QSR1855/3/5/41-43

Depositions of Henry Holyoak, auctioneer of Luton, Samuel Joseph Carter, brewer's clerk of Luton, George Smith, police constable of Luton and Thomas Humphrey, marine store dealer of Luton. In the case of Charles Fensom, Henry Shaw and George Facey, accused of stealing a brass door handle and a brass tap.

25 June 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Samuel Joseph Carter: a clerk to Mr Thomas Sworder, a brewer of Luton. On 21 June he went with PC Smith to an unoccupied house in the possession of Mr Sworder called the Red Cap at New Town in Luton. He found a tap had been broken from a range in the tap room and the brass handles from the stair foot door. PC Smith handed a brass handle he had in his possession and fitted the handle to the door. They corresponded exactly. PC Smith handed him the tap and it corresponded with what remained in the range. He had no doubt they had been taken from the Red Cap beer shop which was in the possession of Mr Sworder. PC George Smith: on 21 June he went to Thomas Humphrey, a marine store dealer in Luton, and found there a brass handle and part of a brass cock. He took them to the Red Cap beer shop and compared them with the handles with the one he found on the stairs and found it to fit. On examining the range he found a piece of tap broken off and compared it to the piece found at Mr Humphrey’s. He found it to match. He took Charles Fensom into custody and charged him. Fensom said Henry Shaw had given them to him to sell. He took Shaw into custody. Fensom identified Shaw as the person who had told him to sell the items. Shaw said Fensom asked him to go in and get them and saying he would then sell them. Shaw said he went in and Fensom stood outside. Shaw got them and gave them to Fensom. As he was coming back from Mr Crawley’s with the 2 prisoners he saw Facey. Fensom said he was as bad as they as he had some of the money. Facey was taken into custody and charged. Facey said he had nothing to do with it and had taken halfpenny of the money. Fensom told Facey, at the police station, that he was as bad as he was as he had part of the money. Shaw agreed and said Facey had stood and watched whilst they went in. Facey said he had nothing to do with it. Thomas Humphrey: a marine store dealer in Luton. On 20 June he bought from Charles Fensom part of a brass tap and a brass handle of a door. He gave him four pence for them. Henry Holyoak: an agent to Mr Edward Chase and receiver of his rents. Mr Thomas Sworder was tenant of the Red Cap beer shop until the previous day. The house belonged to Mr Chase and the fixtures belonged to the house and therefore to Mr Chase. Mr Sworder was bound to make them all good. Statement of the accused: Charles Fenson – nothing to say. Harry Shaw - the window was always open and boys would pretty well run about the house. Someone had tried to knock the tap off before. George Facey – nothing to say.

item

Fensom, Charles,
Shaw, Henry,
Facey, George,
Holyoak, Henry,
Carter, Samuel Joseph,
Smith, George,
Humphrey, Thomas

LUTON, stealing, household decoration, auctioneer, brewer's clerk, marine store dealer