QSR1837/2/5/2

John Perkins and Joseph Brown - charged with stealing 4 silver spoons and a glass from Charles Woolston [annotated 'Joseph Brown discharged']

13 March 1837

From: 1837 To: 1837

Lucy Woolston, wife of Charles Woolston of High Street, St Paul Bedford, victualler – on Saturday night 11 March between 9 and 10pm John Perkins and Joseph Brown came into their house and called for a pint of beer. They went into the tap room and sat there about 2 hours. They had 3 or 4 pints of beer and some bread and cheese between them. About 11.45 Brown left. A minute later Perkins followed him out. Perkins returned into the tap room and drank some beer which he had left, then left for a 2nd time. As he was passing the bar which adjoins the tap room, which he was obliged to pass, he heard the jingling of silver spoons in glasses. She was sitting in the tap room at the time. She got up and went into the bar and missed a glass in which there were some spoons. She told her husband who followed Perkins. The spoons now produced by Brittain the constable, the silver sugar spoon and the glass are those she missed from the bar. Samuel Britton, one of the constables of Bedford – from information he received from Charles Woolston he went to the house where Perkins lodges. She saw Perkins’ mother and told her he wanted to see her son. Perkins came to him, with nothing on but his shirt. He told Perkins what he wanted him for and asked where he slept, and if he would let him examine his clothes. Perkins agreed and took him upstairs to his bedroom. Brown was sitting by the side of the bed. Brown does not lodge there but was going to sleep with Perkins that night. He searched Perkins clothes and in the pocket of the jacket he found the silver teaspoon marked EL. Perkins admitted it did not belong to him. He said to Perkins “you have a glass, come give it me”. Perkins said it was downstairs. Someone then handed the glass to him, but he does not know who as it was very dark. He charged Perkins with having more spoons and asked where they were. Perkins said they were downstairs with the glass. He found them in a recess on the right hand side of the fireplace. Two are marked JEL and W. The other is a sugar spoon and not marked. Perkins’ mother and a woman named Ann Coles who lodges in the same house pointed out where they were. He showed the articles to Mr Woolston who was with him and he claimed them as his property. He examined the clothes belonging to Brown but found nothing. Charles Woolston of St Paul Bedford, victualler – corroborates Britton’s evidence. John Perkins – has nothing to say. Joseph Brown – he knows nothing about it. He went home with John Perkins because he was tipsy and it was so far to his home at Cardington.

item

Perkins, John,
Brown, Joseph,
Woolston, Charles,
Woolston, Lucy,
Britton, Samuel,
Coles, Ann

BEDFORD, CARDINGTON, Bedford St.Paul, stealing, cutlery, household goods, victualler, constable