QSR1876/1/5/2-3/b

Depositions and examinations - Emma Carr and George Howell of Ampthill, charged with having in their possession and trying to utter 31 pieces of false and counterfeit coin resembling florins.

2 November 1875

From: 1875 To: 1876

Henry Beresford of Ampthill, labourer – he is lodging at the Prince of Wales beer house at Ampthill. He is agent for the Prudential Insurance Company in London. On 22 October he was coming on the road to Ampthill in a cart between 5 and 6pm. He passed Carr and Howell, close together going towards Ampthill. Carr asked him the way to Ampthill or for a ride there. He saw them again in Ampthill. They came to the Prince of Wales between 6 and 7pm. Carr asked for lodgings. He fetched the landlady. The police superintendent came in and took them both into custody. Fanny Abbis, wife of William Abbis of Ampthill, innkeeper – they keep the Compasses Public House at Ampthill. On 22 October between 6 and 7pm Carr came to their house with a jug and asked for a pint of beer. She served Carr in the jug. Carr gave her a 2s piece to pay for it. The beer was 2d. She gave Carr the change. She gave the 2s piece to her husband. She marked it. It was given to PC Lansbury the same night and is the 2s piece now produced. Albert Pedder of Ampthill, labourer – he is 13 years old and lives with his parents at Ampthill. On 22 October he was assisting Fanny Abbis. [… repeats previous evidence ...] His master told him to go for the police. In about ½ hour Carr came to the house again and asked for lodgings. Howell was with her. They were directed to the Prince of Wales beer house and went away together. He saw them both together in Ampthill streets before they went to the beer house and saw them both together there. He pointed the tow prisoners out to the police superintendent. Joseph Lansberry, police constable stationed at Ampthill – he went to the Compasses Public House and Mrs Abbis gave him the 2s piece. She marked it in his presence. He then went to the Prince of Wales beerhouse and saw the superintendent of police and the 2 prisoners there. He assisted in searching Howell. In his left hand trousers pocket was a piece of paper containing 6 two shilling pieces. George James of Ampthill, superintendent of police – he went in search fo the prisoners and found them at the Prince of Wales beerhouse sitting in a back room by themselves, close together. He asked Carr if the man was her husband. She said “yes”. Howell said she was his wife. He told them they were suspected of passing bad money. Howell took out of his right hand trousers pocket a purse containing 10s and 10½d – good money. He said that was all he had. Carr took out of her pocket 4s 6d in good money and said that was all she had. PC Lansbury and Sgt Tatman came in. Howell was searched and PC Lansbury found the paper with 6 two shilling pieces. The prisoners were taken to the police station. Soon after he left the Prince of Wales he was called back and 24 other two shilling pieces were given to him in a purse. They were given to him by Mrs Martha Taylor and marked in his presence. At the station he accused the prisoners of passing bad money and told them 24 other pieces had been found in the room where they had been sitting at the Prince of Wales. They did not reply. Howell was very violent and refused to be searched at the police station. He asked Carr to take off her cloak at the beerhouse but she refused. It was taken off by the police. Nothing more was found when Carr was searched. Martha, wife of Samuel Taylor of Bedford, hawker – on 22 October she was at the Prince of Wales beer house and saw the 2 prisoners sitting together. She was looking through a window. They were sitting with their backs to the window on a settle. She did not see their faces but is sure it was them. She saw Carr’s hand drop at her left hand side. About 2 or 3 minutes later she went into the room to have her supper. Both prisoners had left. She picked up a purse under the settle where they had been sitting. Mary Ann Cole the landlady was present. The purse contained 24 two shilling pieces, wrapped separate in paper. She gave the purse and the money to the police superintendent. Mary Ann wife of John Cole of Ampthill, beer house keeper – they keep the Prince of Wales beerhouse. The two prisoners came and asked for a bed. She told them if they had a bed another person must be in the room with them. Carr asked Howell if that would do. He said “yes”. They went into a sitting room and had some beer together, which they paid for in coppers. She was present when Howell was searched by the police. She saw 6 two shilling pieces taken from him and place on the table. She saw Martha Taylor pick up a purse under the settle close to where Carr had been sitting. They found 24 two shilling pieces wrapped up 12 in a packet, with each piece wrapped in a separate piece of paper. William Stanton of Ampthill, silversmith – on 23 October he examined the 2s piece produced. It is a counterfeit piece and is not silver. It is 2 pennyweights deficient in weight with no silver in it at all – it is what is called German silver. On the same day he examined 6 other pieces and applied the same test to 4 of them. They were all counterfeit. He believes they are all from the same die. He also examined 24 other pieces the same day. They are all counterfeit with the same deficiency in weight in all of them. Emma Carr – has nothing to say. George Howell – has nothing to say.

item

Carr, Emma,
Howell, George,
Beresford, Henry,
Abbis, Fanny,
Abbis, William,
Pedder, Albert,
Lansberry, Joseph,
James, George,
Taylor, Martha,
Taylor, Samuel,
Cole, Mary Ann,
Cole, John,
Stanton, William

AMPTHILL, BEDFORD, stealing, coat, innkeeper, police constable, police superintendent, hawker, beerhouse keeper, silversmith, Ampthill Prince of Wales, Ampthill Compasses