QSR1838/4/5/22

Depositions and examinations - William Jackson charged with stealing in a dwelling house

5 October 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

Charlotte Heley, wife of George Heley of Toddington, labourer - yesterday morning a little before 9am she took 2s out of a little pocket which was in a box under the window of their bedroom. They live in Chalton in Toddington parish. She counted another 28s which she put back in the paper and laid in the trunk again. She did not lock it. She went out of the house and locked the door. The other door was bolted. About 10 or 15 minutes later she came back in consequence of what Hannah Boon said to her. She saw part of the wall of their house was shoved down at the stair head. She went into the house and found the money was all gone. The money was shillings and half crowns and was the property of her husband. There were white footmarks across the bedroom from the hole made in the wall to the box. Hannah Boon of Chalton, aged 17 - yesterday morning about 9am she was in the garden of her mother's house which is under the same roof as George Heley's. She saw a man looking out of their [the Boon's] barn door. He came out and shut the door. It was William Jackson, who is a labourer at Sundon. She knew him. He used to come to Heley's house last summer and she often saw him then. She spoke to him as he was going away and asked what he had got from their barn and said she would get a constable. He looked round at her but did not speak. She wet into her barn and saw where a board between it and Heley's barn was broken off so that a man could get through. There were white marks as if someone had trodden on mortar, and part of the wall of Heley's house had fallen down into the barn. She followed Jackson up 2 or 3 fields and he left white marks where he trod. Before she first went into the garden she heard a noise in Heley's house, went to his door and it was fastened. The hole made in the wall is over a place which juts out into the barn. It seemed as if somebody had got on the top of that place and pushed in the wall. She saw him come out of the barn less than 5 minutes after she heard the noise. He went round the end of the barn and was not 10 yards from her. She is quite sure it was Jackson. Rebecca Boon of Chalton, widow - she heard the noise in Heley's house. Less than 5 minutes later her daughter called to her that a person had come out of their barn. She went after him and saw it was William Jackson. She was within 15 yards of him and saw his face. She asked him what business he had in her barn. Jackson looked back but did not answer. She saw his footmarks which left white marks, and saw the same marks in both their barn and Heley's barn and on the board between them. Jackson ran away. She followed him for 3 fields but could not catch him. She has known him more than 20 years. William Jackson - "I am not guilty of the charge"

item

Jackson, William,
Heley, George,
Heley, Charlotte,
Boon, Hannah,
Boon, Rebecca

TODDINGTON, Chalton, SUNDON, breaking & entering, stealing, money