QSR1889/1/5/3

Depositions of Ann Howard, wife of William, a labourer of Stotfold, Alfred Kitchener, butcher of Stotfold and James Lunniss, police constable of Stotfold. In the case of Henry Bonnett accused of stealing 7 pounds weight of beef.

12 December 1888

From: 1888 To: 1889

Ann Howard: on 7 December about 7.30pm she had been standing against Jasper Millard’s door about 8 yards from Mr Kitchener’s shop. She heard someone come along the road, pass her and stop opposite the butchers shop. The shop was well lit with a good lamp and she saw the prisoner look in the window. She saw the prisoner take a piece of beef off the board at the window inside and go away with it. There was nobody at the shop at the time. She informed Mr Kitchener of the direction the prisoner had gone in toward the Lion public house. [Cross examination] she had been going up the road to Mrs Redhouse’s and had stopped because she was tipsy. There was starlight and a bright lamp in Kitchener’s shop. She had not had beef for dinner for a week and there was no ill feeling between her and Bonnett. She had not gone with Kitchener and did not know if he had searched Bonnett. She had mutton for dinner on the Sunday which she had bought from Mr Kitchener. Alfred Kitchener: a butcher living in Stotfold. On 7 December 1888 about 7.30pm, from information received he went to his shop and missed a piece of beef, which had lain there a few moments before. It was worth 5 shillings. [cross examination] he and his wife waited in the shop and when he was away his man waited. There was a bright light in the shop. From where she was standing, Mrs Howard could have seen part of the shop. He had been in the house but not in the shop. His man had gone home and his wife was in the parlour. He went up the road after the prisoner but did not see or speak to him for half an hour and then went for a policeman. Bonnett said he had not been by the shop for at least an hour and he had not had the beef. He did not find the beef. PC James Lunniss: he apprehended the prisoner on a warrant on 19 December and charged him with stealing the beef. The prisoner said he had passed the shop at 7pm and she could not swear to him as it was dark. Asked who he meant by “she” he replied “Old Nan Tat”. Lunniss asked who that was and was told “Nan Howard”. [cross examination] the prisoner had a thin jacket on and he found no meat on him. That was at 9pm. Mr Kitchener told him it was a flank of beef and Mrs Howard called it a piece of beef. He knew nothing against Nan Tat. Statement of the accused: he wished to be tried by jury and was not guilty.

9 pages

item

Bonnett, Henry,
Kitchener, Alfred,
Lunniss, James,
Howard, Ann,
Howard, William,
Millard, Jasper

STOTFOLD, butcher, stealing, beef