QSR1870/1/5/7

Depositions and examination – George Machie of Woburn, labourer, charged with stealing one bowl containing 5s 3d from Samuel Bottoms

3 December 1869

From: 1869 To: 1870

Samuel Bottoms of Wavendon (Bucks), baker – part of his house is in the parish of Wavendon and part in the parish of Aspley Guise. On Tuesday 30 November about 2.20pm he was at work in his bakehouse. From what his wife said he missed a bowl of coppers from his till in the shop. He ran into the street and up the road towards Woburn. He saw Machie just past the Puzzle Gardens about 100 yards from his house. He told the police superintendent of his loss and PC Whinnett went with him in pursuit of Machie. When they got near they saw Machie lift his coat on one side and some halfpence dropped out of it into a ditch of water. The halfpence were in a handkerchief. They amounted to 4s 6 1/2d. He found another halfpenny close by. He does not know what else was in the bowl. He also found 4 or 5 farthings in the ditch. The bowl produced is his. He was with PC Whinnett when he picked it up in a field close to the hedge near the road in the direction Machie took. William Whinnett, police constable stationed at Woburn – he met Samuel Bottoms in the Woburn Road and went with him in pursuit of Machie. They overtook him about 300 yards from Bottoms’ shop. Machie was walking on the footpath. He saw Machie drop something into a hold of water. He saw Bottoms take the rag produced and the half pence out of the water. He found the bowl in a field just over the hedge about 100 yards from Bottoms’ shop in the direction he saw Machie coming. He searched Machie and found 10d in coppers in his pocket. Machie said 2d had been in his pocket before but 8d came out of the bowl. Machie admitted throwing the bowl over the hedge. George Machie – he went into the shop for a penny worth of bread. He leaned over the counter and took the bowl and coppers. He was taken when he got 300 yards up the road. [No witnesses called]

item

Machie, George,
Bottoms, Samuel,
Whinnett, William

WOBURN, ASPLEY GUISE, Wavendon, stealing, money, baker, police constable