QSR1840/3/5/16/c

Deposition of John Booth of Luton, constable, against William Herron, corporal in the 64th Regiment of Foot

May 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

Last Friday 8 May Herron came to him and said he wanted billets for ten men who were to come in that evening. He said there were 6 of them of his own regiment the 64th including a drummer and fifer, and four of the 84th. He said they would have to remain in the town a long time recruiting and they should require removing every 10 days. He gave Herron 5 billets for 2 men each to five Houses - the Crown, the White Hart, the Vine, the Compasses, and John Smith's Beer Shop. About 10pm Ann Ellerd of the Vine came to him and asked if he had written the billet she produced - he said he had. She said he had not said anything about any horses - he said no application had been made to him for horses. She said the prisoner had told her he was to have two horses for 10 days and that if that was not convenient she must pay them out as a man in the town had agreed to take the horses at 3s 6d a head. She agreed to give Herron 5s. As no man came that night she began to think it was an imposition. He went to the other houses and found Herron had drawn 1s 6d from John Smith and 7s from Mrs Thoroughgood at the Compasses. He traced Herron the next day to Dunstable and the following day to Leighton where he found him.

item

Ellerd, Ann Maria,
Booth, John,
Smith, John,
Thoroughgood, Hannah,
Herron, William

LUTON, DUNSTABLE, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, false pretences, Luton Compasses, Luton Crown, Luton Vine, Luton White Hart, beerhouses, soldiers, corporal, police constable, 64th Regiment of Foot, 84th Regiment