QSR1856/1/5/9

Depositions of William Shaw, licensed victualler of Toddington, his wife Sarah Shaw, John Thorogood, police constable of Toddington and William Hardwick, labourer of Toddington. In the case of George Pardo, labourer of Toddington, accused of uttering false coin.

21 December 1855

From: 1855 To: 1856

Sarah Shaw: wife of William, keeper of the Sow & Pigs public house at Toddington. On 13 December the prisoner came to the tap room and asked her and her servant if she wanted any needles. They said they didn’t and the prisoner asked for 2 penny worth of rum. This was served to him in her presence and he paid the servant with a half a crown piece. The prisoner gave the servant a half crown piece which Shaw changed for him and he was given 2 shillings and a 4 penny bit. He asked her to change the 4 penny bit for 4 penny worth of half pennies, which she did. He left the house. She held the half crown in her hand and detected it was a bad one. PC Thorogood was passing the house and she called him to the door and told him she had received a bad half crown from a tramp. She gave the half crown to the constable and he marked it was a cross. The prisoner was a stranger to her. She was positive she gave the prisoner 2 good shillings in exchange for the half crown. They were old shillings and quire smooth. They were not the 2 shillings later produced. PC John Thorogood: he was called by the last witness and told she had received a bad half crown from a tramp. He took the half crown and marked it. She gave him a description of the man and he looked about for him. On hearing he had gone in the direction of Luton he went after him in the company of a man named William Hardwick, one of the prosecutor’s servants. He overtook the prisoner about half a mile from Toddington. It was quite dark but the moon was shining. There were 2 men with the prisoner, who was the tallest of the 3, and answered the description given to him. He took custody of the prisoner who had his hands in his pockets and on being told the charge he pulled his hands from his pockets and threw something behind him. It jinked as it fell by the side of the road. The ground was hard with frost. He asked the prisoner what he had thrown away and was told nothing. He left Hardwick on the spot and took the prisoner to a cottage near by and searched him. He found 2 shillings and 5 pence halfpenny in coppers. The prisoner said the 2 shillings had come as change from the landlady for a glass of rum. He returned to the spot where he had left Hardwick and, in his presence, Hardwick picked up a shilling. Hardwick shortly found another shilling. He locked the prisoner up in Toddington and next morning took him to the station at Woburn. The prisoner said he had thrown away the shillings so as not to get in a mess. The prisoner wondered how he would get on at trail as it was his first time in trouble. William Hardwick: he was employed by Mr Shaw, keeper of the Sow & Pigs at Toddington. On 13 December he accompanied PC Thorogood on the Luton Road in pursuit of a man who he was informed had been passing bad money. About half a mile from Toddington they came up with the prisoner and 2 other men who were walking along the road together. The prisoner was taken into custody and he saw the prisoner draw his hands from his pockets and cast something behind which rattled as it hit the road. The prisoner was taken to the nearest cottage and he was left on the spot where he remained until Thorogood returned. They searched about and he picked up 2 shillings. The other men who had been with the prisoner had been removed from the spot by the PC. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Pardo, George,
Shaw, William,
Shaw, Sarah,
Thorogood, John,
Hardwick, William

TODDINGTON, passing counterfeit coin, licensed victualler, Toddington Sow & Pigs