QSR1896/3/5/5

Depositions of Jane Garrett, John Sulston, George Cable, George Johnston, Herbert Hopwood, William Allen and Thomas Wood. In the case of George Wood, indicted for stealing in Chalgrave one pair of white cord breeches and leggings, one pair of fustian leggings, one unbleached sheet, one lady's dustcloak, two lady's bodices, one towel, one blue apron, one lady's black cloth jacket (plain), one lady's black cloth jacket (braided), one plain vest, one new vest, one man's pilot jacket, one watch case, one cotton handkerchief and a dandy plaid pair of trousers, the goods and chattels of William Jarrett, to the value altogether of 5 pounds 5 shillings.

19 June 1896

From: 1896 To: 1896

Jane Garrett, wife of William Garrett, labourer living at Lord’s Hill in the Parish of Chalgrave: On Friday 19 June about 9:30 a.m. the Witness locked her house up and went away. She got back home about midday. When near her gate she saw a man standing in her garden with a bundle by his side. He was wiping his face. He followed the witness to her door and asked her for water. He had some and then went back to his bundle and went away with it. About half an hour afterwards the Witness went upstairs and found someone had been in her bedrooms, and she missed a quantity of clothing, namely one pair of white cord breeches and leggings, one pair of fustian leggings, one unbleached sheet, one lady’s dust cloak, 2 lady’s bodices, one towel, one blue apron, one lady’s black cloth jacket (plain), one lady’s black cloth jacket (braided), one plain vest, one new vest, one man’s pilot jacket, one watch case, one cotton handkerchief, one dandy plaid pair of trousers. The Witness recognises the Prisoner as the man she saw inside her gate with the bundle. She identifies the whole of the clothing with the exception of the new vest as the property of her husband. The box produced was delivered at her house by the postman. It was directed to Mr. Toll (?), Chalgrave Manor, Dunstable, and was left at her house for him. The Witness values the goods altogether at 5 shillings and 5 pence. John Sulston, publican keeping the Horseshoes Inn at Cheddington: On 20 June 1896 the Prisoner came to the Witness’s house between 7 and 8 a.m. He had a bundle of wearing apparel with him and asked the Witness if he would buy it. The Witness said “No, I do not want it”. The Prisoner said, “My wife has recently died and these are her things and I want to get a little money to go down into Derbyshire”. The Witness refused to buy. The Prisoner went away. He came again to the Witness’s house in the evening of the same day and begged of the Witness to let him have some money to get him to Derbyshire. The Witness gave the Prisoner 5 shillings and the Prisoner left the bundle of clothing with him. The Witness noticed the apparel was lady’s. The clothing was tied up in an apron. The Witness handed over the bundle to Police Sergeant Woods. George Cable, coachman of Heath and Reach: On Friday 19 June 1896 the Witness was at the Red Lion Inn at Heath and Reach between 8 and 9 in the evening. He saw the Prisoner there with others. The Prisoner had some wearing apparel which he was offering for sale. The Prisoner said, “I have lost my wife and want to dispose of it.” The Prisoner offered the Witness the waistcoat produced and asked him a shilling for it. The Witness said, “Are they your own? Did you come by them honest?” The Prisoner said, “Yes, they are mine and are all right.” The Witness bought the waistcoat and gave the Prisoner a shilling for it. He afterwards passed it to the police. George Johnston, tailor of Leighton Buzzard: On Thursday 18 June 1896 he sent by post a new vest to a Mr. Toll (?) of Chalgrave. He identifies the one produced as this one so sent. Herbert Hopwood, manager to George Henry Waters, pawnbroker of Bridge St., Northampton: On Thursday 23 June 1896 about 6:45 p.m. the Prisoner came into the pledge office. He had the vest produced on his arm and said, “I want to pledge this vest. Would you lend me 1/6 on it?” The Witness said, “Is it your property?” The Prisoner said, “Yes. I bought it in Derby.” The Witness then said, “It is not your size.” The Prisoner put it on, and the Witness could see it was too large for him. From information he had received, the Witness detained the Prisoner and sent for the police. William Allen, Police Sergeant at Northampton: On Tuesday 23 June 1896, the Witness was sent for to go to Mr. Walter’s shop. He went there and found the Prisoner detained by Herbert Hopwood. The Witness asked the Prisoner if he chose to give any account of how he came to be in possession of the vest. The Prisoner replied, “I bought it from a man in Derby two years ago.” The Witness said, “You answer the description of a man wanted at Leighton Buzzard for stealing wearing apparel and I have reason to believe this vest is a portion of the stolen property.” The Prisoner replied, “I never was near that place. I have come from Bristol.” The Witness said, “You will have to go to the police station until enquiries are made respecting it.” The Witness took the Prisoner to the police station, and there said to him, “You will be detained and charged with stealing a quantity of wearing apparel on Friday 19 June by means of house breaking at Toddington, Beds, and this is one of the articles. The Prisoner said, “I will admit it.” The Witness said, “Do you choose to give any further account of the other things?” The Prisoner replied, “I threw them away”. Thomas Woods, Sergeant of Police stationed at Leighton Buzzard, Beds: On the 25 June 1896 he received a bundle of clothing from the Witness John Sulston. The bundle contained 2 lady’s bodices, one towel, one blue apron, one black cloth jacket (plain) and one black jacket – braided, all of which the Witness now produces. One the same day the Witness received the black pilot coat and watch case which he now produces from a man named Samuel Lusp (?) of Wingrave, labourer. The Witness also produces the new white waistcoat which he received from the Witness Cable. Statement of the Prisoner, George Wood: “I have nothing to say”.

item

Wood, George,
Sulston, John,
Cable, George,
Johnson, George,
Hopwood, Herbert,
Allen, William,
Wood, Thomas,
Jarrett, William

stealing, clothing, linen, CHALGRAVE, TODDINGTON