QSR1890/2/5/4a

Depositions of Sarah Ann Pratt, wife of Thomas Pratt, a labourer of Leighton Buzzard, Sarah Ann Chandler, wife of Thomas Chandler, a driver of Leighton Buzzard and Frederick Emery, grocer of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of James Bygrave accused of the embezzlement of £1 11s 71/2d and a further £3 14s 5d from his employer.

1 April 1890

From: 1890 To: 1890

Frederick Emery: a grocer living in Leighton and employer of the defendant for the past 10 years. About 3 or 4 years ago it became the prisoner’s duty to go around Leighton and get orders and collect bills. A book was kept by Bygrave in which he entered these. Among his customers was a man named Pratt. On 26 April 1888 the defendant memorandum or pocket book showed he received £9 10s 1d. He could produce a receipt of the same date in Pratt’s book for £2 6s 41/2d. There was no entry in the pocket book of cash received from Pratt. The defendant paid over to him £10 4s 10d that day, a deficiency of £1 11s 7/2d. On 17 May 1888 there was an entry of “Cash Pratt” but no amount. The pocket book showed Bygrave had received £12 2s 11d on the same day but paid over to Emery £10 8s 1d, a deficiency of £4 6s 0d. On 18 October 1888 the pocket book showed Bygrave receiving £16 7s 10d including a cash item from Chandler of £5 17s 0d. He was able to produce 2 receipts of the same date for Chandler totalling £6 9s 2d cash. In his daybook he found an account for Chandler for £1 8s 9d marked as “paid 18/10/88”. The receipt purporting to have been given on 25 October 1888 was for the same amount. Bygrave paid over cash of £16 3s 0d on 18 October 1888. The receipts produced were in the defendant’s handwriting. The entries which went to make up £2 11s 2d had been pasted from the day book into the ledger and then marked of by the defendant as paid. Bygrave had done the same with other entries referred to. He had looked through 20 accounts in which he found deficits. Sarah Ann Pratt: wife of Thomas Pratt a labourer, and she was in the habit of dealing with Mr Emery through Mr Bygrave. The book produced was her book. She took a receipt for goods she had in the book as she paid for them. She had paid the item £2 6s 41/2d and Mr Bygrave signed her book in her presence when she paid the money. All payments were made by her and Bygrave signed her book. Bygrave would take the book away with him and she would go entirely by the book. She used to sometimes pay on account. He did not give her a receipt for more than she had paid. Sarah Ann Chandler: wife of Thomas, a driver in the employment of Mr Emery. She dealt with Emery though Bygrave and when she paid Bygrave she would take a receipt. She had paid him the sum referred to in the receipt but could not say if she paid the bill receipted 25 October on 18 October, but thought it unlikely. Statement of the accused: not guilty.

item

Bygrave, James,
Pratt, Sarah Ann,
Chandler, Sarah Ann,
Emery, Frederick

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, embezzlement, grocer, clerk