QSR1871/1/5/4-5/b

Depositions and examination - Charles Ellingham charged with aiding and abetting Joseph Mayes in stealing a roll of sheeting value £1 7s 9d from Alfred Holmes of Dunstable, draper, on 5 November 1870

28 November 1870

From: 1870 To: 1871

Ezara Smith of Dunstable, apprentice to Mr Holmes, draper – he saw the roll standing at the door of Mr Holmes’s property on 5 November about 8pm. He missed it about 10 minutes later and told Mr Holmes. [Cross-examined] He did not see the prisoner against the shop. William Bowden, railway porter at the Church Street Station, Dunstable – he saw the roll on the platform at the station about 9.50. He saw Ellingham and Joseph Mayes there. They went away in the same carriage in the train for Luton. He took the roll and locked it up under orders from Mr Appleyard the station master. There was no direction but only the bit of linen with 3 ¾ on it. He later gave the roll to the police. Maria Hinds – she is the wife of Jesse Hinds who lives at the First and Last Pulbic House, Church Street, Dunstable, which is near the railway station. She was behind the bar on 5 November at 5.45pm and saw Ellingham and Mayes. They came into the bar, drank and left together about 6. Mayes came in again a few minutes past 9 and went out again. Both returned together after a few minutes and stayed about 20 minutes. They were conversing together and left together. John Appleyard, station master at Church Street Station – he saw the roll on the platform between 2 milk cans. Finding no name on it he ordered it to be locked up. Mayes was sitting outside on the platform and Ellingham was sitting inside. Ellingham took 2 tickets for Luton and paid for them. Ellingham was in liquor and as he [Appleyard] left the station Ellingham made a nasty remark. He thinks his having locked up the roll irritated Ellingham. [Cross-examination] He did not see Ellingham near the calico. William Addington, police sergeant at Dunstable – he saw Ellingham on the 5 November about 8pm. He was standing at the corner of West Street about 60 yards from Mr Holmes’ shop. Mayes came towards Ellingham. He received Ellingham from the Luton Police on 23 November under a warrant. When he read the charge Ellingham claimed to know nothing about it. Charles Ellingham – he is not guilty. On 5 November he came over to Dunstable to see if there were any fireworks. He fell in with Mayes in the train from Luton. He knew nothing of him before and gave the second railway ticket to a man called Tomlinson who had no money. He never saw Mayes in the centre of Dunstable.

item

Mayes, Joseph,
Smith, Ezra,
Bowden, William,
Addington, William,
Holmes, Alfred,
Hinds, Maria,
Appleyard, John

aiding & abetting, calico, draper, railway porter, station master, police sergeant, Dunstable Church Street station, DUNSTABLE