QSR1846/3/5/20-21

Depositions and examinations - Benjamin Taylor and John Stonnell charged with stealing some lead belonging to John Williams.

19 May 1846

From: 1846 To: 1846

John Millard of Luton, police constable – on 18 May between 9 and 10pm he was coming up the Bedford Road and saw Taylor standing outside James Shrimpton’s door. Stonnell came out of Shrimpton’s house and they walked up the street together. One of the turned round, saw him, and they then separated – Taylor went up George Street and Stonnell up Wellington Street. He followed Stonnell and asked him where he had been lately. Stonnell said he had been to several places. At first he said he had not been to Shrimpton’s, but then admitted he had sold Shrimpton some lead that the “young man” who was outside the door gave him to sell. Stonnell claimed not to know the man’s name. He tookl Stonnell to Shrimpton’s and Shrimpton gave him the lead now produced. He then locked Stonnell up in the cage. The next morning he took Taylor into custody on suspicion of stealing lead from his master John Williams. Taylor denied knowing anything about it, or giving Stonnell any lead to sell. He took the lead to Mr Williams’ house and fitted the cake of lead into the kettle. It fitted exactly. The lead was burnt at the bottom and so was the kettle. William Berrill of Luton, bricklayer – he remembers Charles Underwood fixing a scraper at Messrs Munt and Brown’s door for Mr Williams about 3 weeks ago. Underwood had a kettle partly filled with lead which belongs to Mr Williams. He later saw the same kettle with lead in it in the cellar under the warehouse of Messrs Munt & Brown, and has seen it 3 or 4 times since in the cellar. There are pieces of lead lying about Mr Williams’ premises similar to one of the pieces the policeman showed him. The other piece of lead fits the bottom of the kettle. Charles Maffey of Luton, police constable – on Tuesday 19 May about 9am he was in the passage of the cages in the parish of Luton. He heard Taylor say to Stonnell who was in the next cage “I wonder what we are brought in here for”. Stonnell said “Why, you know it is about that lead of Williamses. I know you gave it to me, there can be nothing freer than a gift, but where you had it from I don’t know”. Taylor said “No, nor more don’t they nor Williams either”. On 20th May he heard Taylor say to Stonnell “If I lay in gaol 12 months I won’t split nor more don’t you and then they can’t get anything against us”. James Shrimpton of Luton, rag merchant – Stonnell came to his house and asked if he would buy two pieces of lead. He said he would not as he thought Stonnell had no right to sell it. Stonnell insisted it was his own property. He said he would buy it for a fair price and if anything was wrong Stonnell must be answerable. He bought it for 1s 6d. About 10 minutes later PC Millard brought Stonnell to his house and asked about the lead. Charles Underwood of Luton, mason – he thinks it was on Saturday 2 May that he was fixing a scraper at Munt and Brown’s door in Luton for Mr Williams. He melted some lead in Mr Williams’ kettle. He used some and left the rest in the kettle. Taylor was working about there.

item

Taylor, Benjamin,
Stonnell, John,
Williams, John,
Millard, John,
Shrimpton, James,
Berrill, William,
Maffey, Charles,
Underwood, Charles,
Munt & Brown

LUTON, Luton Bedford Road, Luton George Street, Luton Wellington Street, stealing, lead, police constable, bricklayer, parish cages, rag merchant, mason