QSR1871/2/5/1-3/a

Depositions - Samuel Huckle, Ralph Gentle and John Elms, charged wtih breaking and entering a building of Charles Brockett at Stotfold and stealing 2 bottles of sweets and a quantity of nuts, value 6s

15 March 1871

From: 1871 To: 1871

Charles Brockett of Stotfold, shopkeeper – he keeps a small shop and a beerhouse. On Friday 17 February he went into his shop about 10pm and found one pane broken – the putty had been cut and there was a large hole in the window. He missed 2 bottles of sweets, about 3 quarts of nuts, and about 20 herrings. The two bottles produced are like the 2 stolen with the same labels – Toffee Drops and Jenny Lind Drops. He does not know anything of the pencil marks. It is likely other shops in Stotfold have the same bottles. Samuel Gentle of Stotfold, labourer – on Wednesday night 15th February he was near Mr Payne’s about 8.15pm. He saw Samuel Huckle who asked him if he would go with him to Mr Brockett’s to get some things out of Mr Brockett’s window. He refused. Huckle said “you have not got heart enough”. He said “no I have not – not to do that”. Eliza Dear wife of Charles Dear of Stotfold, labourer – she found the bottle she now produces in Mr Vaughan’s Close on Saturday 18 February between 1 and 2 o’clock. James Page Chapman of Stotfold, police constable – from information he received he went with Supt. Smith on Tuesday 21 February to Samuel Huckle’s house. When he got there he saw Jabez Charles go out at the back door. Huckle was in the house. He and Supt. Smith questioned Jabez Charles in the back yard for 3 or 4 minutes. When they returned Smauel Huckle was gone. He went to Huckle’s the next morning and found he had absconded. He apprehended him on Sunday 26 February and charged him with breaking and entering the house of Charles Brockett. As he was taking Huckle to Biggleswade Huckle said “If I did do it no one see me do it”. Ann Eliza Dear of Stotfold, singlewoman – she lives on the Green at Stotfold. On Friday night 17 February she was coming past the arch near Mr Bonnett’s. She saw Samuel Huckle and 2 more boys cracking nuts at about 9.50pm. She has known Samuel Huckle 4 or 5 years. She did not speak to him. She passed about 4 yards from him. Henry Pateman of Stotfold, labourer – he found the bottle he now produces in Vaughan’s Close about 300 yards from where Mr Bonnett live about 7.15am on Saturday 18th February. George Smith of Biggleswade, superintendent of police – on 1st March Huckle who was in custody for housebreaking made the following statement: “On Friday night 17th February I was with Ralph Gentle and John Elms against Green’s public house at Stotfold between 7 and 8 o’clock … I said “let us go to Brockets”. We all went there together. When we got to Brockets we all three broke the window. I took one bottle of sweets – Ralph Gentle took one bottle and and some nuts and Elms took some herrings. We all left and went into Mr Vaughans grass field togheter. We eat some of the sweets and some we put into our pockets and we all had the nuts between us. I did not have any of the herrings as I dare not take them home to my Father’s house. I threw one bottle away and Gentle the other ….we got the pane of glass out of the window with my knife and Elms’ together” He did not induce Huckle to make this statement. He read the statement to Gentle who said it was all true but he did not have anything to do with breaking the window. Elms said “That is about the truth we were all about alike. I had five herrings.” For the defence ------------------- Ralph Gentle of Stotfold, labourer – he has no work and does not work for anyone. On the day he is charged with stealing he was with Samuel Huckle from 7 to 9 throwing coal bags about near the Crown, Stotfold. They walked about and when they were near the Post Office Ann Eliza Dear came by. He believes it was her and she has taken a very false oath. He left Samuel Huckle near Galer’s shop, about ¼ mile from Brockett’s. He left him there and got home a few minutes after 9 – he heard the Asylum clock strike 9 as he went across the Green. He did not see Huckle any more that night. When he left Huckle said he was going home. When he got to the Green he heard Huckle walking towards his house. He has been in trouble for getting in Miss Payne’s house. Rebecca Huckle of Stotfold, singlewoman – she is the prisoner’s sister. She remembers that on 17th February Samuel Huckle was at home and in the house if not in bed by 9.15pm. She remembers because PC Chapman came to enquire after him on the Saturday.

item

Huckle, Samuel,
Gentle, Ralph,
Elms, John,
Brockett, Charles,
Gentle, Samuel,
Dear, Eliza,
Dear, Charles,
Chapman, James Page,
Dear, Ann Eliza,
Pateman, Henry,
Smith, George,
Huckle, Rebecca

STOTFOLD, BIGGLESWADE, breaking & entering, sweets, nuts, herring, shopkeeper, police constable, police superintendent, beer houses, Stotfold Crown