QSR1841/1/5/26

Depositions and examination - Kitty Rutley

22 December 1840

From: 1840 To: 1841

John McHugh of Aspley Guise, police constable 84 - he had for some time suspected Kitty Rutley, servant of Mrs Smith of Aspley Guise, of robbing her mistress. He had seen her on several evenings come from her mistress's house between 6 and 8pm and go towards the house of her mother Joan Rutley with something bulky under her cloak. The previous Tuesday night he saw her come from Mrs Smith's houose. He followed her up the Lane to her mother's house. When she arrived at the gate he asked what she had got under her cloak. She said she had a little liquor to take to her mother. He saw it was broth in a mug and saw her throw something out of the jug. He said he would take her to Mrs Smith's when she said her mistress did not give it her that night. She begged him not to take her to Mrs Smith's and to say nothing about it. The next day he took her to Mrs Smith's and searched Joan Rutley's house. He found some linen sheets and other linen and took them to Mrs Smith's, but they had no marks by which they could be identified. James Bates, police superintendent of Ampthill Division directed him to search Joan Rutley's house again. He did so. Kitty Rutley was looking over somthing in a box which she stated was hers. He took out of the box 2 linen sheets, 3 linen pillow cases, one linen table cloth, 2 linen towels, 2 linen table covers, 2 linen napkins, one linen duster and a black lace veil. One of the sheets was marked KR2 with a mark CS7 where the marking threads had been picked out. He also found 28 pieces of pork upstairs covered with a cloth. Eliza Diana Smith of Aspley Guise, spinster - she lives with her mother Mrs Charlotte Smith who is nearly 90 years of age and manages her household. On Thursday morning after receiving information from John McHugh she discharged Kitty Rutley from her mother's service. Rutley acknowledged she had taken dressed victuals but had not otherwise acted dishonestly. About 2 or 3 ago [sic] she ordered some sheets of the description produced. She believes the two sheets produced to be her mother's. Her mother's marks on the sheets had been picked out. She strongly suspects all the articles to be her mother's. Sometime ago her mother lost a black lace veil like the veil produced. Kitty Rutley - the things produced came from Boughton Farm near St Neots where her mother's brother lived. Her cousin Sarah Fletcher sent the veil to her sister.

item

McHugh, John,
Rutley, Kitty,
Rutley, Joan,
Smith, Eliza Diana,
Smith, Charlotte,
Fletcher, Sarah

ASPLEY GUISE, St Neots, stealing, household goods, pork