QSR1861/1/11/3/b

Depositions of George Bates, baker of Luton. William Oakley, grocer of Luton and George James, police constable of Luton. In the case of James Markey & Henry Hill, accused of stealing a seed cake.

29 October 1860

From: 1860 To: 1861

George Bates: a baker and mealman of Langley Street, Luton. On 24 October, James Markey came into the shop and asked for some chaff. There was no one else in the shop. He had to leave the shop to get the chaff. On his return he found William Oakley coming across the shop holding Markey. Oakley said Markey had taken a cake out of the window and thrown it out of the door for some other boys. He looked in the window and missed a cake. Markey admitted taking the cake. He called a policeman and gave Markey into custody. The value of the seed cake was 10d. William Oakley: a grocer in New Town, Luton. On 24 October he was passing Mr Bates shop in Langley Street. He saw Markey take a cake out of the window and throw it ro 3 or 4 boys who were outside. The biggest of the boys outside caught the cake and ran away with it towards Cumberland Street. He caught Markey and asked him why he had done it. Markey denied it and said he would take an oath he did not. He held him until Bates came in. Markey said “oh pray let me go and I won’t do so again”. PC George James: he was called to Mr Bates shop. Markey was given into his custody. Markey told him who the other boys were and he knew all the boys. He took Hill into custody on the same night. Hill said he was there but had not stolen a cake. Hill said that when he got home the other boys came to him and told him he had got away just in time as they had locked up young Markey. The boys told him they were going away and he should not go with them as he had not stolen the cake. James had looked for the other boys but they could not be found. Hill was the biggest boy of the lot. Statement of the accused: James Markey – he was in the shop waiting for some chaff. Peter Markey came into the shop and took a cake and ran out with it. Mr Oakley came into the shop and took hold of him. He told Oakley he had not stolen it but did not tell him his brother had stolen it because he did not want to get him locked up. Henry Hill – James Markey came up to him when he was cleaning out of the cells at the station and told him he had not stolen the cake his brother had. He told him he would kill him if he told. Hill asked why he told the stories of him then and Markey said he must forgive him as he had not wanted his brother locked up. Markey’s brother told him he had caught the cake. Henry Hill was discharged.

item

Bates, George,
Markey, James,
Oakley, William,
James, George,
Hill, Henry

LUTON, stealing, cake, baker, grocer