QSR1842/1/5/16/a

Deposition of Deborah Souster, wife of Joseph Souster of Houghton Regis, retailer of beer - John Brown of Houghton Regis, charged with stealing one shilling

6 November 1841

From: 1841 To: 1842

On 4 November the prisoner calling himself John Brown came to her husband's house the Wheat Sheaf retail beer house in Houghton Regis, which is by the side of the Turnpike Road. She served him with a pint of beer which he and another man with him drank. Shortly afterwards Mr Farr junior of Dunstable, apothecary, came in to attend to the prisoner - he had been sent for on account of the prisoner being unwell. Mr Farr advised Brown to go to bed. She got a bed ready upstairs for him and he did so. Before the apothecary came Brown gave her a shilling to pay for the beer. She had no change so went upstairs to the box now produced and took out a sixpence and 6d worth of half pences. She put the shilling in the box with 3d worth of half pences which remained. She left the box with the lid closed and fastened standing on the mantle shelf in the room where Brown went to bed. About 4pm she went to inquire how Brown was and whether he wanted anything. He asked her to make him some tea which she did. When she took it to him he was sitting on the side of the bed. He said he was better and would get up. She gave him the tea and went downstairs. She heard Brown walking about the room for some time. When he came downstairs he gave her a shilling for his bed and tea. About 10 minutes later he left. She went upstairs and discovered the box had the lid partly off and the shilling was gone. She went to Dunstable and gave information to Mr Tutte the policeman who went in pursuit of Brown.

item

Brown, John,
Souster, Joseph,
Souster, Deborah,
Tutte, John

HOUGHTON REGIS, DUNSTABLE, stealing, money, apothecary, Houghton Regis Wheatsheaf