QSR1857/3/5/3-4

Depositions of Edwin Bowen Donne, music seller of Dunstable and his wife Frances Donne. PC Anthony Sibley, stationed at Hockcliffe. In the case of Peter Miller and Franz Bonbin accused of obtaining a concertina by false pretences.

15 May 1857

From: 1857 To: 1857

Frances Donne: on 12 May he husband was out. About 9.30am she was fetched to the shop by her servant and found the prisoner, Peter Miller, there. Miller said he had come to change a concertina he had bought at her husband’s shop on the previous Friday. Miller said he had seen her husband the previous night and he had told him to call in and he would change it as it had turned out bad. She presented several instruments to Miller which she considered to be of the same value but he rejected them all. She reached down for another but on doing so found it to be a more valuable instrument. The prisoner said he wished to have it but she said it would cost him 2 shillings more. The prisoner called Franz Bonbin into the shop and pointed at the instruments on the counter. Bonbin said they would not do and they needed larger and he then looked at the better instrument and wanted to have it. She advised it would cost 2 shillings more. Miller paid the 2 shillings after originally offering less and took the instrument away. The prisoners were strangers to her. She was in the habit of selling instruments in the shop. Both men stated the concertina they brought with them and left in the shop had come from her husband. Edwin Bowen Donne: on 11 May the prisoner, Miller, came into his shop with a concertina under his arm and asked if he would change it. He refused. The prisoner them requested a second hand one for it. Donne refused. The prisoner said he had bought it in London and had given 15 shillings for it on the previous Friday. The prisoner left. Miller came in again and asked him to repair the concertina and that he would want it again first thing the next morning. He told Miller he could not do it as he was going out that morning and should be out both Tuesday and Wednesday. Miller asked him to purchase the concertina. Donne refused. Miller again asked him to change it and Donne said he would not unless Miller paid an additional 5 shillings. Miller left the shop. Miller did not buy the instrument from him and the value of Miller’s concertina was about 5 shillings. The value of the concertina Miller got from his wife was 14 shillings and sixpence. PC Anthony Sibley: on 12 May he went in pursuit of the prisoners and apprehended Miller at Heath and Reach. He told Miller the charge. Miller said it was another man who had done it and it was not his concertina He took possession of it. He apprehended Bonbin soon after and told him the charge. Bonbin said the concertina didn’t belong to him. Statements of the accused: Peter Miller – he went into the shop on Tuesday morning. He said he wanted to change a concertina and was referred to the mistress. He told her he had been there the previous night and the master said he would change the concertina if he paid 5 shillings and he could not mend it unless he gave him 4 shillings. When he called the next morning, the master was not there and the mistress told him if he had come 5 minutes sooner he could have seen him. He asked Mrs Donne to change the concertina and she said she would for a 10 key one. His comrade said they could not take a 10 key one unless she gave them some money back. She said she would not but she would let them have a bigger one if he gave her 2 shillings. She showed them the concertina, they tried it and he asked his comrade to give her the 2 shillings. She gave him the concertina. The master came after them and said he must have another 3 shillings as his wife had sold the concertina too cheaply. They said they did not have 3 shillings and Donne threatened them with the police. Franz Bonbin: his comrade called him into the shop and was shown a little concertina. He did not want the little one. Mrs Donne showed him the other concertina and wanted an extra 2 shillings. They gave her 2 shillings and took the concertina away. The master came after them and wanted anther 3 shillings. Because they would not give it he threatened them with the police.

item

Miller, Peter,
Bonbin, Franz,
Donne, Edwin Bowen,
Donne, Frances

DUNSTABLE, Hockcliffe, false pretences, musical instruments, music seller