QSR1859/4/5/11

Depositions of William Sells, hostler of Luton. Henry Scarborough, innkeeper of Luton. William Hill, servant of Luton. Samuel Pope, superintendent of police of Luton. In the case of James Lawrence accused of stealing money to the sum of £1 15s 0d.

17 October 1859

From: 1859 To: 1859

William Sells: a hostler at the Bell Inn at Luton which was kept by Mr Scarborough. The prisoner worked there occasionally and was at work there on Monday 10 October. He had a purse containing £1 15s which he kept on a ledge in the stable. About 6pm he took it out of his pocket and put it on the ledge. He missed it shortly afterwards. There had been nobody else in the stable but Lawrence and himself. The next morning he asked Lawrence if he had seen it and he replied he had not. On Wednesday night he accused him of stealing it, which Lawrence denied at first. Afterwards Lawrence said he had it and would return it. He went with Lawrence and their master to Lawrence’s mother’s house. The prisoner asked his mother for the money and she gave it to the master. She gave him 8 shillings and 6 pence. The master asked where the rest of the money was and the prisoner said he did not have the purse of any more money. Henry Scarborough: he kept the Bell Inn at Luton and William Sells was his hostler. The prisoner was helping Sells on the Monday. On Wednesday night he went with Sells to the prisoner’s mother’s house and heard the prisoner ask his mother for the money he had brought home the morning before. Lawrence’s mother gave him 8 shillings and 6 pence. He asked the prisoner what he had done with the rest of the money and the prisoner said he had no purse of any more money. The prisoner said he had swept the money up in the stable. William Hills: on Wednesday night the prisoner came into the tap room and had a pint of beer. He told the prisoner to give Sells his money if he had it. Lawrence said Sells money was all right and he would go and fetch it. He told Sells what Lawrence had said but saw no more of Lawrence that night. Superintendent Samuel Pope: he took the prisoner into custody and charged him with stealing a purse containing 35 shillings. The prisoner said he did not steal it but found it in the stable. Statement of the accused: he never saw a purse with £1 15s in it. When he went to sweep the stable he found the purse with 16s 6d in it.

item

Sells, William,
Scarborough, Henry,
Hill, William,
Pope, Samuel

LUTON, stealing, money, hostler, innkeepers, servants, Luton Bell