QSR1855/3/5/11

Depositions of John Emery, draper of Eaton Socon, Deborah Emery of Eaton Socon, Keziah Peck of Eaton Socon and William Bedlow, police constable of Eaton Socon. In the case of Louisa White, accused of stealing 1 piece of calico and 1 table cloth.

17 April 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Deborah Emery: wife of John Emery. On 28 October the prisoner came to her husbands shop about 1pm. She asked her to cut her 2 slices of bacon which she was cutting when the prisoner took up a dress and asked her how much it was. The prisoner said she didn’t want to purchase it but she wanted about a yard for an apron. She went to the counter and cut off a yard. The prisoner then looked at a packet of small table cloth and asked the price. The prisoner then asked her to look at a back lace cap as she was getting the cap she observed the prisoner endeavouring to secrete the packet of table clothes under her arm. The prisoner seeing she had been observed laid the packet down again. She served the prisoner with the bacon and the yard of print. The prisoner left the shop and immediately she had gone, Mrs Emery missed a calico print dress. Keziah Peck was present in the shop. The prisoner was later brought back to the shop and asked what she was wanted for. Mrs Emery charged her with having the dress. The prisoner gave her basket to be searched and a small table cloth was found inside. It had not been missed. The prisoner left and was she was going Mrs Emery saw the dress sticking out from under her arm. Mrs Emery pulled it out and said it was her missed dress. Keziah Peck: wife of Robert Peck. She had been present in Mrs Emery’s shop on 28 October when Mrs White was in there. From something Mrs Emery said, she went after the prisoner. She found her at Mrs Day’s beer shop. She told her Mrs Emery wanted her at the shop. She returned at once and on going towards the shop she dropped a small table cloth. A witness called her attention to this and gave it back to her. The prisoner said nothing more about it until she reached the shop. She was present when Mrs Emery took the dress from under the prisoners arm.

item

White, Louisa,
Emery, John,
Emery, Deborah,
Peck, Keziah,
Bedlow, William

EATON SOCON, draper, stealing, calico, cloth