QSR1856/4/5/7c

Depositions of Frederick Lawford, clerk to an attorney of Luton, Sarah Claydon, single woman of Luton, Joseph Hedges, grocer of Luton and Charles Addington Austin, solicitor of Luton. In the case of George Golds accused of stealing £1 8s 1d and a canvas bag.

11 August 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Frederick Lawford: In consequence of having lost money at different times from his desk, on 8 August before leaving the office he put into a bag £1 8s 1d. He marked the money. When he came to the office the next morning he examined the bag and found it had been removed from the spot where it had been placed. He counted the money and found the same money to be there. Joseph Hedges: on 9 August he opened the office door about 7.40am and took down the shutters and went to the post office for letters. He left the key in the office door and locked it. He was gone about 10 minutes and when he came back he found the office door open and a broom which he had left against the door had fallen in. The housekeeper, Mrs Claydon, sent him to Mr Austin with a message. When he got there the prisoner was standing at Mr Austin’s back door. The prisoner asked him if he was going to tell Mr Austin and he said he was. He delivered the message to Mr Austin’s servant and came away, leaving the prisoner there. Sarah Claydon: on 9 August the prisoner came to her master’s kitchen and brought a newspaper which he was in the habit of bringing her. He then went down the yard and she heard him call “Joe”. Directly afterwards she had the inner office door shut to and she went to see who was there, knowing Hedges had gone to the post office. From the scullery window she saw the head of a person standing at the desk in the office. She found the office door open and saw the prisoner standing at Mr Lawford’s desk in the act of tying up a money bag. She asked him what he was doing and he put back the bag into the desk and asked her not to say anything about it. He came up to her and took 2 shilling pieces out of his mouth and said it was all he had and he would put it back. He returned the money to the bag in the desk and then went with her to the kitchen and again egged that she should not tell Mr Austin. She sent for Mr Austin and the accused went away. The prisoner returned with Mr Austin. Charles Addington Austin: on 9 August the prisoner came to his house and asked to speak to him. The prisoner was in an excited state and said he had been at it again and hoped for forgiveness. Austin had not heard at the time what had taken place. Asked what he wanted forgiveness for, Golds said he had taken the money from the office. Austin asked how he could forgive him when he had been taking money for months and Godls replied he had only taken a few shillings at a time. Golds said if he forgave him he would run away and go anywhere he liked. He took the prisoner to Mr Williamson’s kitchen and was told by Mrs Claydon what had occurred. The prisoner was taken into custody by PC Lambert. The office was connected to Mr Williamson’s house by means of a brick wall. There was no entrance to the office direct from the house. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Golds, George,
Lawford, Frederick,
Claydon, Sarah,
Hedges, Joseph,
Austin, Charles Addington

LUTON, solicitor, housekeeper, servant, clerk, stealing, coins