QSR1857/4/5/20

Depositions of John Stapleton, labourer of Keysoe, Kitty Brown, wife of John Brown, labourer of Keysoe, William Snell, police constable of Keysoe and William Bedlow, police constable of Eaton Socon. In the case of Samuel Quince and John Parker accused of stealing a tassel.

18 July 1857

From: 1857 To: 1857

John Stapleton: he worked for William Hartop. The tassel was Mr Hartop’s and he had fitted it to the harness the previous day. Mr Snell brought the tassel to him yesterday and he fitted it to the harness. He missed the tassel on Monday when he went to St Neots with a team. The tassel was on one of the horses. He had seen the accused at St Neots and did not know him before. He was at the public house. The team stood outside the door whilst he was inside. The public house was the Two Brewers. Kitty Brown: she saw Quince take a tassel from the horses head. The horses were standing outside Mrs Cooks. Mrs Cook is in Eaton. Quince put the tassel in his pocket and it was the middle of the day. She did not see Parker. PC William Snell: he went to a field in Eaton where Quince was working and told him he was charged with stealing the tassel. He told the prisoner it was not use denying it as a woman had seen his put it in his pocket. Quince said he had taken it as a lark and given it to Parker. He searched Parker, who lodged at Cooks and found the tassel in Parker’s hat. PC William Bedlow: having locked up Quince he went to the field of wheat in which Parker was at work. He told Parker he had found the tassel at his lodgings. Parker said he had bought it of Quince for 2 pence and a pint of beer. He asked if he knew where Quince had it from and he said he had sat close to the window in Cooks house and saw him take it from a horse. He took Parker on the charge of buying it knowing it to be stolen. Statement of the accused: Samuel Quince – he had taken it but it had been done for a lark. John Parker – when he received the tassel he intended to give it to him again.

item

Parker, John,
Stapleton, John,
Brown, Kitty,
Snell, William,
Bedlow, William,
Quince, Samuel

KEYSOE, stealing, St.Neots Two Brewers