QSR1850/3/5/15-16/a

Depositions of Charles Hill, dealer of Dunstable, Martha Jeffs of Whipsnade, Elizabeth Deacon, single woman, Dennis O'Brien, straw plait dealer and Cornelius Sharpe, police constable. In the case of Robert White & George Hale, accused of stealing a purse and its contents

10 June 1850

From: 1850 To: 1850

Martha Jeffs: visited Charles Hill's stall at the market to buy some nuts. Robert White stood close to her at the stall. He held her pocket open whilst she put the nuts in. She saw his fingers in her pocket. She turned away but was called back by Charles hill who asked if she had lost her purse. Her purse was gone. There were 2 half crowns in the purse. Chalres Hill: she saw the prisoner White stand close to Mrs Jeffs as she bought the nuts, and saw him hold open her pocket whilst she put the nuts in. She had not asked him to do this. He then saw White go to Mrs Jeffs who was talking to 2 other woman and take the purse from her pocket. He crossed the road and George Hale followed. Hill followed them and they went down Church Street. He advised the constable. He had seen the man and boy together earlier with a broach, which he saw passed on to a woman called Smith. Elizabeth Deacon: lived in White Horse Yard in Dunstable. She witnessed the boy and the man come into the yard. The man pointed to a privy and the boy went inside. 15 minutes later he man returned with the constable. She did not see a woman. Dennis O'Brien: was asked by Constable Sharpe to follow him. On arriving at the White Horse, he saw all of the prisoners near the gateway. She saw the boy passed something to the man. At the time the woman was standing alone watching. Cornelius Sharpe: along with O'Brien he saw the boy going from the white Horse Yard towards the High Street. He saw man going in the same direction and a woman standing at the gateway. He took the boy and man into custody. He returned to the privy with the man and found the purse.

item

Hale, George,
White, Robert,
Hill, Charles,
Jeffs, Martha,
Deacon, Elizabeth,
O'Brien, Dennis,
Sharpe, Cornelius

DUNSTABLE, Dunstable Church Street, WHIPSNADE, stealing, coins, straw plait dealer, nuts