QSR1888/1/5/1

Depositions of Thomas Clarke, labourer of Lidlington, his wife Emma Clarke, Henry Biggs, blacksmith of Marson Moretaine and Isaac Nelson, police constable of Westoning. In the case of Alfred Milton accused of breaking and entering and therein stealing an overcoat, a waistcoat, half a sovereign and other article of wearing apparel.

27 October 1887

From: 1887 To: 1888

Thomas Clarke: a labourer at Lower End in Lidlington. He had worked on the same farm as the defendant in April 1883 and the defendant had lodged with him, leaving the lodging about a week after Whitsuntide in 1883. On 7 October 1883 he and his wife left their cottage to go to church around 5pm. Their cottage was a lone cottage standing by the roadside leading from lower End to Brogborough. The cottage was locked. On returning home about 8pm their walked in to find Clarke’s working clothes lying in the passage. In the kitchen they found a window broken open. He discovered that the back door had been unbolted from the inside. He discovered a pair of trousers, a waistcoat, an overcoat, a pair of leggings and a muffler were missing. Half a sovereign had been inside the clock, and that had also gone. He informed the police. Next morning he found a jacket and a pair of trousers in a field by his house. The trousers were hose of the defendant. He could identify them as they had gone to Cranfield together to purchase them whilst Milton had been lodging there. On 19 October 1887 he saw the defendant at the police station in Ampthill. The defendant had sent for him. Milton told him he had made away with his clothes and he did not know what had possessed him to do so. Milton said he had sold them to an old woman in Leeds barracks, the same month he had stolen them, for a pound. Asked what he did with the money, Milton replied he had spent it. Milton said he would pay Clarke back every penny and that he was very sorry for what he had done. Emma Clarke: the defendant had lodged with them in 1883. She had done his washing for him and the trousers produced were those of the defendant. She had washed and mended them as so was able to identify them. She had placed a shilling bit in the time piece on the mantel piece. It had been there when they left for church. The defendant had seen her place money there when he had lodged there. Henry Biggs: on 7 October he went to Lower End Lidlington. On his way back he passed near to Thomas Clarke’s house between 5 and 6pm. He saw the defendant on a style at the back of Clarke’s house. He had known Milton when he had lived in Lidlington. Milton had on a pair of corded trousers and a short coat. Isaac Nelson: he had been stationed at Marston in 1883. On 7 October he saw the defendant coming from the direction of Bedford. Milton had been dressed in clothes like the ones handed to him by Thomas Clarke. He had gone in the direction of Clarke’s house. From information received he went in search of Milton the next day but failed to find him. He apprehended Milton on 18 October 1887 at Wellingborough. After he read the warrant to the defendant, the defendant said he expected to get 12 months for it. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

8 pages

item

Milton, Alfred,
Clarke, Thomas,
Clarke, Emma,
Biggs, Henry,
Nelson, Isaac

LIDLINGTON, BROGBOROUGH, WESTONING, MARSTON MORETAINE, breaking & entering, clothing, blacksmith