QSR1846/4/5/13

Depositions and examination - Daniel Hooton of Shefford, charged wtih stealing one pair of trousers and one waistcoat from William Waller

19 August 1846

From: 1846 To: 1846

William Waller of Shefford, labourer – his father keeps a lodging house at Shefford. Yesterday evening (18 August) Hooton slept there in the same room as him. Hooton called him up about 6am and he got up about half an hour later and went to his work leaving Hooton in bed. He came back at about 8am for breakfast. Hooton came downstairs about ¼ hour later and went out into the yard to the privy. His mother went upstairs. When she came down she told him something which made him go after Hooton. He waited against the door of the privy to prevent Hooton coming out until he had sent for PC Hann. When PC Hann arrived Hooton handed a pair of trousers to him through the half open door and PC Hann took him into custody. He has had the trousers for a year and knows them quite well. The waistcoat produced by PC Hann was safe with the trousers in the box in the bedroom in which they slept. The box was not locked. Hooton had his trousers on under his own. He saw Hooton pull them off. Richard Waller of Shefford, victualler – after PC Hann had taken Hooton the waistcoat was missed. He went to the privy and found the waistcoat thrown down the hole. William Hann of Shefford, police constable – he arrived at Waller’s privy door just in time to see the trousers handed out of the door. He took Hooton and the trousers away with him. Within 10 minutes Richard Waller had brought him the waistcoat. Hooton still has two pairs of trousers on. Daniel Hooton – “I did not mean to go away with the trousers”.

item

Hooton, Daniel,
Waller, William,
Waller, Richard,
Hann, William

SHEFFORD, stealing, clothing, trousers, waistcoat, victualler, police constable, lodging houses, privies