QSR1856/3/5/4b

Depositions of Mary Lee, widow of Woburn Sands, Martha Lee, wife of Thomas of 7 Elizabeth Place, Stratford New Town, Essex. Henry Martin, labourer of Woburn, Jabez Smith, labourer of Woburn, Mary Ann Martin, wife of Thomas a watchman, Edward Sanders, coal merchant of Woburn and Thomas Osman, stationmaster of Woburn Sands. In the case of Samuel Wesley accused of stealing a silver hunting watch.

25 April 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Mary Lee: a widow of Wavendon. On 14 March she packed a silver hunting watch and other things in a small box to send to London. In the course of the afternoon the prisoner came by the house in Mrs Sanders cart and she asked him to take a parcel to the station. Ann Byway was with her at the time. The parcel was delivered into his hands and he was asked to book it at the railway station. She gave him 2d to book it. It was to go to her son in London and was addressed so. The prisoner took the parcel and returned shortly after saying he had booked the parcel and producing a printed paper with red letters upon it. She considered it a receipt. [section crossed through]. The watch had a value of £3 10s 0d. The same day she called the prisoner as he was going by and told him the parcel had a watch in it and the watch had been taken. He said to her “oh you silly woman why did not you tell me there was a watch in the parcel”. The prisoner said he would ask the station master about it. She saw him 2 or 3 days later and he said he had not mentioned it as a gentleman such as the station master did not want to be bothered about such things. She advised the police. The prisoner did not tell her the station master had written to London about it. Martha Lee: wife of Thomas Lee the son of the prosecutor. The parcel was delivered d on 17 March to her husband’s house. She received it from a railway man employed to deliver parcels. The box was corded. She expected a silver watch but there was no watch in the parcel. Mrs Lee had written to say a watch was coming. The other articles expected were safe. There was no hole in the box. She wrote to Mrs Lee by that nights post to say the watch was missing. Henry Martin: son of Thomas Martin a watchman at Woburn. On the afternoon of 14 March he saw the prisoner receive a parcel from Mrs Lee who gave him 2 pence to pay the booking. Wesley put the parcel in his cart. He was in another cart and followed him to the station at Woburn Sands. The prisoner was under a horse cloth in the cart and he could not see him for some distance. There was no one else in the cart. It was a windy day but did not rain. The prisoner remained under the horse cloth until he arrived at the railway station. He saw the prisoner deliver a parcel at the office and received a paper. Jabez Smith: was employed by Marian Sanders who carried out a coal business in Woburn. On 14 March he slept with the prisoner at Thomas Martin’s. The prisoner pulled a watch out of his pocket and threw it on the bed. It was a silver watch with a double case. Wesley then went downstairs. He had never seen the prisoner with a watch before that day. The prisoner said he had given 4 guineas for the watch. Mary Ann Martin: wife of Thomas Martin. The prisoner lodged at her house and on 14 March he asked her to lend him a watch key to wind up a watch he had shown her. It was a silver one with a double case. The prisoner said he had given 4 guineas for it. She had not seen him with a watch before. The next day the prisoner said he should go to Cardington and went away. On the following Sunday he returned and said he had been to London instead after a man who owed him some money and he had got 25 shillings. Edward Sanders: he carried on a coal business with Marian Sanders. The prisoner was in his employ on 14 March and asked for leave to go to Cardington. The leave was granted and his wages, of 12 shillings, were paid to him. Wesley had said he wanted him wages because he had no money. Thomas Osborn: the stationmaster at Woburn Sands. On 15 March the prisoner came to the station and took a 2nd class return ticket to London for which he paid 9s 9d. It was for the 3pm train from Bedford due at Woburn at 3.30pm. The prisoner returned the next morning. The prisoner never gave him any information regarding the loss. The prisoner was in the employment of an agent of the railway company as a common carrier. Statement of the accused: he was not guilty. Had had wrote to a man in London who had the watch but had no answer from him.

item

Wesley, Samuel,
Lee, Mary,
Lee, Thomas,
Lee, Martha,
Martin, Henry,
Smith, Jabez,
Martin, Mary Ann,
Sanders, Edward,
Osman, Thomas

WOBURN, WOBURN SANDS, stealing, watches, coal merchant, station master, Essex, watchman