Annie Jermy
AT MARLBOROUGH STREET - ANNIE JERMY, 23, described as an artist, of Rome Cottage, White Webb's Lane, Enfield, was charged on a warrant with obtaining by false pretences a sealskin mantle, a squirrel tail boa, and a muff, of the value of £45, with intent to defraud Charles Russ, a furrier, of New Bond Street. Mr Gribble, solicitor, appeared for the defence. The prosecutor said that on the 23rd of last month the prisoner called at his shop and gave an order for a mantle lined with fur and a hat to match. The goods were to come to 50 guineas. She said that her name was Jermy, and that she lived at Rome Cottage, Enfield. She called a second time on the 4th inst., tried on the mantle she had ordered, and left it to be finished. She then said that she had met with an accident in the City by being thrown out of a hansom cab, and had thus lost her purse. She gave as references a Mr Tayler, who, she said, was a solicitor living near Norwich, and General Macdonald, of Pall Mall. She asked that hte mantle might be finished at once as she wanted to go hunting, and was afterwards going to Scotland. As she could not get the mantle she selected a seal skin paletot, a muff to match, and a boa, and was allowed to take them away with her. She took off the cloak she was wearing, and requested him to supply her tailor - Mr Brooke - with fur trimming for it. After she left the prosecutor became suspicious. Inquiries were made, and it was discovered that there was no Mr Tayler at the address she had given and that General Macdonald knew nothing of her. He believed the prisoner to be of good position because she spoke of nothing but hunting ans riding, and because he found her name in the list of country families. In cross examination Mr Russ said that the prisoner did not tell him she was in receipt of £250 a year, and would pay him when she received her money. Detective sergeant Scott, C Division, deposed that he arrested the accused on Friday evening at Rose Cottage, Enfield. When he spoke to her about the matter she said, "I don't know how Mr Russ can make it fraud, as he allowed me at his own suggestion to take the coat away, and I intend to pay for it at the end of the week when I receive my money." He asked here where the jacket was, and after some hesitation she admitted that it had been pawned for £25. John Arthur Ward, assistant to Messrs. Peckham, pawnbrokers, of Robert Street, Albany Street, produced the jacket in question, which he said was pawned by the prisoner on the 10th of November in the name of Annie Hornby. Mr Mansfield remanded the accused for a week, allowing bail in two sureties of £50 each.
Ref: The Times, 15 November 1886, Page 4, Column d
AT MARLBOROUGH STREET - ANNIE JERMY, 23, described as an artist, of Rome Cottage, White Webb's Lane, Enfield, was charged on remand with obtaining by false pretences a sealskin mantle, a squirrel tail boa, and a muff, of the value of 45, with intent to defraud Charles Russ, a furrier, of New Bond Street. Mr Bernard Abrahams, solicitor, prosecuted; and Mr Gribble appeared for the defence. The facts of the case were printed in The Times of November 15th. General Macdonald, whose name the prisoner gave as a reference, was now called as a witness. He stated that he lived in Pall Mall, and became acquainted with the prisoner about the end of last month, owing to her calling upon him and stating that she was going to publish a book. She asked him to subscribe to it. She called on subsequent occasion, when he gave her a sovereign as a subscription. He never gave her any authority to use his name. When the woman called upon him she gave the name of Hornby. Mr Mansfield committed the prisoner for trial, allowing bail in two sureties of £50 each.
Ref: The Times, 22 November 1886, Page 3, Column f
MIDDLESEX SESSIONS - ANNIE JERMY surrendered to her bail to answer an indictment charging her with obtaining by means of false pretences from Charles Russ a fur boa of the value of £3 3s., a seal mantle of the value of 38 guineas, and a seal muff of the value of 52s 6d., with intent to defraud. The prisoner, it was stated, went to Mr Russ, who is a furrier carrying on business at 70, New Bond Street, and told him that she was Miss Jermy, of Roan Cottage, Enfield. She ordered a mantle and a hat trimmed with fur, the price to be £52 10s. The mantle was got ready, and she was written to to come and try it on. On the 4th of November she tried it on and directed that it should be finished. She then selected a fur boa and made various statements, one of which was that she had been thrown out of a cab in the City and had lost her purse, and she mentioned the name of General Macdonald, 11 Pall Mall, as a reference. She was allowed to take the boa away with her. On the 8th November she called again and asked whether the mantle was ready because she particularly wanted it the next day as was going hunting. She was told that it would not be finished until the Wednesday, and she then asked to see the sealskin mantles, and selected on valued at 38 guineas and a muff. She was allowed, in consequence of statements she made, to take the articles away with her. They were pawned almost immediately afterwards for £25. The prosecutor admitted that since the prisoner had been given into custody he head received £50 from a gentleman, who paid it on her behalf. General Macdonald stated that he only knew the prisoner by the name Hornby, and that about a month ago she called on him and said she was about to publish a book and asked him to subscribe for it. He gave her £1 for a copy of the book. He did not give her any authority to use his name as a reference. The Assistant Judge asked the prosecutor whether he was a foreigner. He said he was a German, but had been naturalized 16 years. The Assistant Judge said he ought to have known that it was highly improper to accept money after having preferred a charge which he had pressed to a committal. The jury found, after much hesitation, that "they felt bound to convict the prisoner." The Assistant Judge sentenced her to six months' imprisonment with hard labour.
Ref: The Times, 9 December 1886, Page 10, Column f