QSR1846/1/5/6

Depositions and examination - William Wells charged with stealing wine from Charles Stafford

18 November 1845

From: 1845 To: 1846

Charles Stafford of St Mary Bedford, printer – he employed Wells as a weekly servant until last Saturday night. He keeps his wine in bottles in a cask in the cellar beneath a loft adjoining his dwelling house. The cellar is usually kept locked. He also keeps potatoes, carrots and other vegetables in the cellar. Wells had access to the cellar in the course of his duties. When he stored some wine in the cask 5 or 6 weeks ago he marked the contents on the outside. Last Sunday he found 7 bottles of Madeira and one of white hermitage had been taken. He received the bottle produced from his son Edwards on Sunday morning. It contains Madeira he believes was taken from the cask. The cork has been forced in and a piece of common cotton print put into the mouth of the bottle. Last Sunday night he noticed Wells was intoxicated. He had the key to the cellar on Saturday afternoon. [Cross-examined by Wells] The cellar was occasionally open and other people might have had access. William Kingston of St Mary Bedford, butcher – between 8 and 9am on Sunday he was going down Cherry Tree Lane and saw a bottle standing against the Stafford’s back way. Mr Stafford’s son was coming out of the gate at the same time and he pointed it out to him. He found the bottle contained wine. It was about half full with a piece of rag in the mouth of the bottle instead of a cork. It was a white wine. He gave the bottle to Stafford’s son Edwards. Edwards Sparrow Stafford, aged about 15 years, son of Charles Stafford of St Mary Bedford – on Sunday morning he went out of his father’s back gate and Kingston drew his attention to the bottle. He took the bottle to his father. George Osborne of St John Bedford, dyer – he lives in Pepper Alley. On October 16 as he was going to work at about 6am he saw Wells who said if he would go with him he would give him a drop of good stuff. He said he could not go as he was going to work. Shortly afterwards Wells brought a bottle of wine to Mr Gren’s dye house which he said his wife’s sister had sent from Baldock. He drank some but does not know what wine it was. They drank about half the bottle. George Strickland, son of William Strickland of Bedford, watchmaker – on the second fair day, Tuesday 14 October, he went into Mr Stafford’s cellar at about 11am. Wells was there. His brother William came in later. Wells had a bottle in his hand and offered him some wine. He said he would not have any as they would be sure to find out. Wells said they would not know who had it as Bryce and Ann (former servant of Mr Stafford) and recently gone away and they would think they had it. He said they would smell him in the printing office if he had any. Wells said "you can go and eat some parsley and then they won’t smell you". He said he would have nothing to do with it and left. William Coombs, chief constable of Bedford – on Sunday 16th he went to Wells’ house and found there the child’s cotton pinafore he now produces which exactly corresponds in pattern with the piece found in the neck of the bottle. William Wells of St Mary Bedford – he did not take any wine off the premises.

item

Wells, William,
Stafford, Charles,
Stafford, Edwards Sparrow,
Kingston, William,
Strickland, George,
Strickland, William,
Coombs, William

BEDFORD, Bedford St.Mary, Bedford St.John, stealing, wine, printer, butcher, dyer, watchmaker, drunkenness