QSR1878/1/5/1/a

Depositions and examination - Emmanuel Loveridge, charged with stealing one bill hook from William Cooper at Arlesey on 16 October 1877

24 October 1877

From: 1877 To: 1878

William Cooper of Arlesey, labourer – about 3pm on Tuesday 16 October Loveridge came to his house and asked if he had any boilers or kettles to mend. He said he did not. Loveridge took up a chair and said he would not charge him much for mending it. He also gave Loveridge a coffee pot to mend. Loveridge went out, returned in a few minutes, and asked if he had any coppers or umbrellas to sell. He said he did not. Loveridge went into his kitchen, looked around and went out. About 3.30pm Loveridge brought the chair and coffee pot. He gave him a shilling for repairing them. He saw the bill hook produced in his kitchen at about 10am that day and missed it a few minutes after Loveridge left. Elizabeth Presland, wife of Charles Presland of Arlesey, labourer – she lives opposite William Cooper’s house. About 3pm on 15 October she was at her window and saw Loveridge come out of Cooper’s yard. He pulled a bill hook from under his coat and put it in a bundle which was lying just outside the yard wall. Loveridge then went back into Cooper’s house. In about 10 minutes a man (who she heard Loveridge call father) came up and took the bundle away. She saw him go into the White Horse public house, leaving the bundle outside. She gave information to PC Bates, went with him to the White Horse and pointed out the bundle. John Bates of Arlesey, police constable – at about 3.30pm he went to the White Horse and a bundle outside was pointed out to him by Elizabeth Presland. He went up the road about 30 yards, met Loveridge, and said he wanted to look in his bundle. Loveridge said he would have to smash his brains out before he looked in the bundle. Loveridge went with him to the bundle, picked it up and said he should not touch it. He took hold of the bundle and another man came up and pulled a smaller bundle out of it. He then saw the bill hook now produced and took it out. He was in plain clothes. He told Loveridge he was a police constable and charged him with stealing the bill hook. Loveridge said he did not steal it. He took Loveridge a short distance. Loveridge pulled off his coat and threw it to a woman saying “here mother”, turned round and ran away. He ran after him and caught him about 30 yards off. Loveridge became very violent. Mr Kitchener then came up with the rope now produced and said he took the rope out of Loveridge’s pocket and it belonged to him (Kitchener). He then also charged him with stealing the rope. Loveridge made no reply. Emmanuel Loveridge – “I was very drunk and disorderly and don’t know what I was about”.

item

Loveridge, Emmanuel,
Cooper, William,
Presland, Elizabeth,
Presland, Charles,
Bates, John

ARLESEY, stealing, tools, police constable, Arlesey White Horse, drunkenness