QSR1836/3/5/26

Depositions and examination - Alexander Atkins charged with stealing a table cloth and quantity of pewter plates and dishes

20 June 1836

From: 1836 To: 1836

James Burge of Luton, yeoman – a man calling himself Alexander Atkins has been lodging at his mother Sarah Burge’s house, the Crown Inn at Luton, for several days. About 6am his mother came and told him there had been rogues in the house. He asked her what was gone – she said nearly all the pewter. He asked her if all the windows were fast and she said they were. Atkins was missing and he went down to where Atkins had been at work at Mr Keeley’s the braziers and did not find him there. He heard Atkins was gone towards London. He went that way but heard nothing of him. He then heard that Atkins was seen going into Dunstable. He went there and heard Atkins had gone by the wagon down the road. He followed and found Atkins at the Bell at Hockliffe. He asked the waggoner whether Atkins had a bundle. The waggoner said there was one under the wagon. He felt it and found it was pewter. He sent for a constable and examined the bundle. The pewter was tied up in a table cloth marked W S B. He gave the pewter and the table cloth to the constable who took Atkins into custody. There were 2 men travelling by the wagon who told him they were licensed hawkers and had bought the pewter from Atkins for 6d a pound. Atkins returned the money to them in his presence. There was some missing which Atkins said he had spent in a bar. Mary Burge – she is the daughter of Mrs Burge at the Crown. She has looked at the table cloth now produced and swears it is her mother’s property. She marked it herself. She can also swear to several of the pewter plates and dishes. Two of the plates are broken in the rim. The towel produced and marked B is also her mother’s property. After Atkins was gone this morning she missed 2 bottom crusts of bread and a quantity of cheese, pork and veal, all of which are in the bundle produced by the constable.

item

Atkins, Alexander,
Burge, James,
Burge, Sarah,
Burge, Mary,
Keeley

LUTON, stealing, household goods, pewter, brazier, Luton Crown, Hockliffe Bell, hawker, wagon, waggoner, , bread, cheese, pork, veal