QSR1844/1/5/39

Depositions and examination - Rebecca Shelton, wife of Risley Shelton, charged with stealing two shillings, one sixpence, 3 pennies, 9 half pennies and one farthing from John Reynolds at Leighton Buzzard on 2 December 1843

2 December 1843

From: 1843 To: 1844

Lydia Reynolds, wife of John Reynolds – she and her husband have often missed money from the till they keep in a counter in the shop. No one has access to the shop except themselves. Last night 1 December she counted the money in the till – there was 5s not marked and one shilling and sixpence which her husband had got marked for the purpose of detecting the thief, 3s 8d in copper not marked and 7 pence halfpenny marked. No one went to the till afterwards before she went to bed. That morning she got up a little before 8am and missed some silver and some copper from the till. She went upstairs to her husband. He came down and they counted the money. They found 2s 6d in silver and 2s ¼d in copper had been taken, including a sixpence and 7d in copper of the marked money. She was present when Shelton was in custody and saw her turn some money out of her pocket. She found 6 halfpence that were marked. She claimed the money as being the money stolen from the till. Shelton said she was wrong to condemn her. Shelton and her husband have lodged in their house nearly 2 years. John Reynolds of Leighton buzzard, pipe maker and grocer – having often missed money he got some copper money marked by George Pepper with the initial of his name and by a stamp. On missing the money he entered an account of it in a book where his wife had made an entry of the amount in the till last night. From what he had heard he went to the house of John Swinstead who is a baker and publican at Leighton. Mrs Swinstead showed him some copper money in which she found 2 penny pieces and 2 halfpence marked G and one penny marked “W Webb” in several places in a remarkable manner which was also stolen from the till. From what he heard there he had Shelton taken into custody. He later saw the copper monies taken from Shelton’s pocket and identified 6 halfpence as being part of the money he had got marked. The marked money was given up to the policeman. Mrs Swinstead said she had taken some money from Mrs Shelton this morning. Louisa Swinstead, wife of John Swinstead – her husband is a baker and publican. She knows Rebecca Shelton. She came to her house this morning for some ale and small beer, some flour and a quartern of rum. Shelton paid in copper money one shilling and 7 pence farthing. Mr Reynolds later came to her house. She showed him the copper money in her pocket which included the money she had received from Shelton. He examined the money and selected 4 ½ d which had been marked with the letter G except one penny which was stamped nearly all over with the name Webb. She kept one halfpenny and gave the remaining 4d to the police constable. John Chapman of Leighton Buzzard, police constable – he took Shelton into custody. Shelton turned her pocket inside out on to the counter. There was 2s in silver and about 6d in copper. Among the copper were 6 halfpence marked with the letter G which Reyonlds owned as his property. He produces them with the copper monies received from Mrs Swinstead. Reynolds had described the mark by which he should know the money before Shelton was searched. He saw Mr Reynolds this morning between 11am and 12pm. Reynolds said he would give Mrs Shelton into custody on suspicion of robbing them. He saw Mr Reynolds that morning at the Plume of Feathers. About 10 minutes later he saw the money at Swinstead’s. The money was in Mrs Swinstead’s hand. The door was not shut when the money was turned out of Shelton’s pocket. George Pepper of Leighton Buzzard, carpenter – he marked some copper monies for Mr Reynolds with the letter G a week ago. He has never marked any money in that way before or since. Many other persons may have a similar mark and other persons may have used his stamp. He saw the marked money taken from Mrs Swinstead’s pocket. There was other money with it and silver also. Rebecca Shelton – she has nothing to say.

item

Shelton, Rebecca,
Shelton, Risley,
Reynolds, John,
Reynolds, Lydia,
Swinstead, Louisa,
Swinstead, John,
Chapman, John,
Pepper, George

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, money, pipe maker, grocer, baker, publican