QSR1839/3/5/7/a

Depositions - Samuel Dickinson, charged with stealing a mare from Richard Robinson

16 May 1839

From: 1839 To: 1839

Richard Robinson of Wimmington, bailiff of Mr Serjeant Scriven and manager of his farms at Wimmington - about 6pm last Monday he helped his man George Hopkins catch his brown mare and saw him lead her towards the stable where she lies at night. On Tuesday morning she was missing from the stable. He saw her that morning at Bedford in the presence of John Booth and John King, constables of Luton. John Booth, constable of Luton - through information received at about 6.15am last Tuesday he went to the Cock Public House at luton where he saw Dickinson sitting at breakfast. He claimed to have ridden from Silsoe that morning and to be going to Barnet. He asked Dickinson to go to the stable with him. He claimed his name was "James Green". He saw a brown mare in the stable. She was very dirty and appeared very tired. Dickinson claimed the mare was his own and he had others at home which he kept to run in cabs - he claimed to be a cab proprietor living in Newchurch Street in the West End of London. Booth was not satisfied and took Dickinson and the mare into custody. He asked for materials to write to a Mr George Little at King's Cross, claiming the mare belonged to him. When confronted with having said the mare was his own, he said "Mr Little and I are both as one". Then asked Booth to write for him, and admitted his name was Samuel Dickinson. Booth refused and locked him in the cage. Later he claimed to have bought the mare from a horsedealer named Green from Whetstone who he had met at Silsoe by arrangement, for £5 down with the remaining £20 to be paid at £1 a week in Smithfield Market. Claimed to have slept at a beer shop he keeps in Bermondsey on Monday night and left at 12pm that night to come down to Luton to meet Mr Green. Not finding him there he went on to Silsoe and paid Green the money in the road. He had no receipt. On Wednesday morning the mare was claimed by the chief constable of Bedford for Mr Robinson. Dickinson said that morning that he was a native of Wimmington though he lived in London. John Paviour, constable of Bedford - on duty at Bedford on Monday night 13 May. At about 1.50am on Tuesday he heard a horse coming from the bridge as he was coming up Potton Street. At the corner of the street by St Mary's Church he saw a person he believes to be the prisoner riding without a saddle. He said good morning but the man did not answer. Booth showed him a mare that morning which he believes to be the one he saw. About 9am Mr Robinson called on him, he described the horse he had seen and Robinson said it was his. He gave a description of the mare and rider to the chief constable.

item

Dickinson, Samuel,
Robinson, Richard,
Scriven, Serjeant,
Hopkins, George,
Booth, John,
King, John,
Paviour, John

horse theft, WYMINGTON, LUTON, London, Luton Cock, BEDFORD, Bedford Potton Street