QSR1877/3/5/9/b

Depositions and examination - George Pratt, charged with obtaining 4 bullocks value £107 from Francis Allingham by false pretences at Luton on 9 April 1877

12 May 1877

From: 1877 To: 1877

Francis Allingham of Lilley (Herts), butcher – on Monday 9 April he had 4 beasts which he was going to sell at Mr Cumberland’s sale at Luton. While they were being tied up he met Pratt who wanted the bullocks. He knew Pratt and sold them to him for £107. The beasts were then sold by the auctioneer for Pratt. They fetched £29, £28.10.0, £27.10.0 and £27.5.0. Pratt gave him the cheque produced (marked A) about 4.30pm. He paid it into the bank the following day and it was returned on Thursday. He went to Luton to look for Pratt but did not find him. The next day he came again at about 9pm and saw Pratt’s wife. Benjamin Seebohm of Luton – he is a manager at Sharples & Co Bank at Luton. Pratt has an account with them, with no liberty or understanding to overdraw. Pratt has overdrawn perhaps for one day, only by special arrangement. On Monday 9 April Pratt had a balance of £44.1.2. They paid a cheque out for £54.5.0 (marked B). Pratt paid into the bank £188.7.10 so that at the end of the day he had a balance of £178.4.0. On Tuesday morning 10 April a cheque came in from Gudgeon for £136.12.0 dated 7th leaving a balance of £41.12.0. Other cheques came in – Osborn £144.0.0, Cripps £107.4.0 and Rogers and Harris £99.16.6, and on Wednesday morning a cheque from Allingham for £107.0.0. That is £458.0.6 against £41.12.0. On Wednesday 11th he saw Pratt who brought in cheques and notes to the amount of £235.0.0 which he presented but did not pay in. Pratt said he would settle with the parties individually and took away £235.0.0 all in notes. Pratt mentioned Mr Allingham and said he would see him. Pratt said he had 2 small cheques outstanding which he wished paid out of his small balance. They paid £17 on the 11th. [Cross-examined] Pratt had had a banking account about 18 months. The balance in his favour on 5th March according to his pass book is about £300. They have a balance at Luton of £24.12.0. At Hitchin he believes they have £205. Pratt has overdrawn his account 6 times since 1st January. On each occasion his cheques were honoured. There are 6 cheques out amounting to £495.0.6 which have all been dishonoured. When Pratt has overdrawn before he has met them immediately. The £205 at Hitchin is not available at Luton. On the last occasion he asked to be allowed to overdraw £50. There was no understanding. William Henry Cripps of Chaul End, Luton, farmer – Pratt bought some stock from him on 28th March – 36 pigs for £107.4.0. Pratt was to pay when he took them. Pratt’s father and another man came and took 20 on 4 April, 3 the next day and the rest on the 9th. They were not paid for. He saw Pratt who said he would give him a cheque. He asked Pratt to let him have it before the bank closed. Pratt said he would do so at 4.30 but never met him. Pratt gave him a cheque (marked D) between 7 and 8pm that evening. The cheque was returned by his bank on Wednesday morning. He came to Luton to Sharples Bank on Wednesday morning. He went after Pratt as the bankers had told him Pratt was going to pay him. Pratt would meet him at Dunstable at 3pm. Pratt admitted he had the money in his pocket. William Harris of Willington, auctioneer – he carries on business at Bedford. Pratt has bought stock at his sales. On Saturday 8 April Pratt owed him £99.16.6 and gave him a cheque for that amount. The cheque was returned by his bank on the following Wednesday. Joseph Osborn of Hastings (Sussex) – he lives at Tillington Terrace, Hastings. He used to live at Dunstable and kept a farm. On Saturday 7 April 1877 he saw Pratt at his private house. Pratt agreed to purchase 8 beasts for £144. Pratt was to have brought cash on Monday and to take them away on that day. Pratt came on Tuesday 10th about 8am and took the stock. Pratt offered him a cheque in payment, showed him his chequebook and assured him taking a cheque would be perfectly right. He took Pratt’s chequebook for about 5 minutes to look through it. He let the stock go and took the cheque. He gave the cheque (marked C) to his brother to take to Luton. It was returned to him unpaid. On Wednesday 11th he again presented the cheque and the bank did not pay it. He went to see Pratt and said he understood Pratt had the money from the bank and asked for it. Pratt said “I suppose you think I’m not going to pay you”. Pratt said he would meet him at the Saracens Head at Dunstable at 3pm and pay him. He pressed Pratt to pay him then. He went to Dunstable but Pratt did not meet him. He has not seen Pratt since. [Cross-examined] He had not had dealings with Pratt before. He has not charged him with bankruptcy proceedings. He was not aware the cheque was post dated. George Osborn of Dunstable, gentleman – he received the cheque marked C from his brother, took it to Luton and presented it. At the bank he was told “there was not effects to pay it”. [Cross-examined] He does not know now that the bank have over £200 in their possession. David Jaquest of Luton, head constable – he received a warrant for the apprehension of Pratt. He went to Liverpool on Friday 20th April and apprehended Pratt who said “we shall see about that”. On his way to Luton Pratt asked if he would get the 12 guineas back he had paid for his passage on the City of Chester from Liverpool to New York. Pratt said he had paid it for himself and his brother. He said he would write for it. The ship sailed on 19th April. He searched Pratt’s box and found £14 in gold. George Pratt – reserves his defence.

item

Pratt, George,
Allingham, Francis,
Seebohm, Benjamin,
Cripps, William Henry,
Harris, William,
Osborn, Joseph,
Osborn, George,
Jaquest, David

LUTON, Chaul End, WILLINGTON, Lilley, Hastings, DUNSTABLE, false pretences, cattle, police constable, auctioneer, butcher, Sharples & Company, banking