were under when first apprehended, Minsham and
Sanders in part owned the fact, but Rowland Jones making a full and
frank discovery, was accepted as an evidence, and produced against them
at their trial at the ensuing sessions at the Old Bailey, where, upon
full evidence, they were all convicted of this fact, and Francis
Sanders, Constance Buckle, and Robert Tyler, were indicted for
assaulting Richard Smith on the highway, putting him in fear, and taking
from him a hat value five shillings.

Rowland Jones, the evidence, deposed that the night the robbery was
committed he was in company with the prisoners at a brandy shop, where
having drunk until they were all pretty much elevated, they went out in
order to see what they could pick up. And not far from the place they
went from, overtaking a man whom they saw had a pretty good hat on,
Sanders hit him a blow in the face, and that not doing the business, he
repeated it, and at the second blow, the hat fell off from his head,
whereupon Constance Buckle caught it and clapped it under her coat. The
constable deposed that by the information of Rowland Jones, he
apprehended the prisoners. Constance Buckle acknowledged that she was in
their company when the man was knocked down and the hat taken, whereupon
the jury, without withdrawing, found them guilty, and they received
sentence of death.

The woman Constance Buckle pleaded her being with child, and a jury of
matrons being impannelled, they found she was quick, and thereby
procured her a respite