QSR1838/4/5/16

Depositions - Thomas Hodgins

17 September 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

Albert Heley of Leighton Buzzard, labourer - on Saturday night (15 Sep) he was at the Cross Keys public house at about 9pm and fell asleep in the parlour. Several people were there. He was wakened by the landlord or his son and told to go home,. He went out to his lodgings next door. The next morning he missed his watch and a sovereign he had in his pocket. He went to the Cross Keys to inquire. Sophia Cato the prisoner was there between 8 and 9 o’clock. She told him she was going to Rugby with some young men.He later heard that she, Thomas Hodgins and Edward Franklin were at the Cross Keys on Saturday night. Hodgins and Franklin had gone by the railroad. He applied to James Sherwood the constable and followed them. Near Yardley (Northants) he met Hodgins and Franklin returning to Leighton and took them to a public house there. Sherwood later showed him the watch now produced together with the chain and two seals which are what he lost on Saturday night. James Sherwood of Leighton Buzzard, constable - he went with Heley as stated. He went with Hodgins and Franklin to a public house at Yardley. He took Hodgins into a room and asked if he knew anything about the young man’s watch. Hodgins denied knowing anything about it. He questioned Franklin who gave him the watch and said Hodgins gave it to him when they were returning to Leighton Buzzard. Hodgins told him that he was given the watch by Sophia Cato on Saturday night. He is the son-in-law of the landlord of the Cross Keys and was there assisting on Saturday night He saw Heley there asleep about 9pm. Sophia Cato, Hodgins and Franklin were also there with many other persons. At Stony Stratford he took Sophia Cato into custody. He saw here there in company with 4 men. He took 15/6 from Hodgins. Two young men were with Cato and another girl at the Cross Keys on Saturday night. The same party breakfasted there the next morning, and were together at Stony Stratford. Edward Franklin of Leighton Buzzard, labourer - on Saturday night he was at the Cross Keys. He went into the parlour and stayed about 1/4 hour. Some people were singing there. He saw Heley asleep with a young man sitting by the side of him with Sophia Cato sat next to him. Hodgins sat on the other side of Heley. He left them there when he went out of the parlour. He was out of work and on Sunday morning he and Hodgins agreed to go to Leicester where there are several Leighton men to look for work. He sold his donkey for 15s 6d to take him there. They went by the railroad. About 1 1/2 miles betyond Yardley they met Benjamin Carter a boatman who told them therer was no work to be got at Leicester, so they returned back. Soon after that Hodgins gave him the watch, chain and seals no produced because he had a better pocket than Hodgins did. He asked where he got it. Hodgins said the tallest of the two girls who were at the Cross Keys on Saturday night gave him the watch. Hodgins had [...?] on Sunday morning. Sophia Cato of Tring - she was at the Cross Keys on Saturday night with Mary Bates and 2 young men. Hodgins came in and later Heley. Heley went to sleep. He was not sober. Heley sat between Hodgins and one of the young men with her named William. She sat next to William. Hodgins then went out for a few minutes and returned again. Hodgins pulled money out of his pocket, lent her and another man a shilling each, and bought a neckerchief for 1s 6d. They went to bed about 10 past 10. The next morning they breakfasted at the Cross Keys. Heley came in and said he had lost a sovereign and his watch. The left and she and her companions left on foot with the intention of going to Rugby to look for work. She did not give any watch to Hodgins and is not much acquainted with him.

item

Hodgins, Thomas,
Heley, Albert,
Franklin, Edward,
Cato, Sophia,
Sherwood, James

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Stony Stratford, Yardley, rugby, Leicester, Tring, stealing, watches, Leighton Buzzard Cross Keys, police constable, boatman