QSR1890/2/5/5

Depositions of Letitia Carter, wife of Charles Carter, tailor of Biggleswade, Eliza Jane Jarman, singlewoman of Biggleswade and George Bird, police constable of Wrestlingworth. In the case of Lucy Brooker accused of obtaining 2 pairs of boots by false pretences.

1 April 1890

From: 1890 To: 1890

Letitia Carter: wife of Charles Carter and she managed the boot shop of her brother Ellis Pigott Jeakings. On 2 April about 4.30pm the prisoner came into the shop and said she wanted a pair of boots for Mrs Miller’s servant, who was her fellow servant. She said Mrs Miller had told her to come and she wanted a button pair at 2s 11d in a size 3. Letitia Carter said she thought the other servant would need larger than a size 3 as she believed the defendant would be a size 3. The defendant said no, she took a size 2. Carter asked Brooker how long she had been in Mrs Miller’s service and she replied not quite a month. Carter packed up a pair of laced boot, sized 3 and the prisoner said “My fellow servant will call in and pay in the evening if they suit”. Carter said “We don’t let one pair go out on appro” so Brooker said she would take a second pair then and return them that evening. She packed the shoes up and let the prisoner had the boots on the faith that she was in the service of Mrs Miller and that a pair was for her fellow servant whom she knew and had served before. The boots produced were one of the pairs. She knew Mrs Miller had employed a new servant in the past month or so. Eliza Jane Jarman: was in the service of Mrs Miller at Camden House, Biggleswade. She did not know the prisoner and the prisoner was not in Mrs Miller’s service. She had been in service for Mrs Miller for the past 3 months and she had been to Jeakings for goods for herself and for Mrs Miller. PC George Bird: on 4 April he met the prisoner at Potton Station coming from the train. He asked her what she had done with the boots she had from Jeakings. She replied she had not had any and that she would take an oath that she had not been in Biggleswade that day. He asked her where she was then and she replied Potton at Mrs Foots. He told her he would see Mrs Foot. He asked her if her boots were new and she said no as they were a month old. He took her to Police Sergeant Glenister’s house at Potton and said he would then go to Mrs Foot. The prisoner then said she did go to Jeakings and had some boots and that hers were a pair of them. Asked what she had done with the other pair, she said they were at Bedford but she had not sold them. He took possession of the boots and she obtained another pair of boot, by purchase in Potton, to wear. He charged her. Statement of the accused: she was very sorry that she did it.

item

Brooker, Lucy,
Carter, Letitia,
Jarman, Eliza Jane,
Bird, George,
Jeakings, Ellis Piggott,
Miller

WRESTLINGWORTH, POTTON, BIGGLESWADE, false pretences, boots, tailor