Page:The Trial of William Booth, of Perry Barr.pdf/13

 May, about nine o'clock in the evening, as she was going home on horseback, with her son before her, she was stopped about a quarter of a mile from home, in a public bridle road, by a man who had been leaning against the bank; the man laid hold of the bridle, and said to her son, "Stir if you dare—give me your money immediately, or I'll blow both your brains out." He held something in his hand, which witness apprehended was a pistol. She exclaimed "Spare our lives, and you shall have our money;" and then delivered to him two 1l. notes, which he held up to examine if they were good, He was dressed in dark-coloured clothes, and wore a slouched hat over his face—he was a "particular made man," broad across the shoulders. On the following Wednesday the prisoner came to her door to ask charity, and as soon as she saw him she was so much struck with his appearance, that she felt ill, and could not speak to him; she was quite sure he was the man who had robbed her, tho' at the time he was begging he had a hand tied up;, and appeared to be lame, but he was not lame on Sunday. She sent her son to him, who ordered him away. At the time of the robbery she never saw the man's face, but recognized him by his make, voice, and hat.

Wm. Brown, jun. was next sworn, and corroborated the testimony of his mother; the prisoner said something to them which they could not understand; was positive in identifying prisoner, but could not swear whether it was a pistol that he held to his mother: it resembled one. When the prisoner had obtained the notes, witness said to him, "You've got what you want—for God's sake let us go." The