QSR1870/2/5/6

Depositions and examination - William Bunker of Westoning, labourer, charged with stealing one silver watch and one gold bar from William Butt

31 March 1870

From: 1870 To: 1870

William Butt of Westoning, a farm bailiff to Revd John William Coventry Campion – he knows William Bunker who has worked for him. On Sunday 7 February 1869 he left his house between 9 and 10am. There was no one left in the hosue. He fastened all the doors before he left. He left a son of the prisoner in the Mess Room opposite his house and left him in charge of his premises. Before he went he left a silver watch with a leather guard and a gold bar attached in his dressing room in his bedroom upstairs. There was no glass to the watch. The watch was worth 40s and the bar 5s. He returned home about 10pm and found the watch and bar gone. He found the front door had been unfastened. The next day he gave information to the police. He did not see the watch again until last Monday 28 March when he went to Soulbury (Bucks) and saw the watch now produced and identified it as his. Joseph Turner of Eggington, labourer – on Tuesday 22 March he left his work in the parish of Soulbury between 4 and 5pm. He went into the Dolphin Public House at Leighton Buzzard for some beer. Bunker and 2 others came in and seemed to be quarrelling about a watch. He left the house and returned in about an hour. Bunker was gone. He later met him on his way home in the Hockliffe Road. He asked if he was the man who had lost his watch. Bunker said he was. Bunker said he did not know what he was about. He took Bunker to Eggington with him and told him he might lay down in his barn. The next morning Bunker thanked him and came into the house to warm himself. As Bunker was tying a piece of string under his knee he said he thought he had found his watch. Bunker said he had no money and asked if he would buy the watch. The watch had no glass in it. He bought it from Bunker for 15s and paid him the money. The same day he had a glass put into the watch at Leighton. On Monday 28 March he delivered the watch to PC Ruffhead. Thomas Ruffhead of Leighton Buzzard, police constable – on 28 March he received information from William Butt of the loss of his watch. He ascertained that Joseph Turner had bought a watch from William Bunker. He went with Butt to a field in the parish of Soulbury. He asked Turner to show him the watch he had bought from Bunker. He showed the watch produced which Butt identified as his. Amos Glenister of Westoning, police constable – on 8 February 1869 he was informed by Butt of the loss of the watch and gold bar. He said he suspected Bunker’s son who he had left in charge of his house the previous day. He searched the boy but could not find the watch. On 28 March he heard that Bunker had offered a watch for sale. On the same day he saw Bunker at Westoning. He asked what he had done with the watch he had at Leighton on the previous Tuesday. Bunker denied having a watch and said a mate gave him one to hold, and that he did not know who his mate was or where he came from. He searched Bunker’s house. He later heard Bunker was gone to Leighton. He there saw the watch produced by PC Ruffhead. He returned to Bunker’s house and told him he would take him in charged. Bunker said he found the watch in one of Mr Bates fields near the house. He later said he found it in a lane between the two farms. He took Bunker into custody. William Bunker – neither he nor his son stole the watch. He found it. He did not see a guard when he found it.

item

Bunker, William,
Butt, William,
Campion, John William Coventry,
Turner, Joseph,
Ruffhead, Thomas,
Glenister, Amos

WESTONING, EGGINGTON, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Leighton Buzzard Hockliffe Road, Soulbury, stealing, watches, clergy, police constable, farm bailiff