QSR1862/4/5/7

Depositions of Sarah Higgins, wife of Henry, confectioner of Luton. Jane Higgins, infant of Luton. John Crawley, bookbinder of Luton. Emma Rowley, infant of Luton. Agnes Harvey, infant of Luton. Richard Lambert, police constable of Luton. William Hunt, merchant clerk of Luton. In the case of Love Wingrave accused of stealing a leather purse containing 10 shillings and 20 sixpences.

15 September 1862

From: 1862 To: 1862

Sarah Higgins: wife of Henry Higgins, residing at 19 Albert Road, Luton. On 6 September she had a post office order payable to her for the sum of 20 shillings. She signed it in the name of Sarah Waller, as it was payable to her in that name. She gave it to her granddaughter, Jane Higgins, to go to the post office and get the money. She told her that after she had got the money, to go to Mrs Dumpleton’s in Burn Street, High Town and to may the money to her. She soon afterward found her grand daughter had lost the money and she informed the police. Jane Higgins: she was in her 10th year. A week ago her grandmother gave her a post office order for 20 shillings and told her to go and get it changed. Her grandmother told her to take it up Burn Street to Mrs Dumpleton and to pay the money to her. She went to the post office and got it changed. They gave her 20 sixpences and 10 shillings. One of the sixpences had crosses on it. Mr Crawley, at the post office, put the money into a little black purse. She carried the purse in her hand as far as the steps over the railway bridge. She then put it in the corner of her white pocket handkerchief and put it into her pocket. Before she got to Mr Cotchins, the bakers, she put her hand in her pocket and found the purse and handkerchief gone. She began to cry and went back to look for it. She saw Emma Rowley looking out of an upstairs window next to a school there. From what Emma told her she went after Mrs Wingrave and met her just before the footbridge. She said “If you please ma’am have you found a white handkerchief and a little black purse”. Mrs Wingrave said she had only found the handkerchief and gave it to her. Mrs Wingrave told her to go and look for the purse. She went and looked for it but could not find it. She told Wingrave she could not find it. Wingrave went over the bridge towards Luton and she followed her to Munt & Brown where Wingrave took her hats. The police met her there soon afterwards. She went with the police as they took Mrs Wingrave up to the police station. She had told the police of the mark on the sixpence. She was shown some money which included the marked sixpence and a little purse like the one she had lost. When she collected the money at the post office she had sat on the step and counted it. Emma Rowley: she was 12 years old and lived in High Town with her father. They lived at no. 44 next door to the old primitive Methodist school. Whilst lookingout of an upstairs window she saw Mrs Wingrave go by. She saw a white pocket handkerchief lying on the path about 20 yards below the house and nearer to the railway bridge. Mrs Wingrave kicked it with her foot. Mrs Wingrave had some hats in a handkerchief and she picked up the handkerchief that was on the ground and a black purse dropped out of it. Wingrave picked up the purse and went towards the bridge. About 10 minutes later Jane Higgins came running down the street crying. She had been looking out of the window. She called to Jane and told her what she had seen. Jane Higgins ran towards the railway bridge and she saw no more of them after that. A man had kicked the handkerchief before Mrs Wingrave had picked it up. Agnes Harvey: she was 13 years old and lived in Barbers Lane with her father, a gardener. She knew the purse produced. About dinner time on the previous Saturday she had found the purse in Mr Taylor’s meadow near the railway bridge. She had put her hand through the rails and taken it home. She gave it to PC Lambert. PC Richard Lambert: he took Mrs Wingrave to the police station and had her searched by Mrs Pope. Mrs Pope gave him 14 shillings, 21 sixpences, a 4 pence bit, a 3 pence bit and some half pence. The following Monday, Jane Higgins, came to the station and said some of the sixpences had crosses on them. He checked the money and saw the marks. He told Mrs Wingrave she was suspected of finding the money and keeping it. Wingrave said she had found the handkerchief and had given it up to the girl. He received the purse from Agnes Harvey. William Hunt: he was the manager of Messrs Munt & Brown at their Luton warehouse. On 6 September he purchased some hats from Mrs Wingrave on behalf of the firm. He paid her £3 4s 9d in gold and silver and the odd 3d may have been in copper. Statement of the accused: she left it to her attorney. She was not guilty of finding any purse or any money.

item

Wingrave, Love,
Higgins, Sarah,
Higgins, Henry,
Higgins, Jane,
Crawley, John,
Rowley, Emma,
Harvey, Agnes,
Lambert, Richard,
Hunt, William

LUTON, Luton High Town, confectioner, bookbinder, merchant clerk, stealing, coins