QSR1852/4/5/15

Depositions of Henry Savage, grocer of Cranfield, Henry Hallworth, an infant, and William Hillyard, police constable of Ampthill. In the case of Joel Lack accused of breaking & entering and stealing 8 shillings in cooper money.

1 October 1852

From: 1852 To: 1852

Henry Savage: on 11 April his shop was broken into by removing a pane of glass from the back kitchen window. He returned to his shop to find the till partly open and about 8 shillings worth of half pennies missing. He knew the prisoner but he had no business about the premises. From information received he suspected the prisoner and went after him with Constable Flint. They failed to find him. Henry Hallworth: lived with his mother in Cranfield and was 10 years of age. On the afternoon of 11 April during the hours of the divine service he was outside the Prosecutors premises, on a pile of wood, and saw the accused standing at the back kitchen window. The prisoner saw him and went into the privy in the yard. Hallworth went to the door but Lack would not let him in. Lack came out of the privy and made believe he was buttoning up his trousers. He had a knife open in his smock pocket and Hallworth could see the blade standing out. Halllworth remarked on the knife and the prisoner said it was his and cut the boundary fence with it. Lack remained about 5 minutes and then went away. A boy by the name of Turner was also present. William Hillyard: on 30 September he took the prisoner into custody at Shillington and told him he was charged with housebreaking. The prisoner said he had gone into the back gate of the prosecutor’s premises and went to the back window which he found a little bit open. He shoved it open and went inside the shop. He went to the till where there was a lot of halfpennies and took 3 pence halfpenny worth, leaving the rest there. The prisoner said outside he saw a boy of the name Turner, and in consequence of seeing him, left Cranfield and went to Marston Wood End, into a poor man's house, and asked him to sell him some food. The prisoner said he was frightened to return to Cranfield and was sorry for what he had done.Statement of the accused: he was sorry for what he had done and would not do it again.

item

Lack, Joel,
Savage, Henry,
Hallworth, Henry,
Hillyard, William

CRANFIELD, AMPTHILL, SHILLINGTON, Marston Moretaine Wood End, stealing, breaking & entering, coins