QSR1861/3/5/4

Depositions of William Messenger, blocker of Houghton Regis. Harriett Messenger of Houghton Regis. Jeremiah Cuttriss, police sergeant of Dunstable and his wife Elizabeth Kirby Cuttriss. In the case of Sarah Goddard accused of stealing 2 shillings and 3 half pence and 6 scores of black plait and 7 score of brown plait.

20 May 1861

From: 1861 To: 1861

William Messenger: a blocker living at Beale Street in Houghton Regis. On 14 May he marked 5 shillings, a fourpenny piece and eight halfpence and put them into a tea caddy in the front room of his house. He had been in the habit of keeping money there. He also had 20 score of black plait and 10 score of brown. On the 14 May the prisoner was at work at his house in the room where the money and plait was. At 3pm he checked the money and then left the house for about an hour and a half. On coming back he missed 2 shillings and 3 half pence. The prisoner was in the room when he came back. He paid her a shilling, 6 pence in silver and 6 pence in copper for sewing hats for him. He had given her 6 score of brown plait to make into hats. He informed PC Cuttriss who showed him 2 shillings in silver and 3 pence in copper. It was the same as he had missed from the tea caddy. Cuttriss also showed him 6 score of black plait and 7 score of brown plait. They were his property. He had lost money and plait before and hats too. The 6 score of black plait was worth 2 shillings and 6 pence and the 1 score of brown plait was worth 5 pence. There had been no one but his little girl and the accused in the room. Harriett Messenger: she was 10 years old and lived with her father, William Messenger. She sewed hats for him. She had been at work with the prisoner in her father’s front room on 14 May. She saw the prisoner take 2 shillings and 3 halfpence out of the tea caddy. She also took 7 score of black plait and 1 of brown. She did not say anything to the prisoner and had seen her take things before. She never told her father as Goddard gave her suckers and other things not to tell him. After her father gave the prisoner the other plait to work up, the accused asked her if her father had found anything out. She had not given the prisoner the money or the plait and did not tell the prisoner not to tell her fathers as she would have a hiding. Elizabeth Kirby Cuttriss: wife of Jeremiah Cuttriss, police sergeant stationed at Dunstable. On 14 May the prisoner was brought it custody at their house and she searched her at her husbands directions. Whilst searching the prisoner she was given a score of brown straw plait from the prisoner’s petticoat and the prisoner said that his [Messenger’s] little girl had given it to her to finish her work with. Sergeant Jeremiah Cuttriss: on 14 May he stopped the prisoner on the road between Beale Street and Union Street in Houghton Regis. He asked the prisoner if she had been at work for Mr Messenger and she said she had. He saw a purse in her hand and asked her what she had in the purse. The prisoner said she had 2 shillings and 10 pence in the purse, which was her pay from Mr Messenger. He took the purse into his possession and found it contained 2 shillings and 6 pence in silver and 3 pence in coppers. The prisoner also had a bundle which contained 6 score of black plait and 6 score of brown plait. He received one score of brown plait from his wife. The plait and money was identified by Mr Messenger. He took the prisoner into custody and charged her with stealing 7 score of plait and the money. The prisoner said Mr Messengers little girl had given it to her. Statement of the accused: “no pray don’t send me for trial sir”.

item

Goddard, Sarah,
Messenger, William,
Messenger, Harriett,
Cuttriss, Jeremiah,
Cuttriss, Elizabeth Kirby

HOUGHTON REGIS, Houghton Regis Beale Street, DUNSTABLE, stealing, money, Straw Plait, blocker