QSR1865/4/5/4

Depositions of David Southam, plait dealer of Luton. Emily Mayne, wife of Benjamin, innkeeper of Luton. George Daniels, police constable of Luton. In the case of Rebecca Waller accused of stealign 75 score of plait.

4 September 1865

From: 1865 To: 1865

David Southam: a warehouseman for Mr Josiah Wright of Bute Street, Luton who was a plait dealer. On the morning of 28 August the prisoner came into the shop. She was frequent dealer and he had known her for 8 or 10 years. She lived in High Town, Luton. He showed her a bundle of black cord plait and sold it to her. Neither of the bundles produced were those he sold to her. The bunch he sold contained 81 scores. A few minutes after the prisoner had left the shop, he missed 2 bundles of plait he had seen on the counter before the accused arrived. Mrs Wildman was the only person who came into the shop after the prisoner. He informed the police and went with PC Daniels to the Cooper’s Arms public house, which was between the prisoner’s house and the shop. Mrs Maine, the landlady, showed him the 2 bundles of plait. He left leaving the constable there. The 2 bundles were Mr Wright’s property and worth £2 11s 0d. There bore tickets showing his private mark. The prisoner was brought to him and she told him she had taken them from the shop but she hoped he would not press charges. The bundle he had sold her was lying with the other bundles in the public house. The 2 bundles contained 75 score of plait and he had never known anything against her. Emily Mayne: wife of Benjamin who kept the Cooper’s Arms in Bute Street. She had known the prisoner a few weeks and she was in the habit of calling at the house and leaving her plait whilst she went to market. On 28 August the prisoner called at the house with 3 bundles of plait. She allowed the prisoner to leave the plait until she returned and the prisoner left it in the bar parlour. About a quarter of an hour later a police officer and Mr Southam called. From what they said she showed them the plait left by Mrs Waller. Southam owned the plait as his master’s property. The PC remained at the house and about an hour later, Mrs Waller returned and took up the plait. PC George Daniels: on 28 August he went with Mr Southam to the Coopers Arms. Mrs Mayne showed him 3 bundles of plait there. Mr Southam said 2 of the bundle were those he had lost. Mr Southam left and he remained at the house. The prisoner returned to the house and went into the bar parlour and took up the 3 bundles. She went off in the direction of High Town. He followed her to Guildford Street and asked her if it was her plait. She said it was and she had bought it from Mr Southam. He told her she must go back and see Mr Southam as he had lost some plait. She went back and again Southam identified the bundles as those he had lost. The prisoner said “it was all through my husband that I stole the plait. It was he caused me to steal it and I was very sorry for doing it”. The bundles were the same he had seen in Mrs Mayne’s house. As they were going back the prisoner said that 2 of the bundles did not belong to her and she held them out as she said so. Statement of the accused: she was not guilty of stealing.

item

Waller, Rebecca,
Southam, David,
Mayne, Emily,
Mayne, Benjamin,
Daniels, George,
Wright, Josiah

LUTON, Luton Bute Street, stealing, Straw Plait, innkeeper, straw plait dealer, warehouseman, Luton Coopers Arms