QSR1849/3/5/23-24

Depositions of Beatrice Cook, John Hyde of Luton, Dinah Hyde, William Bayldon, police superintendent and James Smith, police constable. Also, John Millard, police constable of Luton, Philip Peskett, draper, Ebenezer Careless, clothier, George Graves, lodging house keeper, all of Bedford, and Mary Thorne, of Hemel Hempstead. To give evidence in the case of James Evans and John Wilson accused of stealing a purse containing 7 sovereigns, the value of 7 pounds, the property of John Cook, from the person of Beatrice Cook,

25 June 1849

From: 1849 To: 1849

Beatrice Cook: was talking at her stall in Luton Market and James Evans pushed her arm at the same time she felt someone pull her pocket. She felt in her pocket and her purse containing 9 or 10 pounds was gone. There were approximately 7 sovereigns. John Hyde: ran a lodging house in Luton. The accused lodged with him on the Sunday asking him to trust them for the money until Monday. They had no bundle with them. Dinah Hyde: was at the Luton market and saw Beatrice Cook put money in her purse. The accused were also near by. When Beatrice Cook got up to tend to customers, she saw the accused move very close to her. William Bayldon: attended the accused at a lodging house in Hemel. They found half a crown in a boot, and the prisoners had new clothes. When asked where they were on the Sunday, they said Eye near Peterborough. James Smith: found 2 and a half sovereigns sewn it the lining of Evans coat. John Millard: was present in Hemel when the accused where taken into custody. He overheard them talking about stealing the money and the sentences they thought they'd get. The deposition contains a very detailed copy of the conversation. Philip Peskett: the accused purchase clothes fro him on the Tuesday after the theft. Ebenezer Careless: the accused purchased trousers from him. George Graves: kept a lodging house. He was asked by one of the accused to change a sovereign, Mary Thorne: kept a lodging house in Hemel. They bought beer from her and had her husbands mule and cart from her to go to St Albans. They asked he if she could change half a sovereign. She could not but Mary Field, another lodger, got it changed for them.Statement of the accused : nothing to say (both)

item

Cook, Beatrice,
Cook, John,
Evans, James,
Wilson, John,
Hyde, John,
Hyde, Dinah,
Bayldon, William,
Smith, James,
Millard, John,
Peskett, Philip,
Careless, Ebenezer,
Graves, George,
Thorne, Mary

LUTON, Hemel Hempstead, Tebworth, Luton Market, stealing, coins, money