QSR1840/3/5/18-20/a

Deposition of Thomas Chaplin of Olney (Bucks), hawker, against Elizabeth Skevington, Eliza Westly, Sarah Westly and Ruth Westly

16 May 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

On 17 April he called at Mrs Elizabeth Skevington's house up a place called the Backside in the parish of Turvey. He bought some rags from her and went outside the house to deal with her leaving his basket in the house. Among other things it contained a little red leather purse, two necklaces of blue beads, some bone bobbins and spangled bobbins. When he left his basket he saw Eliza Westley, Sarah Westley and Ruth Westley in an adjoining room with the connecting door open. When he returned 2 or 3 minutes later he saw the three Westleys at his basket. Eliza and Sarah had their hands in the basket pulling the cloth down. Ruth was a little way off. They "whipped up" from the basket when they saw him. He missed the two necklaces, about a dozen bone bobbins and all the spangled bobbins (3 or 4?) from the basket. He did not miss his purse until half an hour later. He did not mention that he missed anything while he was still in the house, but when he missed the purse he went back there. Eliza and Sarah were then working outside the house. He asked them for the purse, necklaces and bobbins they took. They both denied seeing or meddling with anything. He went to their mother Mrs Skevington and told her - she said she did not know anything. On the following Monday he went with the policeman Cooper to Mrs Skevington's. She said her little girl had found a necklace and a purse the next day - she then went somewhere in the house and came back with the purse and some of the beads from the necklace.

item

Skevington, Elizabeth,
Westley, Eliza,
Westley, Sarah,
Westley, Ruth,
Chaplin, Thomas

Olney, TURVEY, hawker, stealing