QSR1847/1/5/14

Depositions - Charles Weston charged with stealing 28 silver watches, a gold ring, and a box of jewellery (value £200) from Harris Goldsteney

30 November 1846

From: 1846 To: 1847

Harris Goldsteney of Leamington (Warwicks), travelling jeweler – he is a licensed hawker of jewellery. He came to Luton on Friday morning and lodged at Mr Squires at the Bute Arms. On Saturday morning 28 Nov he left a box containing jewellery and other thing to the value of £200 and more in his bedroom upstairs. He put it underneath the bed. It was locked and the key was in his possession. He shut the bedroom door but did not lock it. He locked the box up on Friday afternoon about 4pm and took it up to bed with him that night. At 12.30 on Saturday he gave Charles Weston, who lodged in a room opposite his, a pair of trousers to be altered. Weston brought them back about 5.30 or 6pm. He took the trousers upstairs and found the box gone. He came downstairs and said to Weston that if he had not brought him his trousers he would not have missed his box so soon. Weston said he was very sorry he brought them home so soon. Weston went for a policeman. Yesterday the policeman brought him his box. It was unlocked, but not broken open. When he opened it he misses a large split gold ring and 28 silver watches. On Saturday night about 9pm he left the superintendent’s house and met Weston at the corner of Peel Street. Weston said he was going to get some grocery. He told Mr Brett not to lose sight of him. He went in for a lantern. When he returned Weston was gone and he did not see him again until 12 o’clock when he camehome to his lodgings. William Eyers of Luton, tailor – he works for Mr Strange in Wellington Street. Last Saturday night he was at work in the shop. The shop looks into the yard belonging to Mr Squires. Weston came up the yard about 9pm and called him. He went out to Weston and they met at the corner of Peel Street. Weston said he had been taking a box from Squires belonging to a man who lodged there who was a Jew. Weston said he had hidden it but it was not secret enough. He told Weston he would have nothing to do with it and told him to take it back where he had it from. He then went down Wellington Street and Bute Street and Weston followed him, again asking whether he would go with him to help him hide it. He refused. Weston left him and asked if he would be at the Crown that night. He said he did not know. He went home and did not go to the Crown. He told his wife what had passed. He also called Frederick Weston, the prisoner’s brother, out of the King’s Arms and told him. About 2am on Sunday he was called up by the police and taken into custody. He did not see the box until he came before the magistrates. He told his wife’s brother and granddaughter the same night. John Millard of Luton, police constable – about 8.15pm on Saturday he met Charles Weston in George Street who informed him of the robbert. He went with Weston to Squires at the Bute Arms and saw Goldsteney. He searched the house but found nothing. Weston was in the tap room smoking a pipe and seemed very much confused. He told Goldsteney not to cry about it as they should very likely find it. Weston said “very likely you may find it in the pond”. There is a right of way up Mr Squires’ yard to a garden occupied by Mr [Jones?] the potman. The garden gate was unfastened and stood open 3 or 4 inches inside the garden. He saw fresh footmarks. He went to the corner where there are 6 foot high palings and saw fresh dirt on the palings. From some information he received he took William Eyers into custody. Eyers told him the same story he has told the magistrates. He then went to Weston, who was in bed, and told him he would take him into custody. Weston seemed very much confused. Yesterday afternoon (Nov 29) about 4 o’clock he was between 2 hedges on Winsdon Hill about ½ mile from Squires’ house. He had seen the same footmarks in the fields as he saw in the garden, which induced him to search there. Between the 2 hedges he found the box. It was fastened at one end and the belt was round it. It was not locked. He brought it to Luton and Goldsteney identified it as his property. When he took Weston into custody he found a pair of shoes in his room with dirt on them. They corresponded to the footmarks in the garden. Weston said he had been at work in his room that day but the door was shut. Charles Squires of Luton, innkeeper – he is landlord of the Bute Arms. Last Saturday he was ill in bed. He sleeps near the room where Weston lodges. Between 5 and 6pm that evening he was downstairs and saw Weston go up and down stairs. Weston frequently does so. William Edward Bayldon of Luton, superintendent of police – yesterday afternoon PC Millard brought him the box now produced. Goldsteney identified it as his property. Goldsteney opened it in his presence and said there were 28 watches and split ring missing. Godsteney gave him a list of the articles that had been in the box. The contents and the list corresponded except these items.

item

Weston, Charles,
Goldsteney, Harris,
Eyers, William,
Millard, John,
Squires, Charles,
Bayldon, William Edward,
Weston, Frederick

LUTON, Leamington, Luton Wellington Street, Luton Peel Street, stealing, watches, JEWELLERY, jeweller, hawker, tailor, innkeeper, police constable, police superintendent, Luton Bute Arms, JEWS