QSR1863/2/5/6

Depositions of Emma Woodward, wife of James, labourer of Leighton Buzzard. John Chubb the elder and John Chubb the younger, shoemakers of Leighton Buzzard. Joseph Deacon, keeper of a retail store shop of Leighton Buzzard. William Champkins, police constable at Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Alfred Giles, shoemaker of Leighton Buzzard, accused of a doe and 5 young rabbits by false pretences.

7 April 1863

From: 1863 To: 1863

Emma Woodward: wife of James and they kept rabbits for sale. Between 10 and 11am on Friday 3 April the prisoner came to the house and bought 5 young rabbits at sixpence each. The prisoner did not have enough money to pay for them by a shilling, but took the rabbits away saying he would bring the shilling. Between 2 and 3pm he returned and paid the shilling. The prisoner had been looking at a doe and 4 other young rabbits. On returning the prisoner said there was a gentleman who wanted to buy them. He said it was John Chubb and he had sold the 5 young rabbits to him and the little ones would get on better with a doe than without one. They all belonged to the same litter. Upon the prisoners representations and supposing he had come from Mr Chubb, who she knew, she let him have the doe and remaining 4 young rabbits, as well as a young rabbit from another litter. The price agreed on was 5s 9d and the prisoner said Mr John Chubb would send on the money in an hour. The next day having not seen Mr Chubb or the prisoner she went to Mr Chubb and saw him and the prisoner together. The prisoner worked in the shop. She told Chubb about the prisoner having the rabbits and he said he knew nothing about it. The prisoner said he would pay for the rabbits but did not have a farthing in the world. She would not have let him have the rabbits if he had not come to her in Mr Chubb’s name. John Chubb the elder: he knew nothing of the last witness, her husband or that they sold rabbits. Alfred Giles worked for him and on 4 April the last witness came to his house and began to talk about some rabbits Giles had taken in his name. He told her he knew nothing about it. He did not keep rabbits. The only other person in Leighton he knew by the name of Chubb was his son. John Chubb the younger: he lived near his father and knew the prisoner well as he worked for his father. On Friday 3 April he bought 5 young rabbits from the prisoner. Nothing was said about any other rabbits. He did not direct the prisoner to got ot Mrs Woodward for more rabbits and he did not know where the prisoner had bought the rabbits from. He did not know the Woodward’s kept rabbits. Joseph Deacon: he kept a store shop at Leighton. On 3 April he met the prisoner in Leighton and was asked if he wanted to buy a doe rabbit. He went to the prisoner’s house and looked at it. He gave the prisoner 1s 6d for the doe. The prisoner said he had bought it from Mrs Woodward and had also sold 10 young ones at sixpence each. PC William Champkins: he apprehended the prisoner on 4 April and told him he was charged with obtaining a doe and some young rabbits under false pretences. The prisoner said he had paid 3s for them and had a witness to prove it. Statement of the accused: he never mentioned John Chubb’s name at all. The witness spoke false when she said that he did. When he paid her the shilling, she asked him who he had sold the rabbits to and he said to Mr John Chubb. He had told her that if they could deal for the doe and the young ones he would have them. She had asked him if he bought them when he would pay for them. He had replied perhaps Saturday and perhaps Monday.

item

Giles, Alfred,
Woodward, Emma,
Woodward, James,
Chubb, John,
Deacon, John,
Champkins, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, false pretences, rabbits, shoemaker, shopkeeper