QSR1872/4/5/4-6

Depositions - Daniel Johnson, William Collins and John Davies, charged with breaking into a house at Meppershall on 24 August 1872 and stealing 2 sheets and 2 towels, the property of a committee of the rate payers for the parish of Shefford appointed to make hospital provision for persons sick of the smallpox.

28 August 1872

From: 1872 To: 1872

David Sears – he is a platelayer on the Midland Railway residing at Shefford. On Saturday 24th August he was going to his work about 6am. As he was walking along the railway leading from Shefford to Hitchin he saw a man getting out of the window of a house in Meppershall which is used as a small pox hospital. He was about 100 yards away. The man ran to the end of the house nearest to the road and looked, then ran back to the window. He then saw some clothing come out of the window. The man picked them up, went to the end of the house and doubled the things up. He then saw another man come out of the window. He walked to a hovel in the yard. The first man he saw went into the yard. He saw no more of them. He is not able to identify the men. He thinks they had slops on. He later saw a man come from the adjoining building across the road and sit down on the roadside bank. William Millard of Shefford, platelayer – he was going along the road to his work last Saturday at about 6am. He went into the yard of the smallpox hospital building. He went to see some wheat he had there and some pigs belonging to a friend of his. He found three men there under the hovel. They appeared to have come from out of the straw there and were just getting up. The 3 prisoners are the men. He spoke to them and warned them to close the gate and not let the pigs out when leaving. Sears was about 5 minutes in front of him along the line. He then went on with Sears to Henlow Station about half an hour later. He saw PC Ruff and gave him information. The windows were closed when he was at the smallpox hospital the morning before and appeared all tight he was there on Saturday 24th. George Barker of Shefford, grocer and draper – about 6 months ago a committee of the ratepayers was formed in vestry to provide a smallpox hospital. He is a member of the committee. Two cottages under one roof in Meppershall were hired for this purpose for 12 months, with the buildings in the yard forming a small farm homestead. The sheets produced are similar in quality to a pair he provided for the committee. They were sent to the hospital in a hurry and were not hemmed or marked. The towel produced was also supplied by him to the Committee. He marked it himself. The second towel is also the property of the committee – he did not mark that. The value of the goods is about 7s 6d. Abraham Kennedy of Bedford, superintendent of police – on Saturday 24th August about 8.45am PC Ruff came to his house with the 3 prisoners. He searched them and found the sheets and towels now produced – one sheet was found on Daniel Johnson and the other sheet and two towels were found on William Collins. Collins said he bought them at a second hand shop. He charged them with stealing. He said it would save time in clearing the matter up if they would tell him at which second hand shop they bought them. Davis told Collins to tell the truth. Collins then said they had a day’s work about a mile from where they took the train and the man gave them leave to sleep in the straw. They took the things from an empty house close by. On his way to the lock up Davis said he was asleep or it would not have happened. He showed the goods to Mr Barker on the 26th and he identified them. Ebenezer Ruff of Toddington, police constable – on Saturday 24 August about 5am he received some information from the platelayers at Henlow Station. He went on in consequence by train to Shefford. As he was going down the stairs to the street he met the three prisoners. He turned back after them onto the platform. Hearing one of them ask for a ticket to Bedford he also took on and got into the carriage with them. He followed them up the street and saw them go into the Bell Public House. They stayed there about 10 minutes. He followed them until near Supt Kennedy’s house when he stopped them on suspicion of another charge. He took them into the Supt’s house and searched them. He found one sheet on Daniel Johnson, tied up in a small handkerchief under his arm. On William Collins he found one sheet and one tower tied in a handkerchief and another towel in his pocket. He delivered the things to Supt. Kennedy. On returning to Shefford he examined the premises of the smallpox hospital with PC Cain. They found one window open a little way. A pane of glass was broken out in the middle under the fastening. They got through the window and went upstairs. They found some bedding which appeared disordered, but no linen. Daniel Johnson – he is not guilty of stealing them William Collins – the window was broken and open and he got in. John Davis – he is very sorry it has occurred. He was asleep or it should not have happened.

item

Johnson, Daniel,
Collins, William,
Davies, John,
Sears, David,
Millard, William,
Barker, George,
Kennedy, Abraham,
Ruff, Ebenezer

MEPPERSHALL, SHEFFORD, BEDFORD, TODDINGTON, stealing, household goods, hospitals, smallpox, platelayer, grocer, draper, police superintendent, police constable, Midland Railway Company, railways