QSR1856/4/5/11

Depositions of Hannah Welch, wife of William a retail beerseller, Elizabeth Henman, the wife of Robert of Lidlington and Thomas Bowles, police constable of Lidlington. In the case of William Furze accused of stealing 5 pence halfpenny of money.

17 September 1856

From: 1856 To: 1856

Hannah Welch: wife of William Welch the keeper of the Red Lion beer house in Lidlington. William Furze some times came to the house. He was a labouring man and lived in the same parish. On 12 September the prisoner came to the Tap Room with another man by the name of Walker. She had occasion to go into the road after one of her children and left the prisoner and Walker together. On her return she heard money rattle, where she had left some in a cupboard in the bar, and when she got to the bar door she met the prisoner coming out. She accused Furze of being at this money. Furze had some halfpennies in his hand. She had been so quick upon Furze that he had not had time to put it in his pocket. The prisoner said it was not Welch’s money and he wanted some beer. There was nobody else in the room where the money was kept. Walker was out of the house at the time. She threatened him with the police and locked him in a room. The prisoner subsequently said he had taken the money. Elizabeth Henman: wife of Robert, a labourer in Lidlington. On 12 September she was passing the Red Lion and heard a noise inside. She went to the door which was locked and Welch let her in. Furze, who she knew well, was in the tap room and she asked him what the matter was. He said Mrs Welch had accused him of taking her money and he had not touched it. He subsequently put his hand in his pocket and took out 5 pence halfpenny and threw it upon the table. He said there’s the four pence halfpenny and that was all the money he had taken. She counted the money. PC Thomas Bowles: on 12 September he took the prisoner into custody and told him the charge. The prisoner later said it had only been four pence halfpenny. Statement of the accused: he had taken the money and was very sorry for it. He hoped they would forgive him.

item

Furze, William,
Welch, Hannah,
Henman, Elizabeth,
Bowles, Thomas

LIDLINGTON, stealing, beerseller, coins, Lidlington Red Lion