QSR1865/3/5/5-6

Depositions of James Irons, labourer of Luton. John Clarke, labourer of Toddington. George Washington, son of an innkeeper at Chalton. James Busby, police constable stationed at Harlington. Benjamin George, police sergeant stationed at Toddington. William Clark, subcontractor of the Midland Railway and resident at Chalton. In the case of John Brown and Ezra Dumpleton accused of stealing a shilling and sixpence from the person.

21 April 1865

From: 1865 To: 1865

James Irons: he was a labourer of Leagrave. On 10 April he had been in the Star public house at Chalton, in the parish of Toddington. He was in the parlour between 1pm and 2pm and received a shilling and 9 pence from his employer William Clarke. He then went into the Tap Room and sat down by the side of the prisoner, John Brown. He had the money, a shilling, a sixpence and three penny bit in his hand. He was about to put it in his pocket when he dropped the shilling. It fell on his left hand side; the prisoner was sat to his right. He picked up the shilling and put it in his waistcoat pocket. The sixpence and three penny piece were in the same pocket. The prisoner, Brown, said “you b___ that’s my shilling I dropt that”. Brown laid hold of him and dragged him out of the house, threw him down and fell on top of him. Brown picked his pockets. He saw his purse lying on the ground and a shilling and sixpence in Brown’s hand. The prisoner, Ezra Dumpleton, had followed them out and had held him down on the ground by placing his hands on his shoulders whilst Brown picked his pocket. John Clarke: he had been in the tap room of the Star public house between 1pm and 2pm on 10 April. He saw Irons there with the prisoner Brown to his right hand side. He was sitting to Irons left and heard some money fall between him and irons. He picked up a shilling and Irons claimed it as his and so he gave it to him. He afterwards heard a dispute and the prosecutor left the room with Brown following. Dumpleton also went out. Brown had seen him give the shilling to Irons. Brown said nothing. He later heard the prosecutor say he had lost 18 pence. Irons was not drunk and knew perfectly well what he was about. Irons was ‘fresh in drink’. He did not hear Irons accused anyone of stealing his money. Both prisoners were also ‘fresh in drink’. He did not hear a struggle in the passage and did not see Irons carried out. George Washington: a labourer in Chalton and son of the keeper of the Star public house. On 10 April he was in the yard of the house and saw Brown pulling Irons out of the passage into the yard. In the yard Brown and Irons fell and Dumpleton helped Irons up. Brown got up himself. Irons was going towards the closet when Dumpleton threw him on his back and Brown fell on top of Irons. Brown put his hands in Irons pockets but he could not say if he took anything. Brown got up and he and Dumpleton went away together. Dumpleton had held Irons on the ground. He saw Lester Joe [?] hit Irons after Dumpleton picked him up. PC James Busby: on 12 April he apprehended the prisoner Brown at Westoning and charged him with robbery. The prisoner said he had the wrong man. Sergeant Benjamin George: on 14 April he apprehended the prisoner Dumpleton at Chalgrave. Dumpleton made no reply. On his way to Toddington the prisoner said “I shan’t get above 3 years for this I can do that very well. When I get out of this job I shall wear the red coat and shan’t come about this part against”. William Clark: the prosecutor and the 2 prisoners were railway labourers. On 10 April he paid the prosecutor a shilling and 9 pence at the Star Inn at Chalton. It was due to him for work done. He could not say if it was all in silver. Statement of the accused: John Brown – he had nothing to say but when the man first came in he had no money and they had asked him to sup with them. The man said he had no money but would have some when Clark came in. Irons got his money when Clark came and paid for 3 separate quarts of beer and said he would keep the rest for bread and meat. He had had nothing to eat yet and that was all he had to say. Ezra Dumpleton – Irons called him out of the house and said he had no money. He told Irons he could not get beer without money. Irons stopped and got a fresh pint of beers with them and then said they had picked his pockets.

item

Brown, John,
Dumpleton, Ezra,
Irons, James,
Clarke, John,
Washington, George,
Busby, James,
George, Benjamin,
Clark, William

LUTON, TODDINGTON, HARLINGTON, Chalton, Midland Railway Company, innkeeper, stealing, Chalton Star