• Reference
    QSR1879/4/5/1/a
  • Title
    Depositions and examination - Henry Herbert Gould of Banbury (Oxon), commercial traveller, employed as a clerk by James Pettit, for embezzling £2 3s from his employer at Leighton Buzzard on 19 July 1878
  • Date free text
    22 July 1879
  • Production date
    From: 1879 To: 1879
  • Scope and Content
    James Pettit of Leighton Buzzard, wine merchant – on 12 June 1878 or thereabouts he engaged Gould as his clerk. Gould remained in his service until August 1878. His duties were to solicit orders and collect bill due. He supplied Gould with a book (produced) in which he had to enter all orders and all sums received. The entries in the book are in Gould’s handwriting. He has examined his entries for 19 July 1878. There is nothing entered as received from Mr Hedges. There are 3 entries on that day for cash payments and entries for orders received on that day. It was Gould’s duty to enter the sums in a cash book (produced) on his return and pay the money over to his cashier, William Burrows. There is no mention in the cash book of anything having been paid by Hedges. Gould has never accounted to him for this sum. He sent his bill in to Mr Hedges at the end of 1878 and Mr Hedges showed his clerk the receipt produced. At that time he did not know Gould’s address. When he discovered the address in May 1879 he wrote to Gould about this sum. Copies of the correspondence are produced. He has not discovered any other mistake in his accounts. He received £251 from Gould during the 2 months he was in his service. [Cross-examined] “I probably should not have taken these proceedings if the money had been paid on my first application”. Alfred Hedges of Whaddon, innkeeper – he is a customer of Mr Pettit. In July 1878 he owed Mr Petit £2 3s. Gould called at his house on 19 July 1878 and he paid him the money. Gould asked for an order and he told Gould he had a bill to pay Mr Pettit which he would settle with him. Gould gave him a receipt (produced). [Cross-examined] This was the first time he had seen Gould. He had received a postcard from Mr Pettit that Gould would call upon him. He gave Gould no order. William Burrows of Leighton Buzzard, cashier – he is employed by Mr Pettit. It was part of his duty to receive moneys from Gould. He remembers Gould went to Stewkley and Whaddon on 19 July 1878. He did not see him on his return until about 9am the next morning. Gould then handed over the amount of 3 bills he had collected that day as shown in the cash book. One of the sums was stated as received at Whaddon. Gould sometimes withheld the money he received for atime. Gould has never accounted to him for the sums received from Hedges. [Cross-examined] He did not go to Dagnall Feast with Gould that night. He cannot say whether Gould went. Henry Herbert Gould – he is not guilty.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
    item