QSR1839/4/5/16/a

Depositions and examination - John Cross charged with stealing money from the person of John Favell

19 September 1839

From: 1839 To: 1839

John Favell of Wilden, shoemaker - last night about 8pm he went to Mr Dobbin's Public house at Renhold with 15 to 18s in his pocket - 2 half crowns and the rest in sixpences and shillings. He sat down beside Cross and fell asleep almost immediately, without having drunk anything. He woke about 9.30 with Cross still sitting beside him and called for a glass of beer. When he went to pay for it he found his money was gone from his right hand breeches pocket - Cross was sitting on his right. While Mr Dobbins was gone for a glass of beer Cross left. He said he had been robbed and he and Dobbins went to look for Cross. They found him covered over with straw in the barn. Dobbins went for the constable and he stayed in the barn making out he intended to sleep there. When Dobbins returned with the constable he accused Cross of taking his money. Cross would not allow the constable to search him. Coombs produced 2 half crowns, 7 shillings and one sixpence - Favell identified two of the shillings as his, one by a round dot punched near the middle and the other by a star on the neck of the head. No one sat between him and Cross. About 3pm yesterday Mrs Dobbins changed a sovereign for him and the money he lost was all part of the silver he received in change. He did not tell the prisoner that Mrs Dobbins changed a sovereign for him, nor did she. George Dobbins of Renhold, victualler - he keeps the Griffins Head Public Hosue at Renhold. Yesterday afternoon he changed a sovereign for John Favell, giving the change all in silver. Before that he had a shilling marked with a round punch mark like the one produced, but cannot say it is the same. Cross is a stranger to him, who came to his house last Monday afternoon but did not sleep there. He was then charged with taking money from another person. The previous morning Cross came to his house and remained until Favell came in. About 2pm Cross said he had no money and asked him to lend him half a crown - he refused. Favell sat on the left side of Cross, leant down on the bench and fell asleep for an hour or more. Cross never moved, and no one else sat near Favell. He saw Cross nod and drop against Favell several times as if falling asleep. After Favell woke he called for beer - when Dobbins returned with it Favell said Cross had taken all the money out of his pocket. They found the prisoner in the barn. ... Response to the prisoner: when Favell charged Cross with having his money he hear Favell say he had 3 half crowns and a fourpenny bit, but does not remember he said that almost all the rest was in sixpences. Just before Cross left he saw him put his hand inside his breeches pocket and heard the silver jink, which surprised him as Cross had said he had no money. About half an hour before Favell woke Cross offered to treat people in the house and did so, paying a shilling. He suspected at the time Cross had Favell's money and intended to check with Favell later. Cross sat on a chair by the table while the prisoner [sic] lay on the bench. There was a man sitting at the end of the bench. After Cross was apprehended he asked if anyone had seen him with his hand in Favell's pocket and they had not. Cross sat in a chair between the bench were Favell lay and the table. John Writings a labourer in Renhold sat at the back of Cross. Hester Richardson of Renhold, spinster, servant of Mr Dobbins - saw Favell asleep on the bench yesterday afternoon with Cross beside him. She saw Cross lay his hands across Favell and lift his coat up. She thought it was a joke and took no further notice. She heard Cross after he was taken inquire if anyone saw him put his hand in Favell's pocket. She said no and did not mention what she had seen him do to Favell's coat, though she had told Favell. William Coombs, chief constable of Bedford - that morning he found Cross and the constable of Renhold handcuffed together against his door. The constable said he had not searched the prisoner, so he searched Cross and found the two half crowns, 7 shillings and a sixpence. now produced. Cross said the money was his own. He refused to say how he came by it. John Cross - declined to say anything.

item

Cross, John,
Favell, John,
Dobbins, George,
Richardson, Hester,
Coombs, William,
Writings, John

stealing, money, shoemakers, victuallers, Renhold Griffins Head, WILDEN, RENHOLD