QSR1897/2/5/1

Depositions of John Short, James Stephen Hand, James Cutler, Alfred Frank Cox, Lavender Seabrook, Thomas Welch, Frederick Janes and William Chamberlain. In the case of Ernest Toyer, accused of stealing a gelding.

3 February 1897

From: 1897 To: 1897

John Short: a boat proprietor of Luton. On Wednesday 3rd February he had 3 horses in a meadow. He last saw them safe on Tuesday 2nd February about 5pm. On the 3rd in consequence of information he went to the meadow he found a dun coloured cob missing. He examined the fences and found places where the horse may have escaped. The gate had a chain but was not locked. On Thursday 4th he went with Sergeant Chamberlain to St. Albans and then to Leavesden and there found the cob and identified it as his own. It was in the possession of Lavender Seabrook, a dealer. He knew the prisoner by sight. He then took the cob away with him. James Stephen Hand: a cashier to Mr. Henry Gibson, an auctioneer of St. Albans. On February 3rd he sold a dun coloured cob in the weekly auction. The horse was entered in the name of Cutler of Luton. He sold the horse to a man named Cox for £2 7s 6d. He could not say who took the money but that he paid it out himself. James Cutler: an innkeeper and dealer. He is the only dealer in Luton named Cutler. He did not authorise the prisoner or anyone else to enter a horse for sale in the St. Albans market on 3rd February. He had seen the prisoner in Luton but had never employed him. Alfred Frank Cox: a greengrocer of Luton. On 3rd February he was in St. Albans market. He saw a dun cob put up for sale by auction in Mr. Gibson’s sale. He bought the horse for £2 7s 6d. The same day the prisoner came to him and said that the auctioneer’s clerk wanted to see if he was satisfied with the pony. He went to Mr. Gibson’s office and told the cashier that he was satisfied. He left the prisoner in the office. The same afternoon he sold the cob to Lavender Seabrook, a dealer. He did not see the prisoner receive the money for the horse. Lavender Seabrook: a horse dealer of Abbots Langley. She was in St. Albans market on Wednesday 3rd February. She bought a dun coloured pony there off Mr. Cox. She sold the pony in the same afternoon to Mr. Stevens of St. Albans, a greengrocer. The next day she bought it back again. On Thursday, Sergeant Chamberlain and Mr. Short came to her and asked about the pony. She gave the pony to them. Thomas Welch: a dealer of Luton. On Wednesday 3rd February he was in St. Albans market. He saw the prisoner there and knew that the prisoner worked for a man named Janes. The prisoner came up to him and asked him if he had seen his master, Mr. Janes, and that he had a pony at the sale which belonged to Mr. Janes. The prisoner asked him for a loan to pay the entrance fee for the pony. Believing that the prisoner was still in the employment of Mr. Janes, he lent the prisoner a shilling. Frederick Janes: a horse dealer of Luton. He knew the prisoner as he had worked for him. However, the prisoner was not in his employment on 3rd February. He did not send the prisoner on that day with a pony to be sold. William Chamberlain: a detective sergeant of Luton. On 3rd February Mr. Short reported the loss of a dun cob from a meadow. From enquiries made he went on 4th February with Mr. Short to see Lavender Seabrook where they found a cob which Mr. Short identified as his. He charged the prisoner with stealing the horse to which the prisoner made no reply. On route to the cells, the prisoner explained that he had not stolen the horse, though he had sold it for a traveller named Scott. Ernest Toyer: Nothing to say

item

Toyer, Ernest,
Chamberlain, William,
Welch, Thomas,
Janes, Frederick,
Seabrook, Lavender,
Cox, Alfred,
Cutler, James,
Hand, James,
Short, John

LUTON, St Albans, Leavesden, Abbots Langley, horse dealer, horse, stealing, cashier, auctioneer, sergeant