QSR1896/2/5/1-2

Depositions of John Seager, John Barnard, Thomas Poole, William Mansfield Poole, John Edwards Down, Matthew Hewlett and Joseph Farrer. In the case of Ezra Foskett and Arthur Fisher, indicted for breaking and entering the warehouse of Bedford Golf Club at Clapham and stealing 2 coats, property of William Mansfield Poole and Church respectively (sic).

5 March 1896

From: 1896 To: 1896

John Seager Green-Keeper to Bedford Golf Club, living at Clapham: On 5 March 1896 about 5 p.m. he locked the pavilion. About one hour and a half after that he was at work in his workshop about 100 yards from the pavilion. He heard something in the direction of the pavilion like the smashing of glass. He ran across the field to the gate near the pavilion. The gate is by the road side about 20 yds from the pavilion. He saw the Defendant Foskett leaning on the gate, & shouted, 'What's this mean?' The Defendant shouted 'Hi up' three times and then went in the direction of Clapham. He appeared to be very drunk. The Witness went round his garden into the road and met the Defendant Foskett. Witness: 'What's your name?' Defendant: 'Old chum.' Witness repeated the question. Defendant: 'Foskett.' The Witness asked him where he lived. Defendant: 'Milton'. The Witness went to the cottages at the other end of the field and saw John Barnard, who went with the Witness to the pavilion. The Witness saw the shutter was down and the window broken enough for a man to get in. He saw the Defendant Fisher in the field against the gate. Fisher ran away. The Witness followed him through the hedge into the Witness's garden and into the road. The Witness heard someone on the road and shouted "Hold him". When the Witness got to the road Thomas Poole stood in front of Fisher. The Witness said to Fisher, 'What's this mean you have broken into the pavilion'. The Defendant Fisher said, “I never did so”, and gradually shuffled ‘till he got away and ran in the direction of Clapham. One of the coats produced (the striped one) belongs to Mr. Church. The two coats, two sweaters and metal putter produced were all in the pavilion when the Witness locked it up on the night of 5 March. He fastened the shutter and the window was not then broken. The iron flag produced was locked up by him about 3 weeks before 5 March in the tool-house adjoining the pavilion. The tool-house was broken into and the door wide open when he looked round between 6 and 7 o’clock on 5 March. On Wednesday 11 March the Witness went to the County Police Station and identified the Defendant Fisher amongst 5 other men. Cross-examined by the Defendant Foskett: “It was about 30 yards from the gate where I saw you standing to the spot where I caught you up in the road. I did not know you. I saw no-one else on the road when I first saw you. I was about 3 yards from you when you were against the road. I am sure it was you. I was [in] the field [be]side the hedge. You were leaning on the gate”. Cross-examined by the Defendant Fisher: “I saw you about 20 yards from the building in the field. I did not see you with the property produced.” Further deposition by John Seager: "The pavilion is used for storing clubs, clothing and any other articles belonging to members of the Club which it is desired to store." John Barnard, labourer living near the Golf Ground on the Clapham road: On 5 March the Witness went with the last witness across the golf ground about 6.45 p.m. When they got to the pavilion they saw the shutter down and the window broken. The Witness saw the Defendant Fisher in the field about 20 yards from the pavilion. Fisher then ran through Seager’s garden into the road. The Witness and Seager followed Fisher into the road. Seager said, “You have b[r]oke into the pavilion”. Fisher said he had not, and then went towards Clapham. The Witness afterwards went back towards the pavilion and about 25 yds from the pavilion found I found the articles produced in the field; he found the 2 coats, 2 sweaters, the cap and flag. The Witness did not see the Defendant Foskett. Cross-examined by the Defendant Fisher: “I did not see you with the property but afterwards found it where I first saw you.” Thomas Poole, bricklayer living next door to Seager at Clapham: About 6:40 on 5 March the Witness was near his house on the Clapham Rd. He saw the Defendant Fisher running inside the Golf field. The Defendant came across Seager’s garden into the road. The Witness stood in front of the Defendant. Seager said, “Hold him”. Seager and Barnard came after him. Seager said, “You broke into the golf pavilion”. Fisher said, “You made a mistake”, or something of that sort. Fisher got over into a filed and ran towards Clapham. The Witness afterwards went back with Barnard towards the pavilion and was with him when he [Barnard] found the articles produced. The Defendant did not know Fisher at the time but on Wednesday the 11th he picked him out from several others at the County Police Station. Cross-examined by the Defendant Fisher: “I am quite certain you are the man”. William Mansfield Poole, member of the Bedford Golf Club living at Bedford: The Witness said that the red coat produced is his property. He saw it last in the pavilion of the Golf Club about Xmas time. John Edward Down, Police Constable stationed at Oakley: On 5 March about 7.15 p.m. the Witness went to Milton and saw the Defendant Foskett. Witness: “Who was that you came out of Bedford with this evening?” Foskett: “No-one, I came out by myself.” Witness: “Hadn’t you a mate at all?” Foskett: “No I hadn’t.” On Wednesday 11 March the Witness saw the Defendant Fisher in Milton Ernest. Witness: “Fisher I want to see you. I dare say you know what it is for.” Fisher: “Ah! I have heard something about it. What are you going to do with me?” Witness: “I want you to accompany me to Bedford.” The Witness brought the Defendant Fisher to the Police Station and he was identified amongst some other men by Seager and Thomas Poole. The Witness then charged him with breaking into the pavilion on the night of the 5th March and stealing 2 coats, 2 sweaters and cap. He made no reply. The Witness then went to Milton and saw the Defendant Foskett. Witness: “I shall apprehend you”. Foskett: “I expected you would come for me when I heard you had got Fisher. I left Fisher up by the church on the Clapham Rd. as we came out of Bedford I did not see anything more of him until just before closing time the same night. I then asked him where he had been to and he would not tell me. The Witness then charged the Defendant Foskett with being concerned with another man in breaking into the pavilion. Foskett said, “I don’t know anything about it but I expected to get locked up when I heard you had got him because I was on the road about the same time. As they were coming along the road the Defendant Foskett said to the Witness, “I had been into Bedford to pawn my watch and Fisher went with me for a mate. We then went to the Black Swan together and spent a good lot of money, we stayed there until about half past five or a quarter to six. I then left and went up Union Street and I left Fisher up by the church as I told you.” Matthew Hewlett, landlord of the Black Swan, Bedford: About 3 p.m. on 5 March both Defendants came to the Witness’s house. Foskett asked for a pint of ale. About half an hour afterwards Fisher called for a pint of beer. The Witness served them both. They both left together about 5:05 or 5:10. Joseph Farrer, labourer, living in Gravel Lane, Bedford. The Witness has known both Defendants for years. On Thursday 5 March the Witness was coming from Clapham to Bedford about 6 p.m. He met both Defendants near St. Martin’s Church. They were both together and were going towards Clapham. The Defendant Foskett said to the Witness, “Well Joe”. The Defendant Fisher said, “I will see what you have got in your bag”, and he caught hold of it. The Witness said, “If you don’t leave go I will hit you”. Both Defendants went off together towards Clapham. Statement of Defendant Ezra Foskett: 'I have nothing to say'. Statement of Defendant Arthur Fisher: 'I have nothing to say'.

item

Foskett, Ezra,
Fisher, Arthur,
Seager, John,
Barnard, John,
Poole, Thomas,
Poole, William Mansfield,
Down, John Edwards,
Hewlett, Matthew,
Farrer, Joseph

stealing, clothing, Bedford Golf Club, CLAPHAM