Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1885/4/5/4
  • Title
    Depositions of James Hand, railway policeman, William Bedlow, police superintendent, Fanny Crouch, wife of James of Aspenden and William Wade, coachman of Stevenage. In the case of Frederick Rice accused of stealing a gold watch.
  • Date free text
    2 September 1885
  • Production date
    From: 1885 To: 1885
  • Scope and Content
    Fanny Crouch: wife of James Crouch a farmer of Aspenden. On 29 August she had been at the Sandy Flower Show with her husband. They planned to return by train and as she entered the railway carriage on Sandy platform she felt something press against her side. She found it to be the hand of the accused on her watch pocket. She felt for her watch and found it gone. She caught the prisoner by his sleeve and held him until her husband stepped from the carriage. She accused Rice of having her watch and he told her she had made a mistake. William Wade: a coachman employed by Miss Smyth of Stevenage. On 29 August he had been on the platform of the railway station at Sandy and had stood close to Mrs Crouch. He heard her accused the prisoner of having her watch and the prisoner replied that she was mistaken. The following morning he was about to put his top coat away and felt in the pockets. He discovered a watch which he handed into the police. James Hand: employed by the Police department for the Great Northern Railway Co. On 28 August he was on duty at the Booking Office of the Sandy station. He remembered the prisoners and asked where they had come from. Morris [who was later discharged] said “London, where do you think?” He asked if they had tickets and they said they wanted to book. They were directed to the Booking Office but he noticed they walked straight through to the platform. William Bedlow: on 29 August he was advised a lady had lost her gold watch at the platform at Sandy Station. She accused the prisoner Rice of stealing it. The prisoner Morris was in the company of Rice. He later received the watch from the witness Wade. Statement of the accused: not guilty.
  • Exent
    8 pages
  • Reference
  • Level of description
    item
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