QSR1840/4/5/23/a

Depositions and examination - Jane Leeden

15 September 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

Joseph Topham of Eaton Socon, farmer - Jane Leeden was his servant and lived in his house. The previous morning about 10.30am he was going to St Ives Market. He went upstairs to get some money out of a drawer in the bedroom. When he went in he found Jane Leeden there close to the drawers. She directly whipped up the carpet and walked out of the room with it. She seemed very much confused. She came back into the room and he went to the drawers and found a strange key in them. He asked her what key it was and she said she did not know, Mrs Topham had been at the drawers. He called Mrs Topham who said Jane, it was one of your keys. She denied any knowledge of it. He is quite sure the key is not his. He took out his money and went downstairs. Miss Kirby pointed out a sovereign near the chair that Jane had laid down. He sent for the policeman. Jane started crying and said she was persuaded by Peck to take it as Peck wanted part of it to go to Wyboston Feast. he then went to St Ives Market and left Jane Leeden in charge of the policeman. He is in the habit of taking money in and out of the drawer continually so cannot say exactly how much money was there, but he knew there were sovereigns in the drawer. Anne Kirby of Eaton Socon - She was visiting Mrs Topham of Eaton Socon, wife of Joseph Topham her uncle. The previous morning she heard Mr Topham speaking to Jane Leeden in the bedroom. She and Mrs Topham were sitting down stairs. Mr Topham called Mrs Topham who went upstairs, then Mrs Topham and Jane Leeden came back down. Jane Leeden sat down in a chair. Mrs Topham went out, then Jane Leeden stooped on one side and put her hand down on the floor. She heard a jingle like money being put on the floor. Soon after she got up and looked on the floor and saw a sovereign by the side of the chair where Jane Leeden was sitting. Mr Topham came downstairs and she told him. Jane Leeden confessed it was his sovereign and said that was all she had taken. She only took it because Peck asked her to get some money to go to Wyboston Feast. Jane Leeden - nothing to say.

item

Leeden, Jane,
Topham, Joseph,
Kirby, Ann

EATON SOCON, Wyboston, St Ives, markets, feasts, farmer, servant, stealing, money