He was asked why he had assured the officer he had no duplicates?
He replied, that he had not said so; but Mr.Cornell, who was present during the search, averred that the prisoner had most positively declared that he had not a pawnbroker's duplicate in his possession.
"Mr.Watt, a linen-draper, of Harper Street, Kent Road, stated that he attended in consequence of seeing the police reports in the newspapers, describing the two children; he immediately recognised the two little girls as having frequently called at his shop for trifling articles; and added, that he had been robbed of a variety of silk handkerchiefs and shawls, and he had no doubt but that the prisoners were the thieves.

It was their practice, he said, to go into a shop, and call for a quarter of a yard of muslin, and while the shopkeeper was engaged, the eldest would very dexterously slip whatever article was nearest, to her little sister, who was trained to the business, and would thrust the stolen property into a basket which she always carried for that purpose.

Mr.Watt identified the silk handkerchiefs as his property, and said that they had been stolen in the above manner by the prisoners.
"The father was asked where he had got the handkerchiefs?
He replied, that he had bought them from a pedlar for half-a-crown a piece at his door.

However, his eldest daughter contradicted him by acknowledging that her sister had stolen them from the shop of Mr.Watt.He became dreadfully agitated, and then said--'What could I say?
Surely I was not to criminate my own children!' "Mr.Allen observed, that there was a clear case against the two children, but after consulting with the other magistrates, he was of opinion that the youngest child should be given up into the charge of the parish officers of Newington, as she was too young to go into a prison, and desired that the other girl should be remanded, in order to have some of the pledged goods produced.

The father was committed in default of bail for receiving stolen goods.