QSR1841/4/5/11/a

Depositions and examination - John Haughton

29 July 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

Peter Smith of Woburn, cooper - on Tuesday night 27 July he went to bed at his lodgings at the White Lion public house. He put his silver watch and silver guard into his waistcoat pocket, which he laid on the dressing table in his bedroom. The next afternoon he missed the watch. He mentioned it to Mrs King the landlady who said there had not been anyone in the room but her brother. The watch and chain procuced by Robert Turle are his and are worth £2. Robert Turle, superintendent of the rural police - hearing that morning from Peter Smith that his watch and chain were missing, he went with him to the White Lion public house. John Evans informed him that he saw John Haughton in the bedroom in which he had been sleeping which is the same room Peter Smith had been sleeping in, and also saw him walk out of the room in only his shirt. At 5am that morning he went to the room in which the prisoner was sleeping - he was in bed. He woke Haughton and told him he had a charge against him for stealing a watch. Haughton denied it at first. He searched the bed and between the bed and the mattress he found the silver watch and chain. Haughton then fell on his knees and begged him not to proceed any further. James Wild, police constable no.10 - Turle the superintendent gave Haughton into his charge. Haughton stated to him that he went into the room next to the one he had been sleeping in to look for some water to drink and saw the watch lying on the table. He looked at it for 10 minutes before taking it and putting it between the bed and mattress where it was found. Haughton made this statement voluntarily. John Houghton - he was dead drunk or he would not have done it

item

Houghton, John,
Smith, Peter,
Turle, Robert,
Wild, James,
King

WOBURN, Woburn White Lion, stealing, watches, drunkenness