QSR1856/3/5/2

Depositions of Sarah Simkins, wife of Joseph of Luton, Phoebe Snoxall of Luton, Charlotte Sharp, wife of Thomas of Luton and William Frederick Knight, police constable. In the case of Mary Lawson accused of stealing 2 and a half score yards of straw plait.

14 April 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Sarah Simkins: on 11 April about 8.30am she missed 30 yards of coarse Luton plait from her house. It had been hanging behind the door. The prisoner had frequently been in the house in the week and on 12 April she missed another score of the same sort of plait. The plait was the property of George Burgess and was given to her to make up. She suspected the prisoner had taken it and followed her and asked her about it. The prisoner said she had not taken it and then said if she gave her 4 pence she would go and fetch the one score, the rest she thought she could not get. She afterwards saw 2 score of plait in the hands of the police which she believed to be the same as that she had lost. The colour had changed and it was a little yellow as a result of it being kept in a damp place. Phoebe Snoxall: sister of Sarah Simkins. On 12 April, as a result of information given to her by her sister she went to Charlotte Sharp. Sharp brought some plait downstairs and said the prisoner had 4d on it. There was about 2 score. Before she had gone to Sharps she saw the prisoner who said if she gave her 4d she would go where the plait was and the prisoner went with her to Mrs Sharps. She brought the plait away with her and took it to her sister’s house, but she was not at home. PC Knight was at the door and she gave it to him. Charlotte Sharp: on 2 April the prisoner came to her house and asked to be lent 4d as she wanted money to pay for a shawl. She refused her at first but the prisoner told her not to be afraid and to take the plait. Phoebe Snoxall afterwards came to her house with the prisoner. She fetched the plait and gave it to Phoebe Snoxall. PC William Frederick Knight: he took the prisoner into custody and charged her. The prisoner said she knew she had taken it but Mrs Simkins had got it back again and she hoped he would not take her to the station. He received the plait from Phoebe Snoxall. Statement of the accused: she hoped they would be as favourable as they could with her.

item

Lawson, Mary,
Simkins, Sarah,
Snoxall, Phoebe,
Sharp, Charlotte,
Knight, William Frederick

LUTON, stealing, Straw Plait