QSR1840/4/5/35/a

Depositions of Mary Read and Eliza Byaway and examination of Catherine Barnett

4 September 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

Mary Read of Tavistock Street, St Paul, Bedford - on Tuesday 1 September about 9.30pm she missed two flower pots from the window sill of her house - one of them a common garden pot in which a geranium was growing and the other a green and black glazed pot in which a fuschia was growing. There is a little garden between the window and the street. From information she obtained the next day she went to Mrs Barnett's garden and there saw the pot and geranium with a small green stick in it. Mrs Barnett was present. She said it was her plant - Mrs Barnett said she was sure it was not for she had it many years. She said "you had it last night and here's my stick in it". Mrs Barnett replied "and why should I not have green sticks as well as other people". She then charged Mrs Barnett with having the fuschia, which she denied. She gave the geranium and pot to Powers the constable and left. On Wednesday evening Mrs Barnett came of her own accord to her house and asked if she still thought she had the fuschia. She said she did, for whoever had one had the other. Mrs Barnett said "I took the geranium out of the window about a quarter past ten on Tuesday evening but the fuschia was not there when I took it". She asked Mrs Barnett why she took the geranium - she said she thought there was no harm. She did not induce Mrs Barnett to say this and did not know she was coming. Mrs Barnett is not living with her husband. She does not live near her. Catherine Barnett - she did not take the plant found in her garden. As the plant was found on her ground she did not think it would be of any service to tell who took it there. She knew nothing of the other plant. Hannah Davis a singlewoman 23 or 24 years of age brought it to her the night Mrs Read said she lost it. She told Mrs Read she had it many years because she did not like to tell of the person who brought it. Eliza Byaway of St Paul, Bedford - she was present when Mrs Barnett came to her mistress on Wednesday evening, heard what passed between them and confirmed Mary Read's account.

item

Barnett, Catherine,
Barnett, George,
Read, Mary,
Byaway, Eliza,
Davis, Hannah

Bedford St.Paul, stealing, flowers, gardens