QSR1857/2/5/1

Depositions of Joseph Fearn, innkeeper of Leighton Buzzard and his wife Sarah. Mary Newton, wife of George William, a hawker of Leighton Buzzard and William Clough, inspector of police of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Eliza Barrett accused of stealing a sovereign and 2 shillings.

20 March 1857

From: 1857 To: 1857

Joseph Fearn: the prisoner was a domestic servant in his employment at the time of the robbery. She had access to all parts of the house and he placed confidence in her. On the evening of 6 March he gave his wife a £10 note, a £5 note, a sovereign and 10 shillings worth of silver to place in the box where he kept his money. On 7 March his wife went to the box for the 2 notes and gave them to him. Later that day, having paid some bills, he returned to his wife the remainder of the money. It consisted of £5 note, a sovereign and 10 shillings. On 14 March his wife told him she had lost some money from the box. He contacted the police. Sarah Fearn: on the evening of 6 March her husband gave her a £10 note, a £5 note, a sovereign and 10 shillings worth of silver to place in the box in their bed room. She put it in a purse with other money amounting to £5 10s 0d. She placed it in the box, locked it and placed the key in her pocket. The following day she went and got out of the box 2 notes which she gave to her husband. She counted the remaining money and it came to £3. Her husband returned home and gave her £5 note, a sovereign and 10 shillings in silver. She went to put the money away in the box but noticed something unusual when she turned the key. She took out the purse and found a sovereign and 2 shillings gone. She did not tell her husband as she could not fix suspicion on anyone. She made enquiries and spoke to the prisoner about it. On 13 March her husband took the key of the box from her pocket, she being in bed at the time and he opened the box. He took a £5 and £3 10s in gold. She saw him place the bag in the box and lock it. He returned the key. On opening the box on 14 March she took the purse from the box and found she had been robbed again. She told the servants of her loss and asked for their keys. She tried the prisoner’s key and it fitted the box. She called the prisoner up and told her that her key fitted the box. The prisoner said she couldn’t help it and did not have a farthing of money in her possession. On 16 March she spoke to the prisoner again and the prisoner denied the theft. The prisoner then went to her own room and Mrs Newton followed her. Mrs Newton called her and the prisoner confessed to having taken money from the box on 2 occasions. Mary Newton: on 16 March she was at Mrs Fearn’s house and it Mrs Fearn’s request she went upstairs with the prisoner to see her box packed. She had some conversation with the prisoner who told her she was sorry to see her going away in disgrace. The prisoner answered she had taken only 5 shillings and she had put it in her pocket and lost it. Newton called Mrs Fearn upstairs. The prisoner was crying. Mrs Fearn came into the room and the prisoner told her she had taken 5 shillings. Afterwards the prisoner confessed in Mrs Fearn’s presence of having taken money on 2 occasions. On 19 March the prisoner said she had purchased a gown piece, a cap, 10 yards of calico, a scarf, 2 handkerchiefs and a neck [?] with the money she had taken. Inspector William Clough: he went to Linslade and found the prisoner at her sister’s house. She charged Barratt with stealing about 30 shillings from a box in his bed room on 2 occasions. He took her into custody. The prisoner said she had told Mrs Fearn the truth about it because she had promised to forgive her. She had not taken 30 shillings. She had taken a sovereign the first time and 5 shillings the second time. He asked the prisoner for the key to the box, which she gave him, but added it was not the key that opened the box. She had taken a key hanging up in the bar. He went to Mrs Fearn who gave him the 2 keys hanging in the bar, one of which he found to open the box. The prisoner subsequently said she had found the sovereign on the floor of the bedroom. Statement of the accused: she hoped to be forgiven.

item

Barrett, Eliza,
Fearn, Joseph,
Fearn, Sarah,
Newton, Mary,
Newton, George William,
Clough, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, coins, innkeepers, hawkers, servants