QSR1864/3/5/9-10

Depositions of Agnes Rushton, bonnet sewer of Luton. Rachel Day, bonnet sewer of Luton. Roderick Donald Fraser, pawnbroker of Luton. George Smith, sergeant of police of Luton. In the case of Martha Stevens & Sophia Allen accused of stealing 2 pawnbrokers' duplicates or warrants.

23 May 1864

From: 1864 To: 1864

Agnes Rushton: a bonnet sewer living at 26 Ebenezer Street, Luton. On the night of 14 March she had 2 pawn tickets in her pocket. She went for a walk down Dunstable Road and when she came back she had lost them. The tickets were for 2 shawls; a red and white one and a black scarf shawl with violet quilling. One was pledged for 2s 7d and other for 4s. The tickets had her name on them. She did not see the shawls again until she saw the black one on the prisoner, Stevens, at Harpenden races on 20 May. She went and asked Stevens if she had found her pawn tickets and the prisoner replied “you have a great deal of imprudence to come and ask me, I don’t know what pawn tickets are.” She told Stevens that the shawl was hers. The prisoner Allen was also there/ Stevens said she had the shawl from a packman at Leighton and afterwards that she had it from a smuggler who travelled door to door and she would show Rushton the bill if she came to her house the next day. Stevens said she lived at Mrs Fensom’s no.4 Chobham Street. Rushton went there the next day and found the prisoner lived at no.2 and her landlady said she had not come home from the races. She returned in the evening and Stevens was there and showed her a shawl. It was not the same one she had worn at the races and told Stevens so. Stevens called her a liar. She went and fetched Sergeant Smith and returned and was again shown the black shawl which was not hers. The shawl produced was hers and she recognised it by certain marks and she had given 18 shillings for it. Whilst they spoke to Stevens, Allen came down the stairs and went out of the house. She followed Allen and saw she had something under her hoops. She caught Allen and asked her to let her see under her frock. She found the red shawl tucked up there. It was the shawl she had pawned for 4 shillings and was worth 15 shillings. Sergeant Smith cam after them and she gave him the shawl. They all went back to Steven’s house together. Stevens said she had picked up the tickets in Dunstable Road and sold one to Allen for a shilling. Allen said she had sent a little girl to get the red shawl out. Rachel Day: she resided at no.24 Ebenezer Street and knew Agnes Rushton. She had seen her wear both shawls produced. She went with Agnes Rushton to Harpenden Races on 20 May. They saw the prisoner Stevens there and Rushton went up to her and asked if she had found 2 pawn tickets. Stevens denied knowing about the pawn tickets and Rushton said Stevens had on her shawl. The prisoner said it was not Rushton’s shawl as she had bought it of a smuggler at the door but also said she had it from a man that travelled and came from Leighton. Stevens told Rushton to come to her house and she would show her the bill. She was at Steven’s house the next night and saw the black shawl which was Agnes Rushton’s. She also saw the coloured shawl there. When they went to Stevens’ house she showed them a black shawl which was not the one she had worn at the races. Stevens said it was the same but she had sewn black lace on it. She was present when the shawls were found and heard Stevens say she had bought the tickets from someone. Stevens later said she found the tickets down Dunstable Road and sold one to Allen for a shilling. Allen said she had given a shilling for the ticket and 4 shillings to get the shawl out and would not give it up unless given 5 shillings. Roderick Donald Fraser: a pawnbroker at Bute Street. He knew Agnes Rushton and in March had 2 shawls from her in pledge. Both shawls were taken out on 15 March; one by a little girl and the other by a boy. The tickets were delivered up. He could only now find one of the tickets. Rushton came to enquire if the shawls had been out and he had both tickets then and showed them to her. Sergeant George Smith: on 21 May he went with Agnes Rushton and Rachel Day to the lodgings of Stevens and Allen in Chobham Street, Luton. He asked Stevens what she knew of Rushton’s shawls and Stevens produced a shawl and said it was the only one she had and it was not her own as she had borrowed it. Stevens said she could search and he did so finding the black shawl on a chair seat that the landlady of the house was sitting on. Rushton said it was hers. Whilst he was speaking to her, Allen came down the stairs and went out of the house. He sent Rushton after her and found them both up the street. He saw Rushton take the red shawl from underneath Allen’s hoops. They returned to Stevens. Stevens said she would tell the truth about it and she had found the tickets in Dunstable Road and she had given one to Allen for a shilling. Allen was present and said that was the truth and she had give up 5 shillings in total as it cost her 4 shillings to get the shawl out. Statement of the accused: Stevens – she would leave it to her solicitor. Allen – she would do the same.

item

Stevens, Martha,
Allen, Sophia,
Rushton, Agnes,
Day, Rachel,
Fraser, Roderick Donald,
Smith, George

LUTON, stealing, pawnbroker, bonnet sewer