QSR1852/3/5/4/a

Depositions of George Joseph Marshall, grocer of Dunstable and Cornelius Sharpe, police constable of Dunstable. In the case of Elizabeth Sinfield accused of stealing a penny piece and 6 other penny pieces.

20 April 1852

From: 1852 To: 1852

George Joseph Marshall: the prisoner was his servant in Dunstable. In consequence of missing some money from the till, on 16 April he marked 3 penny pieces and 6 halfpenny pieces which were in the till. He marked them with a cross and a notch on the edge. On 17 April he missed a penny piece and so he marked 13 penny pieces and 24 half pennies by cutting a notch in the edge of them all. On 18 April, 3 penny pieces were gone. He suspected the prisoner. On 20 April he sent for PC Sharpe. He was present when Sharpe searched Sinfield's box and found a purse with 4 pennies and a half penny in it. The penny piece was marked with a cross and a notch. The box had been locked. They asked her what she had done with the remainder of the money. She firstly denied it but then took him to the cellar and showed him the money concealed under some wood, wrapped in blue paper. There were 6 penny pieces and a half penny and were all marked with a notch. Cornelius Sharpe: on 20 April the prosecutor came for him, he suspected the prisoner of stealing from the till. Sinfield was cautioned and Sharpe asked to see inside her pockets. They then went upstairs and she unlocked her box. Inside was a purse containing 4 pennies and a halfpenny. One of the pennies was identified by Mr Marshall as taken from the till on Saturday. It was marked with a notch and a cross. They went to the cellar head and the prisoner said to Mr Marshall "you'll find it there", and pointed to the top of the cellar stairs. Mr Marshall took out a packet of paper containing 6 penny pieces all marked with a notch and a half penny. She was taken into custody.

item

Sinfield, Elizabeth,
Marshall, George Joseph,
Sharpe, Cornelius

DUNSTABLE, stealing, grocer, money, servant