QSR1865/3/5/23

Depositions of Caroline Ballard, spinster of Broom. Fanny, wife of Isaac Ballard, miller of Broom. George Prior, police constable of Southill. In the case of Samuel Dawes, labourer of Broom, accused of stealing the sum of £1 17s 6d.

24 May 1865

From: 1865 To: 1865

Caroline Ballard: she lived in Broom with her brother, Isaac Ballard who was a journeyman miller. They also kept a beer shop and grocers shop. On 22 May he was sitting in the room next to the Grocer’s shop with her sister in law Fanny. Fanny’s purse was on the table and she took it up as a joke and said “Fanny you will never see this again” and put it inside her dress. Just then Samuel Dawes came in for a pint of beer. He gave her half a crown and she went upstairs to get change. Her sister remained in the room where they were sitting. She gave the prisoner his change and he went away. About 5 minutes later she missed the purse. She went after Dawes and asked him if he had found a purse. Dawes said he had not but when asked refused to be searched. She followed him to his van. He got up into it and put his hands in his pockets and took out a purse. She was sure it was the same purse. When he got back down she again asked if he would be searched and he agreed. Fanny was with her when she went after Dawes. [cross examination] her brother Alfred and Simeon Brown were in the beer shop which also opened into the passage. The purse was brown with elastic around it. Fanny Ballard: her husband was Isaac Ballard. The purse had 2 half sovereigns, 4 half crowns, 5 or 6 two shilling pieces and some shillings and sixpence. It totalled £2 17s 6d. Her sister came into the room, took up the purse and put it under her dress, saying that she would not see it anymore. When Dawes had been gone about 5 minutes she asked Caroline about the money and she could not find it. Her sister ran and caught Dawes. She joined them. It had been a brown purse with elastic round it. Among the money there was a florin which was smaller and blacker than the rest and a very smooth three penny piece. The PC came and showed her some money and she believed it to be like that she had lost. PC George Price: he heard of the case and went to Stamford. He found Dawes in a public house and asked him if he would allow him to search his van. He said he would and opened the door. They went together to Caroline Ballard. He found some money in a drawer and some money on his person. It amounted to 15s 1d. Dawes said it was all the money he had and there was no more in the van. He left the prisoner in custody and made a second search of the van with Sergeant Pepper. They found 4 half crowns, 6 florins and a half sovereign. He took Dawes to Biggleswade. Statement of the accused: the money was his and he was not guilty.

item

Dawes, Samuel,
Ballard, Caroline,
Ballard, Fanny,
Ballard, Isaac,
Prior, George,
Ballard, Alfred,
Brown, Simeon

Broom, Stamford, miller, beer shop keeper, grocer, stealing, money, miller