QSR1870/1/5/6

Depositions and examination – Henry Smith of Woburn, labourer, charged with stealing one black leather bag containing samples and one cigar case from Edward Sanders.

3 December 1869

From: 1869 To: 1870

Edward Sanders of Woburn, coal merchant – on 22 November he came to Woburn Sands Station by the last down train. He had a black bag with him containing samples and papers and a cigar case. He came up to Woburn by the omnibus and saw the bag put in the omnibus. He rode outside, John Hurst was inside. A man came up to the bus at the Fir Tree at Woburn Sands. On getting to Woburn he missed the bag. The bag produced is the one he lost. It has been broken open. When he put it in the omnibus it was unlocked. The value of the bag and its contents is 30s. John Hurst of Woburn Sands (Bucks), porter at Woburn Sands Railway Station – he rode in the Woburn omnibus from the Station to the Swan at the Sands. He saw a black bag in the omnibus similar to the one produced. The omnibus was empty of passengers when he left it. He put the door to when he left the bus. Robert Shaw of Woburn, omnibus driver – he drives the Woburn bus. On the night of 22 November he drove it from the Railway Station to Woburn at about 10pm. Mr Sanders and Mr Beard were passengers and both rode outside. He stopped at the Swan at Woburn Sands and John Hurst got out. There was no one else in the bus and he did not take up anyone on the road to Woburn. A short distance from the Swan he saw the prisoner run behind the bus. He knew him well. He saw Smith shut the door of the omnibus. Smith got on the step behind. He got down and told Smith to leave the bus. Smith got down and he closed the door. He walked to the top of the hill and Smith walked a short distance behind the bus. He got up at the top of the hill and Smith again ran behind. When he reached George White’s lodge he saw Smith standing in the road about 20 yards from the bus. He then saw no more of him. On reaching Woburn Mr Sanders told him he had lost his bag. He saw no one other than Smith near the bus after he left the Sands until he arrived at Woburn. John Beard of Woburn, baker – he lives with his father at Woburn. He knows Smith well. On 22 November the omnibus overtook him at the Lodge at Woburn Sands, a short distance from the Swan. He saw Smith on the bus step. The busman ordered him down and Smith got off. The busman closed the door and walked to the top of the hill. Before Shaw got up to ride he found the door open – Smith was then behind the bus. Shaw said that if Smith was behind again he would lay the whip about him. Shaw got up, Smith ran behind the bus and he ran along the path. When they reached George White’s Lodge he and Smith walked together for about 30 yards. He asked Smith if he was coming to Woburn – Smith said not. He turned round and saw Smith’s jacket unbuttoned and Smith pushing something under it. When Smith saw him looking he jumped into the wood on the Aspley Guise side and he saw no more of him. He showed PC Whinnett the exact spot where he saw Smith leave the road and go into the wood. William Whinnett, police constable stationed at Woburn – on 23 November Mr Sanders told him he had lost his bag from the bus the previous night. From what he heard he suspected Smith. He went to Smith’s lodgings but he was not there. The next day he apprehended Smith at Leighton. Smith denied nothing anything about a bag. Smith said he was at the Sands on Monday night but walked all the way up and did not go near the bus. On Thursday he found the bag now produced in Aspley Wood about 20 yards from the high road, about 30 yards from Aspley Wood Gate and nearly opposite White’s Lodge. The bag was concealed in some fern. It had been forced open and some samples of seeds were littered about. He also saw a cigar case. On 1 December John Beard showed him where he saw Smith go into Aspley Wood. He found the bag about 10 yards in the wood in a straight direction. Henry Smith – he is not guilty. A week last Monday he engaged with a man to travel with him, so that night he thought he would go to the Sands to see someone he knew there before he left. He waited for the bus. He ran behind it till he got to the other side of White’s and then walked home and went to bed. [Smith did not call any witnesses]

item

Smith, Henry,
Sanders, Edward,
Hurst, John,
Shaw, Robert,
Beard, John,
Whinnett, William

WOBURN, WOBURN SANDS, ASPLEY GUISE, Aspley Woods, stealing, coal merchant, railway porter, baker, police constable, bus driver, omnibuses, Woburn Sands Swan Hotel, Woburn Sands Fir Tree