Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1842/4/5/46/a
  • Title
    Depositions - John Smith
  • Date free text
    15 September and 8 October 1842
  • Production date
    From: 1842 To: 1842
  • Scope and Content
    15 September ---------------------- John Perry of Rickmansworth (Herts), boot and shoemaker and general dealer - he had a she ass in foal which he left to graze on a green near the end of Rickmansworth town on Friday night 9 September. On Saturday morning he missed the ass. From information received he went to Dunstable where he saw the ass in the custody of police constable John Tutte. He knows it to be his property by several black marks on the legs, a crupper mark on the back, a black mark round the bottom of each ear and black marks on the tips of the ears. The value of the ass is £2 10s. 8 October --------------- John Tutte of Dunstable, police constable - on Saturday 10 September between 9 and 10am he saw a person who gave his name as John Smith and who has since been committed to the House of Correction at Bedford as a vagrant, offereing to sell a she ass to John Langley of Dunstable, hogdealer. He asked Smith where he got the donkey from. Smith claimed to have had the donkey since it was 3 months old. He asked Smith where he came from and what he was - Smith said he was a rag and bone dealer and came from Wingrave. He told Smith he thought it was a stolen donkey and that he would take him and the donkey into his custody until he gave a better accound of himself. On Thursday 15 September John Perry of Rickmansworth came to him at Dunstable, examined the ass and claimed it as his property. John Langley of Dunstable, dealer in hogs - on Saturday 10 September the man calling himself "John Smith" came to his house and offered to sell him a she ass. Smith first asked for 16s. He refused to buy her. Smith then offered her at 14 shillings. He still declined. Smith claimed to come from Wingrave and that he came through Hockliffe. Smith said he wanted to sell the ass because she was too fast for him and he could not do anything with her, and that there was another at Hockliffe for sale that would suit him. Smith remained in conversation with him for a considerable time until John Tutte came up, took Smith into custody and took the ass away.
  • Level of description
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