• Reference
    QSR1863/4/5/7a
  • Title
    Depositions of Joseph Day, plait dealer of Luton. Mary Ann Stone, wife of Robert, of Luton. William Frederick Knight, police sergeant of Luton. William Robinson Raban, silversmith of Luton. In the case of Samuel Turner accused of uttering false and counterfeit coin.
  • Date free text
    7 September 1863
  • Production date
    From: 1863 To: 1863
  • Scope and Content
    Joseph Day: he lived at 11 Bute Street, Luton. On the night of Monday 24 August he was at the Railway Tavern in Bute Street, Luton kept by Robert Stone. The prisoner came in and asked for a pint of the best ale. Mrs Stone served him with it and he saw the prisoner lay down a 2 shilling piece. Mrs Stone took it up and put it in the till. While the prisoner was drinking the ale, another man came in and they shook hands and shared the ale. They then went out. Soon after Police Sergeant Knight and James came in. From something they said he told Mrs Stone to let him look at the piece of money given to her and he saw it was counterfeit. He gave it back to Mrs Stone. He saw the prisoner again about 11pm in the custody of the police and knew him to be the same man he had seen in the railway Tavern. Mary Ann Stone: wife of Robert Stone and keeper of the Railway Tavern in Luton. On the night of 24 August the prisoner came into the house alone and called for a pint of best ale. She served him and he gave her a 2 shilling piece. She gave him a shilling, sixpence and 3 pence in coppers in change. She looked at the 2 shilling piece and did not detect it to be bad. Another man came in with a little black bag whilst he was drinking the ale. The man spoke with the prisoner and they drank the ale together before following each other out. The police came in soon after and, from what they said, Mr Day drew her attention to the piece she had taken from the prisoner. They found it to be bad. She marked it and gave it to Sergeant Knight. She saw the prisoner in the custody of the police about 11pm. He was the same man she had the bad 2 shilling from. Police Sergeant William Frederick Knight: he went in search of the prisoner with James and found him at the Duke of York in Duke Street. He searched the prisoner and found on him a purse containing a shilling and sixpence but no bad money. She charged him with passing a counterfeit coin to Mrs Stone and the prisoner replied he was mistaken and he had never been to the Railway Tavern in his life. Mrs Stone and Mr Day identified the prisoner as the person who had passed the coin in the railway Tavern. William Robinson Raban: a silversmith in Luton and he identified the florin produced to not be silver and to be counterfeit. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
    item