QSR1854/4/5/22

Depositions of Mary Ann Russell, wife of John an innkeeper of Milton Ernest and Charles Bayer, a stone mason of Felmersham. In the case of William Billing accused of stealing a pair of child's drawers.

10 October 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Mary Ann Russell: she lived at the Swan Inn at Milton Ernest. On Wednesday 27 September the prisoner was lodging at the house, as he had for the 2 previous days. About 8pm, she had been sitting altering a pair of child’s drawers and placed them on the window seat in the tap room and left them there. Billing had been sitting in the Tap Room with her for more than an hour and was there when she placed them on the window seat. Billing afterwards sat in the window seat and lay down there. On coming back into the tap room she saw the prisoner putting something white into his side pocket. He left and went to bed. Soon after she looked for the drawers and could not find them. She sent her servant girl the next morning to ask Billing if he had them by mistake. The servant returned without them. Charles Bayer of Felmersham was working on her house and she told him other loss. She offered him a quart of beer in he would get them drawers for her. She was sure there was not a smock frock in the taproom on Wednesday evening belonging to Billing or any other person. Bayer brought her the drawers back on the Thursday. Charles Bayer: on Thursday 28 September at the request Mrs Russell he went after Billings to seek the drawers. He did not speak to him but went into the farm yard where Billing was at work. He saw the prisoner’s jacket and waistcoat lying on a manger and an old smock frock. He searched them all and in the arms of the smock frock he found a pair of drawers which he gave to Mrs Russell. The next morning the prisoner had the same smock frock on. Statement of the accused: he never saw the drawers until there were shown to him and if they were in his smock frock someone else must have put them there.

item

Billing, William,
Russell, Mary Ann,
Russell, John,
Bayer, Charles

MILTON ERNEST, stealing, clothing, Milton Ernest Swan