QSR1870/3/5/8-9

Depositions and examinations - James Sturgess and Joseph Brazier, charged with stealing one bottle of brandy and one bottle of gin, together worth 8s 6d, from William Hill on 8 June

20 June 1870

From: 1870 To: 1870

William Hill of Barton, innkeeper – on Wednesday 8 June at about 2.30pm from something George Hillyard told him he searched a shed in his yard where he had packed some liquors to go on the Downs and missed a bottle of brandy and a bottle of gin. He went to Brasier’s house and saw him lying on the floor in one of the rooms drunk. Braisier’s mother was at home and she produced a bottle with a little gin in it. He had borrowed it that morning to take up to the Downs from Mrs Franklin. He took the bottle with him and gave it to PC Haines. That afternoon Joseph Fisher came to him and while he was there Sturgess came. Sturgess said to Fisher “mind what you say you are as bad as the next”. [Cross examined by Mr Scargill for Sturgess] The gin and brandy were in hock bottles and the cloves and other things in small champagne bottles. He cut the cork himself. He had two hock bottles and they were both gone. Ellen Saunders of Barton, spinster – she was at the Rose and Crown on 8 June. She went at about 8am, left at 11am for about half an hour and was there the rest of the day. She saw the two prisoners at the Rose and Crown that day. She does not know when they left. George Hillyard of Barton, labourer – he was going from Church End into Barton about 1pm on 8 June. He saw Brasier lying in a ditch drunk. He helped him out fo the ditch and took him home. Brasier had a bottle partly sticking out of his left hand trousers pocket. He carried it for Brasier for fear it would get broken. The bottle was like the one now produced. William Brasier of Barton, sawyer – he was in the Rose and Crown yard at Barton about 12pm and saw Sturgess there. He saw Sturgess drink a little something out of a bottle. Sturgess gave it to him and he put it into a basket under the hovel. He did not see Sturgess take it out of anything. Joseph Brasier was there too. He had a little out of the bottle. It was spirits, but he cannot tell if it was gin, rum or brandy. Charles Haines of Barton, police constable – he went to Brasier’s house and saw him there. Brasier was pretty drunk. He asked what had become of the brandy. Brasier said it was not brandy, it was rum. Brasier said what he did was done innocently enough and told him to find the parties out that were guilty. On Tuesday 14 March he took them into custody at Barton. They had gone away. He found Brasier at home. He charged him with stealing a bottle of brandy and a bottle of gin. Brasier said he had been expecting him. He took Sturgess into custody and charged him. Sturgess did not reply. James Sturgess – has nothing to say. Joseph Brasier – has nothing to say.

8 pages

item

Sturgess, James,
Brasier, Joseph,
Hill, William,
Saunders, Ellen,
Hillyard, George,
Brasier, William,
Haines, Charles

Barton, Barton Church End, stealing, brandy, gin, drunkenness, innkeeper, Barton-le-Clay Rose & Crown, sawyer, police constable