QSR1878/1/5/13

Depositions and examination - Charles King, charged with stealing 5 bottles of champagne and a bottle of sherry value about £2 from George Birkbeck Knight at Luton on 24 December 1877

29 December 1877

From: 1877 To: 1878

[Pencil notes – “character of prosecutor liberal lending money”, “no proof of breaking & entering”, “prosecutor went straight home 1.30”, “Kitchener and Ells. Ginger Brandy”, “neither recent nor traced to prisoner”] George Birkbeck Knight of Hitchin Road, affirmed – he is a lime burner and has works in the Hitchin Road. On Sunday 23 December 1877 he was in the engine room at his works in the evening. He saw King come up to him to his place about 11.30pm . There were 3 others with King. They came on business. He gave them one or two glasses of wine apiece. They wanted to borrow some money, which he lent them. King had 2 glasses of wine. He stayed nearly an hour after that. He had some champagne and sherry in the engine shed. He left this place open. He later left the works and locked the place up. He left about 9 bottles of champagne and 4 bottles of sherry. He was called by 2 policemen. He went to the stores next morning about 7am and missed 7 bottles of champagne and 5 bottles of sherry, value £2 or more. He later saw some at the police station which he has no doubt is his. He did not give King the wine to take away. [Cross-examined] Kitchener took one bottle himself about ½ hour after King left. He was sober. He saw King in a barber’s shop, possibly. He might have borrowed some money from King – 2s possibly that afternoon. He does not recollect. He did not say to Hill he had had a deal of champagne that morning. He never charged King, the police charged King on Monday. He does not know what he did have. They had two bottles that evening to his knowledge, but there might have been more. There might have been 4 or 5 more for what he knows. He was not drunk. He bought the champagne from a firm in London. He fancies there is no other like it in Luton. He confirms that is his sherry which was taken from his premises without his consent. It must have been taken by force or some other way. There is a broken window. The prosecution is not under his direction. Charles Smith, police constable for the Borough of Luton – he was on duty on Sunday 23 December in York Street. About 12.30am he saw King and stopped him. King was very drunk. He searched him and found 5 bottles of champagne and one of sherry. He brought King to the police station and went to Mr Knight’s place and examined the premises. Then he went and called Mr Knight. On Monday 24th about 7am Mr Knight came to the police station and identified it. Charles King – on Sunday 23rd he was in John Turner’s about 11.30am. He saw Mr Knight there, who slapped his face, took his hat off and said stand up or I will stop you growling. Knight left and he followed him into Cobden Street. Knight went into a house named Taylors. Knight stayed 5 to 10 minutes. He went and asked Knight if he was coming out to give him his hat. Knight came out into the gateway. He took his hat off Knight’s head and chucked the old one on his. He then left him in the Street and went down to Mr Hill’s to take a score of oysters. Mr Knight came in with Kitchener about 12.15. Mr Hill asked Knight to have a glass of beer. Knight refused saying he had had champagne that morning and did not prefer beer. Knight then had a glass of ginger brandy and promised to send them some champagne in the morning. He did not see Knight again until 2.40pm. He saw him between the 2 railway bridges up Hitchin Road where Knight asked to borrow 2 shillings. He did not see Knight again until 9pm or later when he went into the Grapes, John Street and called for a pint of ale. Knight stayed for a few minutes. He, Kitchener and another went outside and Knight followed. Knight suggested going up to Kitchener’s for a drink there where he had the champagne that morning. They went up Hitchin Road. Knight gave him 6d to fetch some whiskey from the King Harry. The rest of them had some beer which they paid for at Kitchener’s. Knight persuaded them all to go to the kiln to have some champagne. Going up the hill Knight said, “If you don’t do as I tell you I shall stop your growling slapping me on the back”. That was about 11.30pm. Knight told him to take 2 bottles to Mr Hill’s where he had the ginger brandy, and to take 2 or 3 to Mr Kitchener’s for cleaning up the house where he had been that morning and a bottle for himself, and they could make it right on Monday morning when he was to take Knight some oysters. When they got to the kiln Kitchener went round and let them in and Knight undid the engine shed. He was sent to Snoxall’s for a light. They had some champagne and sherry. He started from there when he began to feel he had had enough to deliver the champagne. He was sober when he went and drunk when he left. Knight was life the rest.

item

King, Charles,
Knight, George Birkbeck,
Smith, Charles,
Turner, John,
Kitchener,
Taylor,
Hill,
Snoxall

LUTON, Luton Hitchin Road, Luton Cobden Street, Luton John Street, stealing, wine, sherry, oysters, whisky, limeburner, limekilns, Luton Grapes, Luton King Harry, drunkenness, police constable