QSR1894/4/5/7,8,9/a

Depositions of Stephen Woods, police constable of Turvey, and William Goldsmith, labourer of Stevington. In the case of John Billing, Francis Jefferies and Jesse Bates, accused of breaking and entering a warehouse and therein stealing a jacket.

15 October 1894

From: 1894 To: 1894

William Goldsmith: a plate layer employed by Midland Railway and living in Stevington. On Friday 12th October he was at work on the Bedford and Northampton Branch of the Midland Railway at Stevington. A short distance from where he was working was a wooden cabin with a locked door. On 12th October there were flags, lamps and workmen’s clothes stored in the cabin. About 12pm he had his dinner and left just before 1pm. The cabin was locked by Thomas Hardwick in his presence. The jacket which was stolen was his jacket and was locked up in the cabin. About 2.40pm he saw 3 men come down the field towards the cabin and stayed at the cabin for about 10 minutes. The men then left towards Bromham. About 5.20pm he informed police constable Woods and showed him the cabin. The staple had been broken and the padlock lay on the ground. The door was open and he found that his jacket was missing from inside. Stephen Woods: police constable stationed at Turvey. On Friday 12th October he was in search of the 3 prisoners. He went to William Goldsmith about 5.30pm. On information received by Mr. Goldsmith he went to the cabin on the Northampton Branch. He found the staple had been broken and the padlock lay on the ground. Mr. Goldsmith informed him of the missing items from within the cabin. He then went in the direction of Bromham and on Newport Pagnell Road he caught up with the 3 prisoners. The prisoner, Bates, was wearing the stolen jacket. He asked the prisoner, Bates, if he had got the jacket from the cabin on the Midland Railway. The prisoner replied that he had. He asked the prisoner, Bates, if he went into the cabin to fetch the jacket. The prisoner replied that all 3 men went into the cabin, but that he was the only one who had taken an item. John Billing: Nothing to say. Francis Jefferies: Nothing to say. Jesse Bates: Nothing to say.

item

Goldsmith, William,
Woods, Stephen,
Billing, John,
Jefferies, Francis,
Bates, Jesse,
Hardwick, Thomas

BEDFORD, Northampton, BROMHAM, STEVINGTON, railway, warehouse, clothing, breaking & entering, stealing