QSR1838/3/5/7

Depositions and examination - Elizabeth Thorn

5 May 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

William Austin of Studham, retailer of beer - on Friday 27 April about 8.30pm Thorn came to his house and asked for a quart of beer and a penny worth of tobacco. Thorn had a bottle with her for the beer and was served by his daughter Mary Ann Austin. Thorn gave his daughter a crown piece in payment, which she handed to him to give the change. He put it in his purse, where there were no other crowns. About ½ hour later his neighbour Edmonds, who keeps a shop, came to his house and informed him she had just taken a half crown from a woman which she suspected was a bad one. He examined the crown piece and discovered it was counterfeit. The coin produced is the one he received. Thorn was a stranger to him. Yesterday from information he received he went to Aldbury Heath, a village about 5 miles distant, where he found Thorn and took her into custody. Elizabeth Edmonds, wife of Thomas Edmonds of Studham, shopkeeper - a woman very much resembling Thorn came to her house on 27 April and tendered a half crown in payment for some goods. She gave her change and put the coin in her pocket. Soon after she examined it and found the half crown was a bad one. She only had one other half crown in her pocket which she had examined carefully and knew to be good. She had not examined the one she took from Thorn so carefully as it was candlelight when she took it. Mary Ann Austin of Studham, spinster - confirms her father’s evidence Thomas Edmonds of Studham, shopkeeper - Thorn came to his house and asked for half a quartern loaf of bread and ½ lb of sugar. She was served by his wife Elizabeth in his presence. Thorn tendered a half crown piece from which his wife gave her change. Shortly after Thorn left a boy about 14 or 15 years of age came to his house and asked for ½ lb of cheese and a pennyworth of tobacco with which he was served by his wife. The boy tendered a crown piece for which his wife gave change. Shortly after the boy left his wife and himself were induced to examine the money more closely. They discovered the coins received from Thorn and the boy were both counterfeit. Elizabeth Thorn - she never had any bad money and never passed any.

item

Thorn, Elizabeth,
Austin, William,
Edmonds, Elizabeth,
Edmonds, Thomas,
Austin, Mary Ann

STUDHAM, Aldbury, passing counterfeit coin, beer retailer, shopkeeper