QSR1890/3/5/1-2

Depositions of Alfred Chesham, labourer of Eaton Socon, Sarah Stamford of Eaton Socon, Joseph Billington, police constable of Eaton Socon and Eliza Ann Stamford. In the case of Thomas Bruce & Frederick Markham accused of the indecent assault of Eliza Ann Stamford.

12 April 1890

From: 1890 To: 1890

Eliza Ann Stamford: she lived at the White Lion Row in Eaton Socon. She knew the prisoners. On the evening of 15 March she was going from Eaton Ford to Eaton Socon with Alfred Chesham. As she was coming by the Cross Hall Road, Thomas Bruce came up to her and took her round her waist and dragged her up the Cross Hall Road. Frederick Markham was there and he came out of the hedge. Thomas Bruce threw her down and pulled up her clothes above her knee. She cried and hollered and they let her get up. When Bruce was holding her he shouted to Chesham to help. She was on the ground at the time with Bruce holding her arms and Markham taking hold of her legs. She went home. Chesham caught her up near PC Billington’s house. After Bruce had thrown her down, Chesham laid down about half a yard away. She did not hear Chesham say anything to Bruce or Markham. She passed Sarah Barnes on the way home and spoke to her although she made no complaint to her. She lived with her aunt who came home directly after she got to the house and she made no complaint to her. When she got home her aunt said she had been to look for her. She told her aunt what Bruce and Markham had done about a week later. Her aunt went to see PC Billington and on 5 April she took out a summons charging the defendants with indecent assault. She had not asked Chesham not to say anything about it. Chesham had been lying by the side of her when Bruce and Markham assaulted her. Chesham tried to pull her away when Bruce dragged her up the Cross Hall Road. When she got up Chesham stopped behind with Bruce and Markham. Sarah Barnes was with her when Thomas Bruce pulled her up the road. Alfred Chesham was also there. Sarah Barnes went away when Bruce pulled her up the road. She walked up the road with Bruce and Chesham followed close behind. Markham was up the Cross Hall Road. She went up the road about 20 yards. She did not see Markham when Bruce first threw her down. She had seen Thomas Bruce with his brother, William, earlier in the evening between Eaton Ford and Eaton Socon. Sarah Barnes was with her at the time. They spoke to the Bruce brothers but she did not ask Bruce to go for a walk with her, but they did all go a little way together. They met Markham but she did not speak to him, but Sarah Barnes did. After Markham had passed them they left Thomas and William Bruce. They then met Chesham. The Bruce brothers were just behind. Directly Chesham met her they linked arms and went off. William Bruce walked behind with Sarah Barnes. She did not know where Thomas Bruce was. When Thomas Bruce pulled her, Sarah Barnes left her but she did not know if William Bruce went too. It was near the sign post and she saw Thomas standing against it before he took her up the road. Alfred Chesham: he knew Eliza Ann Stamford and she was with a girl named Barnes walking along the path in the direction of Eaton Socon Church. He didn’t see anyone else walking with her. They came across the road to him and he went as far as the church and then went back with them as far as the union. They then turned back as far as Cross Hall Lane when Thomas Bruce came up and dragged Eliza Stamford away from him. Sarah Barnes was with them when Thomas Bruce came up. Bruce dragged Eliza across the road and threw her down and while Stamford was on the floor Markham came up. Bruce held Stamford down on her back and he thought he had hold of her head and arms. Markham came up and Stamford was struggling to get away. Markham knelt down and caught hold of Stamford’s legs, just above her boots. Bruce called to him to help them hold her, but he replied he would have nothing to do with it. A minute or two after, they let her go. She hurried away and he followed her and caught her up before she went home. [cross examination] he did not say anything to PC Billington or Stamford’s aunt. He did not want to get her into bother. He saw all that took place. Stamford had a long dress on and her clothes were not up at all. Markham got hold of her legs underneath her clothes. He did not speak of it until asked by Mrs Stamford a fortnight later. He had been standing on road when Eliza was on the ground. He did not think her clothes were up but was not near enough to see distinctly. The nearest house to where Stamford was thrown down was about 100 yards away. When Stamford was on the ground she said she would tell her aunt if they did not let her go. Sarah Stamford: Eliza Ann Stamford lived with her and on 15 March she sent her on an errand between 7pm and 8pm. Eliza returned between 8pm and 9pm. When Eliza came home she had gone up the town a little way. She made no complaint that night. 8 or 9 days later Eliza made the complaint and in consequence of what she said, she spoke to PC Billington. She did not notice anything wrong with Eliza’s clothes when she came in. PC Joseph Billington: on 29 March he met Thomas Bruce and told him there had been a complaint against him. Bruce said “I was no worse than Markham was”. He told Bruce that Stamford had said he had dragged her up the road and thrown her down and Bruce said he had. When asked if he had raised her clothes and pulled her legs about, Bruce said he had and so had Markham. Asked if he had been standing or kneeing, Bruce said they had both been kneeling. Bruce said Stamford he called out said she would tell her aunt. Asked where Chesham was, Bruce said he was close by and he had tried to get Stamford away twice. [cross examination] he told Sarah Stamford the aunt that the case ought to be investigated. He told Bruce proceedings would be taken. Billington made no notes at the time but made them about 20 minutes later. He could not now find these notes. Statement of the accused: both reserved their defence.

20 pages

item

Chesham, Alfred,
Stamford, Sarah,
Billington, Joseph,
Stamford, Eliza Ann,
Bruce, Thomas,
Markham, Frederick,
Barnes, Sarah,
Bruce, William

EATON SOCON, Eaton Socon Cross Hall, sex crimes