QSR1880/1/5/18b

Deposition of George Armstrong, police sergeant of Barton, George Brown, butcher's assistant of Barton and William Hook, butcher of Barton. In the case of Thomas Leach accused of breaking and entering a slaughterhouse and stealing a shoulder of mutton.

5 January 1880

From: 1880 To: 1880

George Brown: was in the employment of William Hook, a butcher at Barton. On 26 December there was a carcase of mutton in the slaughter house. The back door was fastened with an iron pin and staple inside. The front door was locked. Next morning he went to the slaughter house and found the shoulder of mutton had been cut off and stolen. He found the back door undone and a piece of the lattice window near the door had been broken off. Anyone could have unfastened the door by putting their hand though the broken place. William Hook: a butcher at Barton. From information given to him by George Brown, he went to his slaughter house and found a hold had been broken in the lattice window and a pin taken out of the back door. A shoulder had been cut from the carcase of mutton in the slaughter house. He advised Sergeant Armstrong. George Armstrong: a sergeant of the police stationed in Barton. He received information that a shoulder of mutton had been taken from Mr Hook’s. He went to the prisoner’s house and found a portion of mutton covered with a cloth. In a saucepan he found the bones. Mr Hook matched them with the carcase. When charged, the prisoner asked who had seen him there, and afterward said he had had them before Christmas. Statement of the accused: he had bought the meat from a man near the Crown & Anchor in Luton and had given him 2 shillings for it.

item

Leach, Thomas,
Brown, George,
Armstrong, George,
Hook, William

stealing, breaking & entering, Barton, mutton, butchers, Luton Crown & Anchor