QSR1856/3/5/21b

Depositions of Edwin Goodhall, servant of Dunstable, John Goodhall, drapers assistant of Dunstable, Joseph Hale, beershop keeper of Luton, Catherine Cole, servant of Luton and PC Jeremiah Cutriss of Dunstable. In the case of John Medcraft accused of stealing a woollen horse cloth and a pair of leathern traces.

2 June 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Edwin Goodhall: he was employed by Charles Lockhart. On 23 May he had been employed to look after his horse and harness. On 24 May he found his masters stable door broken open. It had been locked overnight. The following Saturday he missed a pair of leather traces. The following Monday PC Cuttriss showed him a horse cloth and a pair of traces which he identified as his master’s property. John Goodhall: an assistant to Charles Lockhart. On 24 May he found the stable door had been broken open and a horse cloth missing, He did not look at the harness until the next day when he missed the traces. He identified the horse cloth produced as the property of his master. Joseph Hale: keeper of the Wrestler beer shop in Wellington Street, Luton. On Saturday 24 May the prisoner came to his house about 8am and remained there until about 4pm. He knew the prisoner and he had lived with him before for 5 or 6 weeks. When the prisoner went away he asked him to take care of a bundle. He told the prisoner to put it into the back kitchen and he saw the horse cloth the next morning. On 26 May PC Cuttriss came to the house and asked about a horse cloth and some traces. He told the PC he had not bought any but had a bundle which he showed him. They found the horse cloth. The bundle had been tied up in a handkerchief and he saw the prisoner take it to the back kitchen. Catherine Cole: a servant to Mr Hale. On the Saturday the prisoner came to her master’s house about 8am and had a bundle with him. About 4pm the prisoner asked her master if he could leave the bundle and Hale told him might. The bundle was wrapped in a handkerchief. She saw him untied it in the back kitchen. It contained a horse cloth. The prisoner took away the handkerchief and left the horse cloth. She saw the constable when he came on 26 May and the horse cloth was in the kitchen where the prisoner had left it. PC Jeremiah Cutriss: on 26 May he went to the Wrestlers beer house in Luton. He asked the landlord if he had bought a horse cloth and a pair of traces. The landlord said he had not but young Medcraft had left them there. He took the prisoner into custody and charged him. The prisoner said he had not left them there but had sold them out and out. The prisoner said he would plead guilty to the lot and he hoped he should be sent out of the country. Statement of the accused: nothing.

item

Medcraft, John,
Cuttriss, Jeremiah,
Goodhall, Edwin,
Goodhall, John,
Cole, Catherine,
Hale, Joseph

DUNSTABLE, stealing, beer retailer, draper, servant