QSR1860/4/11/1/a

Depositions of Henry Simpson, brewer of Luton and Richard Lambert, police constable of Luton. In the case of juveniles William Gudgin, Frederick Deacon and William Costin accused of stealing a tin can, a drinking glass and 3 quarts of beer.

23 July 1860

From: 1860 To: 1860

Henry Simpson: on 18 July, in consequence of information received, he was induced to watch his garden. About 8pm he saw 4 boys get over a door in the garden wall. They went towards the stores. He sent a man round to meet them as they went back. When he returned to the garden he saw the 4 boys. One put down a can. He took it up. It was one he kept in his stores and had 3 quarts of pater in it. It had not been used for some time. Gudgin was caught when running away. He kept him and sent for the police. The part of glass produced was in his stores and was his property. The can, glass and paters were worth about 3 shillings. The door into the garden where the boys got over was 7 foot high. PC Richard Lambert: he took the 4 prisoners into custody on the night of 18 July. They were together and he charged them with stealing a can, a glass and 3 quarts of beer from Stimpson’s brewery. Gudgin said he did not go into the garden and only sat on the wall. He said the other 3 went in and Costin went into the cellar and fetch the beer. Costin said he had gone into the garden and the cellar and had fetched the beer. Costin said Gudgin sat at the top of the cellar window and took the beer from him. Davis said that he should not have gone into the garden if Deacon had not said that he would take his cap if he did not have any beer. Deacon said he did not go over into the garden and only sat in the wall. Gudgin, Deacon and Costin all consented to be tried at the Petty session.

item

Gudgin, William,
Deacon, Frederick,
Costin, William,
Davis, George

LUTON, stealing, beer