QSR1843/3/5/14

Depositions and examination - George Lovatt

30 May 1843

From: 1843 To: 1843

30th May --------------- Henry Smalley of Eaton Socon, one of the Rural Police - Mrs Cotching sent for him yesterday morning and told him that on Saturday night she had lost a box with a ring and sovereign and she believed George Lovatt had taken it. He went with her to Mr Standly's who granted her a warrant. He apprehended George Lovatt last night. He found Lovatt in a field. He asked him about the box and the gold ring. Lovatt said he gave it back to her and knew nothing more of it. Lovatt also said he had been been expecting him all day. John Waterfall of St Neots (Hunts) - he knows George Lovatt. He was at the Rose and Crown kept by John Cotching at Eaton Socon on Saturday between 2 and 3pm. Lovatt was also there. He saw Lovatt take a box out of Mrs Cotching's hand. Lovatt looked at it, read the name at the top of it and Mrs Cotching almost immediately left the room. He did not see Lovatt give the box back again to Mrs Cotching. When Lovatt took the bag he put it into his hand and covered it over with his fingers. Mrs Cotching did not come into the room again whilst Lovatt was there. About 10pm he went into the Rose and Crown again and Mrs Cotching asked him abut the box he had seen Lovatt take out of her hand, and asked him to go down to Lovatt the next morning and ask him about the box and to tell him if it was not produced she must send the policeman after him. George Lovatt - has nothing to say. 31st May -------------- Susannah Cotching - her husband John Cotching keeps the Rose & Crown Public House at Eaton Socon. On Saturday 27 May George Lovatt was in the house drinking. John Waterfall and two others were in the room. She had a box in her hand which had in it a gold ring and a sovereign. She was giving change to a man for a shilling when Lovatt took the box out of her hand. She left the room a minute or two afterwards. Lovatt did not give her back the box when she left the room. She was out of the room for about half an hour and when she returned Lovatt was not there. She has never seen the box, ring and sovereign since. Lovatt never gave her the box with the ring and sovereign before she left the room, nor has Lovatt ever sent it back since. The ring was worth 5s and more.

item

Lovatt, George,
Smalley, Henry,
Waterfall, John,
Cotching, Susannah,
Cotching, John

EATON SOCON, St Neots, stealing, money, JEWELLERY, Eaton Socon Rose & Crown