QSR1839/1/5/17a

Deposition of Eliza Farley of St.Lloyds in the parish of St Paul, Bedford, singlewoman - John Andrews of St Paul Bedford, shoemaker, charged with stealing a feather bed, bolster and two pillows from her.

8 November 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

About 6 months earlier Mrs Andrews agreed to let her store some goods at her house. She had four boxes and a package delivered by William Covington, which he took in a truck from her brother-in-law George Sabey's. One box contained a feather bed, bolster and pillow and other items, and had been locked, screwed and corded in her presence. She arrived at Mrs Andrews' in Boswell Court and saw the boxes and package delivered. Mr Andrews came in soon afterward. Last Monday night she noticed that a box containing wine, tea and sugar was "much ruffled" and that the wine bottle was empty and part of the tea and nearly all the sugar were gone. A large blanket was missing from another box. On Tuesday morning she went to Mrs Andrews' house with William Covington and Henry Levi and took all her boxes and things away to Mrs Sabey's. Before they left she discovered the box which contained the bed was very light and suspected it was gone. She stayed upstairs with Mr Andrews. The men returned and called out "there's no bed in that box". She spoke to Mr Andrews who said he knew nothing about it, as did Mrs Andrews, who said the boxes were as she had left them and made no answer when Eliza Farley mentioned the wine, tea and sugar. Eliza Farley had been in the habit of going to that box for clothing, and once sent Sabey's servant Mary Whitmee to the box for a cloak. She later examined the box that had contained the bed, bolster and pillows and found them missing. The box had been stored in Mrs Andrews' bedroom Witness then cross-examined by Andrews - she was certain the box had not been disturbed before it was delivered to Covington to take to Mrs Andrews; the bed had been in box for 2 years; she had last seen it a few weeks before it was delivered to Covington; only Mary Whitmee had been to the box; she agreed Coles had been to fetch a bed, bolster, pillow and carpet, but these were different as she had two beds; the goods had been kept in the Andrews house for safety to avoid them being taken for Sabey's rent. Additional statement made on November 10 - on November 9th Mr Andrews came to her and wanted to avoid going to court. He asked the value of the bed, but when told £5 said he could not pay that. He persisted in saying that he knew nothing about the bed and had never seen the inside of the box.

item

Andrews, John,
Farley, Eliza,
Sabey, George,
Covington, William,
Levi, Henry,
Whitmee, Mary,
Coles

Bedford St.Paul, St.Loyes Bedford, shoemaker, stealing, household goods