QSR1856/4/5/1

Depositions of John Mapley, beer seller of Woburn, his wife Mary and PC Benjamin George of Eversholt. In the case of Joseph Horn accused of stealing a silver hunting watch.

15 July 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Mary Mapley: wife of John who kept the White Bear beer shop in Woburn. On the afternoon of 14 July the prisoner, a stranger, came into the house and remained drinking until 6pm. Whilst in the bar she thought she heard one of the stairs and went towards the door. She could see the prisoner peeking around the door post. She had seen him the bar about a quarter of an hour previous. When she saw him on the stairs she asked him what business he had there and he said he wanted a pint of beer and tried to push past her. Her husband came up and took hold of the prisoner whilst she went upstairs to see if anything was missing. She missed her husbands silver watch. She returned downstairs and informed her husband of it and told the prisoner the watch was missing. Then prisoner denied having the watch. She was directed by her husband to fetch the police and informed PC George of what had happened. PC George went towards her husband and the prisoner and she saw the prisoner pull her husbands watch from his pocket and say “Here’s your watch Mapley say no more about it”. She retuned to the bar leaving the prisoner, her husband and PC George together. John Mapley: the prisoner had been in the house and about 6pm he followed his wife and saw the prisoner coming down the stairs. Asked what business he had there the prisoner directed him to pull him a pint of beer. He told his wife to go upstairs and she returned shortly saying the watch had gone. He accused the prisoner who repeated denied the charge. He ordered the police to be sent for and detained the man. When the police constable came the prisoner took his watch from his pocket and gave it to him, telling him to say no more of it. The prisoner was removed by the police constable. The value of the watch was 40 shillings. PC Benjamin George: the prisoner was a bricklayer’s labourer at Eversholt. On 14 June he was called to the prosecutor’s house and informed the prisoner had stolen a watch. He took the prisoner into custody and asked what he had to say about the charge. The prisoner said he had the watch and said he could do what he wanted with him. He removed the prisoner to the lock-up. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Horn, Joseph,
Mapley, John,
Mapley, Mary,
George, Benjamin

WOBURN, EVERSHOLT, stealing, watches, Woburn White Bear, beer seller, bricklayer's labourer