QSR1846/1/5/33

Depositions, examination and character reference - Thomas Molster charged with stealing 3 ribs of beef from Joseph Dancer

20 October 1845

From: 1845 To: 1846

Joseph Dancer of Luton, butcher – last Saturday evening about 7pm he had a piece of beef – e ribs lying on the board of his van in the Market Place at Luton. He had 7 or 8 customers at the time. After they were gone he missed the beef. About 11 o’clock he had to send his boy into Burr Street. From information her received he went with PC Millard to Molster’s house and stayed outside until he called him in. He went in and saw the beef he had lost. It was the 4th, 5th and 6th ribs of beef and there was a piece of gristle in it. John Millard of Luton, police constable – on Saturday evening he went to Molster’s house with Mr Dancer. He went in and asked Molster for a bit of beef he had got in the house. Molster seemed very much confused, then pulled up a cloth under which were the 3 ribs of beef. Molster said he bought them from his master at Farley Farm. He asked what butcher had dressed the carcass. Molster said no butcher as it was one that had dropped and he gave a shilling for the lot. He called in Mr Dancer who had previously described the beef and identified it as his property. Molster admitted he had lied and later offered to compromise with Mr Dancer and said he did it from distress. Thomas Molster – “I have 4 small children and my wife has been lately confined. I came through the market on Saturday night and I seemed as if I could not pass that bit of meat”. Character reference from Joseph Anstee, assistant overseer for the parish of Luton, 6 Jan 1846 - Molster has been "an honest sober and industrious man and has by his example and precept constantly trained his children in the paths of virtue and sobriety, and although in the lowest state of poverty has been a worthy example to that class of society in which he moves".

item

Dancer, Joseph,
Molster, Thomas,
Millard, John,
Anstee, Joseph

LUTON, Luton Burr Street, Luton Farley Farm, stealing, beef, butcher, police constable, assistant Overseer