QSR1859/2/5/4-5

Depositions of John Duffey, licensed hawker of Dunstable, James Robinson of Dunstable. George Pratt, labourer of Houghton Regis. Martha Turvey, wife of Thomas, a victualler of Houghton Regis and PC Charles Dale. In the case of John Roberts alias John Row and David Jackson accused of stealing 2 pairs of worsted stockings.

21 March 1859

From: 1859 To: 1859

John Duffey: a hawker currently living at Dunstable. On 21 March he had been at Houghton Regis and called at the White Horse public house. He thought the 2 prisoners to be the same people who were in the tap room. The sergeant [Roberts] had a top coat on. The sergeant said he was leaving the service and said he wanted a coat. He told him he had a piece of cloth which he thought would do and he took a piece out of his pack and wrapped it round the himself. The sergeant did not buy it and he put it away in his pack. He went to another public house opposite and there missed 2 pairs of worsted stockings. He went back to inquire after them. The 2 prisoners had gone. George Pratt asked him if he had lost any stocking and he said he had. He said that the sergeant had them. He went to Dunstable to find them and give the information to the police. The next morning the Police Sergeant Dale showed him 2 pairs of stocking which he believed to be his property. James Robinson: he was at his Aunt Turvey’s at Hougton. She lived at the White Horse. The 2 prisoners came into the tap room. A hawker came in afterwards and showed the solider a piece of cloth. Whilst he was doing so he saw the soldier take something from the pack and put it under his seat. When the hawker had gone he told his aunt what he had seen. George Pratt: he had been at the White Horse when the 2 prisoners came in. The hawker came in afterwards and showed the sergeant a piece of cloth. The hawker put it over his shoulders. The soldier did not buy it. When the hawker had gone he left the tap room for a short time. When he came back the recruit had a pair of stockings in his hand. When he saw Pratt he put them into his waistband of his trousers. The sergeant got up and he saw a pair of stocking hanging out of his breast pocket. Soon after the prisoner had gone the hawker came back and said he had lost a pair of stockings. He told the hawker the soldier had them. Martha Turvey: wife of Thomas Turvey keeper of the White Horse at Houghton. She saw the 2 prisoners in the tap room. She went out for about half an hour and when she came back through the tap room into the kitchen she saw some stockings lying on the floor where the prisoners were sitting. PC Charles Dale: he apprehended the prisoner, Roberts, on 17 March and charged him with stealing the stockings. Roberts said he did not know anything about the stockings. Roberts afterwards said he would tell the truth about them and said he took them from a man’s pack and had thrown them on a seat. He afterwards gave them to the recruit. Dale apprehended the recruit, Jackson, the following morning. Jackson said he would not have had anything to do with the stocking if it had not been for the sergeant. Jackson said Roberts had taken them from the man’s pack and given them to him to carry. Jackson said he was meant to give them to Roberts when they got to Luton. Statement of the accused: they reserved their defence.

item

Row, John,
Roberts, John,
Jackson, David,
Duffey, John,
Robinson, James,
Pratt, George,
Turvey, Martha,
Dale, Charles

DUNSTABLE, HOUGHTON REGIS, licensed hawker, victualler, stealing, stockings, sergeant, militia