QSR1866/1/5/3

Depositions of Philip Deamer, greengrocer of Luton and Elizabeth Deamer, his daughter. John Pratt, greengrocer of Luton. William Sharp, greengrocer of Luton. Charles Morgan, greengrocer of Luton. James Haynes, police constable of Luton. In the case of James Rushton accused of embezzling the sums of 8s 6d, 7s 4d and 8s 5d.

30 October 1865

From: 1865 To: 1866

Philip Deamer: on 27 July he engaged James Rushton to take out some fruit he had sold to John Pratt, William Sharp and Charles Morgan. He told Rushton to get tickets of the amounts from his daughter, Elizabeth and to get the money off the parties and bring back the empty baskets. Rushton did not bring back the money. He did not mention wages to Rushton. He went out that day and had not seen the prisoner since to pay him anything. He intended to pay him something for his labours. Elizabeth Deamer: she was the daughter of the last witness. On 27 July the prisoner came to hher to take some tickets for some fruit he was to take out for her father. There was a ticket for a person name Sharp and another for a person named Pratt. Each ticket was for cherries. The tickets produced were the same tickets but the crosses on the tickets and the word ‘paid’ on Pratt’s was not her writing. There was also a ticket for Charles Morgan for some cherries. On giving him the tickets, she told the prisoner to go, receive the money and bring it back to her. The prisoner went and never came back with the money. The money was not paid to her. The prisoner took the cherries to the Market Hill and the men took the cherries away. John Pratt: he was a greengrocer and resided at 16 Windsor Street, Luton. On 27 July he bought about 5 dozen pounds of cherries from Mr Deamer. He took them home himself. The prisoner brought the ticket on the same day and said he had come for the money for the cherries. He was shown the ticket for 8s 9d. He paid the money and the prisoner put a cross to the bill and wrote the word ‘paid’ on it. He paid the prisoner in silver and copper and deducted 2d or 3d and so paid either 8s 7d or 8s 6d. William Sharp: he was a greengrocer and lived at 41 Burr Street, Luton. On 27 July he bought some cherries from Mr Deamer. It came to 7s 4d. The same afternoon the prisoner called with the ticket and asked for the money owed. He paid him 7s 4d and he asked the prisoner to put his name to the ticket. The prisoner put a cross to it. Charles Morgan: a greengrocer residing at Windmill Street, High Town, Luton. On 27 July he bought a basket of cherries from Mr Deamer. The same afternoon the prisoner brought the ticket to him and asked him for the money. He paid 8s 5d and asked the prisoner to receipt the bill. The prisoner said he could not write. He gave the prisoner a pencil and the prisoner made a cross on the bill. He could not now find the bill. The prisoner was present when he bought the cherries. PC James Haynes: he tickets from John Pratt and William Sharp. He apprehended the prisoner on the night of Saturday 21 October under a warrant. He read the warrant to the prisoner and the prisoner said “I never did it and I was never his servant”. The prisoner had absconded from Luton after committing the offence and he had been in search of the prisoner up to the time of his apprehension. Statement of the accused: he left it to his attorney.

item

Rushton, James,
Deamer, Philip,
Deamer, Elizabeth,
Pratt, John,
Sharp, William,
Morgan, Charles,
Haynes, James

greengrocer, cherries, embezzlement, LUTON, Luton Burr Street, Luton Windmill Street, Luton Windsor Street