QSR1861/4/5/2/a

Depositions of Charles Gudgin, butcher of Clophill. Emma Slater, single woman. James Sinfield, labourer of Lidlington. Thomas Worsley, police constable stationed at Clophill. In the case of John Bryant accused of stealing a waistcoat.

15 August 1861

From: 1861 To: 1861

Charles Gudgin: the prisoner was a stranger to him. On 12 August about 8pm the prisoner went to Gudgin’s mother’s house at Clophill. She kept the Compass Inn. The prisoner slept at the house, retiring to bed about 11pm. Before he went to bed the prisoner was told how to get out of the house as he was going to work early the next morning. Next morning he found the prisoner and his own waistcoat gone. The waistcoat had been in an unlocked box in the room in which the prisoner had slept. The police were sent for. On 14 August the waistcoat was found in the possession of James Sinfield at Lidlington. He identified it was his property. The value of the waistcoat was 10s 6d. Emma Slater: she was single woman in service with Mrs Gudgin at The Compasses in Clophill. On 12 August the prisoner lodged at the house and she showed him to bed about 11pm. In her presence, the prisoner told Mrs Grudgin that he was going to work the next morning at Appleby’s and must be up early. The prisoner was told how and where he could get out of the house early. The waistcoat had been in a box in the prisoner’s bedroom and was unlocked. She had put the waistcoat there herself that afternoon. James Sinfield: on 13 August he saw the prisoner in the field at Brogborough. The prisoner gave him a waistcoat to look at and offered it for sale for 3 shillings. They agreed on 2 shillings 6 pence. On 14 August he gave the waistcoat to PC Worsley. The prosecutor was present and identified the waistcoat as his property. When he bought the waistcoat the prisoner told him that he had a suit like it and that he had sold the coat and trousers but the man would not have the waistcoat. PC Thomas Worsley: on 13 August he was advised of the theft and the prosecutor described the thief to him. He went in pursuit of the thief and traced a man answering the description from Clophill to Ampthill and on to Millbrook where he had offered the waistcoat for sale. On 14 August he learnt the mans name and traced him to Lidlington where he had offered the waistcoat for sale. He took the prisoner into custody at Woburn and on being told the charge the prisoner said he knew nothing of it. Whilst conveying the prisoner to Ampthill he asked the prisoner where he had sold the waistcoat and he replied he had sold it to a young man in Brogbrough fields but he did not know the mans name. He took the prisoner to Lidlington and called up Sinfield who produced the waistcoat at once and identified the prisoner as the man he had bought it from. The prosecutor identified the waistcoat. Statement of the accused: “I own to the waistcoat but not to the money”. [unsigned letter]: Mr Bates wished him to give the character of Bryant of Woburn. He would say he was a very bad character and associate of thieves. The prisoner had twice been tried (and acquitted) at the Assizes. He said there could be no doubt of the prisoner’s guilt in one of the cases but the Lord CB, before whom he was tried, directed the jury to acquit the prisoner in consequence of an irregularity in preferring the Bill of Indictment.

item

Bryant, John,
Gudgin, Charles,
Slater, Emma,
Sinfield, James,
Worsley, Thomas

CLOPHILL, LIDLINGTON, WOBURN, stealing, waistcoat, butcher, Clophill Compasses