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ATTEMPT TO SWINDLE.—An accomplished female swindler, calling herself Neville, was charged on suspicion of obtaining goods, by false pretences. She was apprehended by direction of Mr. A. J. Wood, having victimised three lodging-house keepers in a few hours, by obtaining lodgings, &c. on the pretence that she was the wife of a clergyman, and afterwards having no means to pay her bill. Some months ago she was convicted at Cheltenham of illegally pawning a watch, and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. She was then passing by the name of Sarah Westwood. While in the County Gaol she was of course visited by the chaplain, the Rev. W. C. L. A. Dudley, to whom she stated she was engaged to be married to Mr. Ellis, a clergyman in Lincolnshire. The chaplain, although convinced her story was false, wrote to Mr. Ellis, who replied that he had been married for some years, and was not inclined to change his wife for a “gaol bird” from Gloucester. Since she has been out of prison she has endeavoured to victimise several people by falsely pretending that she was on a visit to the Rev. Mr. Dudley. Among other people she has imposed upon are Mr. Fowler, of the Temperance Hotel, and Mrs. Morse, of Westgate-street. She was remanded until Tuesday next.
— Gloucester Journal, Saturday 03 October 1857 source
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The Notorious “Miss Westwood.”
This lady, whose doings in Cheltenham were narrated in the Examiner a few weeks back, was on Tuesday last brought before the Mayor of Gloucester, charged with obtaining lodgings from Mr. Fowler, of the Temperance Hotel, in that city, under false pretences.
Mr. William Boodle, of this town, was instructed by the friends of the accused to appear on her behalf, and the evidence not being considered sufficient to establish the “false pretence,” she was acquitted.
The prisoner was further charged with having fraudulently obtained possession of a dress and other articles from Mr. Webb, of Gloucester.
Mr. Boodle produced a number of letters, showing that the poor woman had been most respectably brought up, and also that she had been defrauded out of a large sum of money which had been left her by an aunt, under whose care she formerly lived. He stated that there was no doubt the troubles she had undergone had affected her intellect, and that she was not of sane mind or accountable for her actions. He was instructed to state that the Rev. Mr. Dudley was interesting himself in her behalf, and he produced a letter from the prisoner’s uncle, a gentleman in the commission of the peace, offering to provide the means for keeping her in an asylum. Under these circumstances the learned gentleman applied for a remand, to afford time for Mr. Dudley, in connexion with the prisoner’s friends, to make arrangements for her future custody and maintenance.
His worship acceded to the application, and the further hearing of the case stands adjourned to Monday next.
— Cheltenham Examiner, Wednesday 07 October 1857 source
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CITY POLICE.—The female Neville, charged last week upon suspicion of obtaining goods under false pretences, was again brought before the bench on Tuesday. Mr. Wm. Boodle, of Cheltenham, appeared, by the request of prisoner’s friends, to defend her. Mrs. Webb, of Northgate-street, stated that the prisoner had obtained from her two suits of mourning, one of which she had worn some days, and then called for the second suit, leaving the first with her to exchange. She promised to call for the first suit, and at the same time to pay the bill. Mrs. Webb was induced to execute the prisoner’s orders in consequence of her having represented herself to be a friend of the family of the Rev. Aspinall Dudley, with whom she stated she was then on a visit, and also mentioned the names of many other families of distinction with whom she said she was connected. Mr. Boodle asked for an adjournment, stating that the prisoner was of unsound mind, and produced several letters in which the writers corroborated this statement. He also said that she was possessed of some six or seven hundred pounds, was most respectably connected, and he denied that she was the person who is charged with various acts of swindling in other places. He believed that if the case was remanded for a short time, the prisoner’s friends would be able to satisfy the claims of the various persons with whom she had contracted debts, and they would undertake that she should be placed under restraint to prevent her wandering propensities for the future. She was then remanded until Monday next.
— Gloucestershire Chronicle, Saturday 10 October 1857 source
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Miss Westwood has removed her patronage to Gloucester, where she was once more got into hot water with the tradespeople. She is under remand for Monday, to answer a charge of fraudulently obtaining goods.
— Cheltenham Mercury, Saturday 10 October 1857 source
I can’t find any reference to the second half of the hearing, which should occur on Monday 12th Oct. I think “the prisoner’s friends” must have paid off her debts.
I’ve searched on “Westwood”, “Neville”, and “Boodle”, and “female swindler”.