QSR1857/3/5/19a

Depositions of William Willis, straw hat manufacturer of Luton. George Greenhill, clerk of Luton. Cornelius Cox, clerk of Luton. Joshua Catchpole, drapers assistant of Luton. Elizabeth Botterill, wife of William of Dunstable and William Mackeness, clerk of Luton. In the case of William Ansell Godfrey accused of obtaining 2 cheques by false pretences.

1 June 1857

From: 1857 To: 1857

William Willis: a straw hat manufacturer trading under the firm of Willis & Co. but he did not have a partner. He had factories in Castle Street and Bute Street in Luton. The prisoner was in his employment when he was taken into custody. It was the prisoner’s duty to give out straw plait to parties living outside of Luton to make up into hats. Mrs Botterill of Dunstable was one of these parties. It was the prisoner’s duty to mark the transaction in a book and when payment was made to obtain a cheque from Cornelius Cox, the counting office clerk for the amount. On 21 May he gave the prisoner notice to quit his service and the prisoner said he should prefer having it at the end of the month. In consequence of something he heard he made some enquiries of the prisoner about Mrs Botterill’s book and he told the prisoner he wished to see the book before he left. The prisoner said he had lost it and Willis insisted it be found. On 29 May he again asked the prisoner for the book and again was told he could not find it. The 2 cheques produced were drawn by the name of Willis & Co on 11 April for £14 6s 3d and on 18 April for £8 14s 6d. He also searched for Mrs Botterill’s book and could not find it. He recently received a letter from the prisoner which told him that he had changed the cheque for £13 3s 2d at Messrs Blundell & Co. George Greenhill: he was in the employment of Mr Willis. On 11 April he was sent by the prisoner to Cornelius Cox with Mrs Botterill’s book and told to get a cheque. On 18 April the prisoner again gave him Mrs Botterill’s book to get a cheque from Cox. On both occasions Cox gave him a cheque which he gave to the prisoner. He was satisfied that on both occasions that the cheques made out matched the amount in the book. Cheques were produced for £14 6s 3d and £8 14s 6d. The book was white with a clasp. Cornelius Cox: he was a counting house clerk for Mr Willis. It was his duty that when books were produced for work done, he would draw a cheque for the amount. On 11 April he recalled George Greenhill comng with Mrs Botterill’s book and he gave Greenhill a cheque for £14 6s 3d. The book had Godfrey’s initials in it. He was able to produced a book in which he entered the cheque and its corresponding number. On 18 April Greenhill again brought the book and a cheque for £8 14s 6d was raised. He had no doubt the cheques produced were the same as those he gave to Greenhill. On 19 May he gave a cheque for £13 3s 2d to William Mackerness. Joshua Catchpole: employed by Messrs Blundell, drapers at Luton. The prisoner came to him sometime in April with a cheque for £8 14s 6d. The prisoner owed for a hat and asked him to take for the hat out of the cheque. He gave the cheque to the cashier’s desk and received the change in cash, which he handed to the prisoner. The cheque was endorsed by Blundell’s mother. The hat was 12s 6d. Elizabeth Botterill: she lived at Dunstable and made up hats for Mr Willis. The prisoner supervised the hat department and she would apply to him for plait. She would take the plait home and make it up, then take it back to the prisoner. She had a work in which her work was entered. The prisoner would enter the information and sometimes she took it away and other times left it with the prisoner. It was a white book with clasps. She did not have the book. She applied for the book and the prisoner said he would send it to her. On 19 April the prisoner paid £13 4s to her at her house in Dunstable. She did not receive any portion of the £8 14s 6d. She received no more from him until 20 May when she received £12 on another account on which she was owed £13 3s 2d. William Mackerness: employed by Mr Willias and on 19 May he obtained the cheque for £13 3s 2d. The prisoner gave him Mrs Botterill’s book to take to Cox to get a cheque. It was in a red book and he returned the cheque and book to the prisoner. Statement of the accused: not guilty.

item

Wills, William,
Godfrey, William Ansell,
Greenhill, George,
Cox, Cornelius,
Catchpole, Joshua,
Botterill, Elizabeth,
Mackerness, William

LUTON, DUNSTABLE, false pretences, cheques, straw hat manufacturer, clerk, draper's assistant