QSR1857/3/5/19b

Depositions of William Willis, straw hat manufacturer of Luton. Cornelius Cox, clerk 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 stealing a a cheque for £13 3s 2d.

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. He was superintendent of the Hat deportment. 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. He asked the prisoner the last amount her had paid Mrs Botterill. The prisoner said £13 3s and owed her nothing. On 29 May he again asked the prisoner for the book and again was told he could not find it and would pay Mrs Botterill himself if it was not found. He asked by whom he sent the £13 3s and he replied one of the blockers named Cook. He advised the prisoner that Cook denied it and then said it had been by postman. He told him the postman denied it. On his way from Bute Street to Castle Street he met Mrs Botterill and she produced to him a statement amounting to £5 5s 11d. he gave her a cheque for the money. The prisoner had no right to change cheque give to him for parties in town. 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. 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. 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 coming 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. 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 eh 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. On 20 May she received £12 in a small parcel with a note in the prisoner’s handwriting. The previous Tuesday she received a memorandum showing £5 5s 11d in the prisoners handwriting showing what was due to her. She received the £5 5s 11d from Mr Willis. Statement of the accused: he had no intention of defrauding anyone.

item

Wills, William,
Godfrey, William Ansell,
Cox, Cornelius,
Botterill, Elizabeth,
Mackerness, William

LUTON, DUNSTABLE, false pretences, cheques, straw hat manufacturer, clerk