QSR1836/3/5/21

Depositions and examination - William Wilson charged with stealing a box containing certain instruments for restoring suspended animation of the value of £3 3s and various books of the value of £3 18s from the house of Thomas Chapman in the parish of St Mary Bedford on 5 June 1836

6 June 1836

From: 1836 To: 1836

Phoebe Cox, aged 14 years, a patient in the Bedford General Infirmary – she is an indoor patiet at the Infirmary. Yesterday morning 6 June between 11 and 12 she saw Wilson come towards one of the windows of the Infirmary, lift up the sash and take out a box which lay on the inside of the window. The box now produced is like the one she saw him take. He went away with the box under his arm over the closes on the right of the Infirmary. A short time later he returned without the box and walked round the Infirmary. She saw him about ¼ later go out of the gate which leads into the Ampthill Road with some books under his arm. She told the nurse what she had seen. She saw Wilson brought back shortly afterwards by a man (one of the Infirmary nurses). Thomas Eyles, one of the nurses of the Infirmary. From information he received yesterday morning about 12.15 he went after the prisoner in the direction of Bedford. He caught him at the end of Ampthill Road. The prisoner had some books under his arm. He placed his hand on the prisoner's shoulder and asked him where he had gotten the books from. The prisoner answered that he had gotten them from the large house above. He told the prisoner that he must come back with him immediately. The prisoner did so and followed him back to the infirmary. He sent for Mr. Chapman and informed him what had taken place. Mr. Chapman searched the prisoner and found in his pockets various surgical instruments and a small phial containing brandy. He removed books and bellows from the prisoner’s side coat which he gave to Mr. Chapman. Thomas Chapman, house surgeon to the Infirmary. Yesterday between 12 and 1 he was coming down stairs from prayers. He was informed that a man has been stealing several articles from Bedford General Infirmary that Mr. Eyles had followed the prisoner and had taken him into custody. He found the prisoner with Mr. Eyles in one of the waiting rooms and he saw the books; a book on diseases of the eye, a book on the provincial medical and surgical association, a book on diseases of the bladder, another on outlines of physiology, the Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal, five copies of the rules and catalogues of the medical library, a screw driver and a bellows (surgical equipment). He continued to search the prisoner to find two bottles of spirits and various other objects belonging to the General Infirmary. He asked the prisoner where the case was for the medical objects and the prisoner said that he would show him where it was. He was about to leave with the prisoner when Nurse Chapman brought the case to him. Upon examining the case he discovered that several articles were still missing. He asked for the porter, assistant nurse and nurse Chapman to search for the missing articles. Shortly afterwards the assistant nurse brought him the articles which she had found among the grass. He also took 5 phials and some plasters out of the prisoner's pockets. The case was kept under the window in one of the surgeon's rooms and the books would have been kept in the library. Sophia Chapman – one of the nurses of the Infirmary – from information she received yesterday she went into a close on the other side of the Ampthill Road opposite the Infirmary and found a box (the one produced) lying under the hedge. The box was shut. She took it to the Infirmary and gave it to Mr Chapman. She does not know the contents of the box. William Wilson – declines to say anything in his defence.

item

Wilson, William,
Chapman, Thomas,
Cox, Phoebe,
Eyles, Thomas,
Chapman, Thomas,
Chapman, Sophia

BEDFORD, Bedford St.Mary, Bedford General Infirmary, stealing, surgeon, nurse