QSR1897/2/5/2

Depositions of Arthur Stoten, tailor of Biggleswade and Thomas Page, police sergeant of Arlesey. In the case of John Ireland, accused of breaking and entering and therein stealing 3 pieces of cloth.

10 March 1897

From: 1897 To: 1897

Arthur Stoten: a tailor of Biggleswade. On 3rd March about 11.30pm he left his present place of residence to go home. On arrival he found that both the glass in the shop window and a glass case inside the shop was broken. His mother was in the shop at the time. He found glass scattered inside the shop and left to inform his brother and the police. Upon returning to the shop he found a granite block and also noticed 3 pieces of cloth missing from a brass rod in the shop window. The cloth was handed to him by the police on the following day, which he then identified as his property. Thomas Page: a police sergeant at Arlesey. On Thursday 4th March about 9.45 am the prisoner came to his house. The prisoner confessed to smashing a window in Mr. Stoten’s shop in Biggleswade with a large granite stone. The prisoner also confessed to stealing pieces of cloth out of the window of the shop. The prisoner produced the stolen cloth. The prisoner explained that he had committed the crime out of anger and desperation because his brother would not give him a night’s lodging. The prisoner explained that he would rather be in jail than living as he was at the present time. John Ireland: nothing to say.

item

Stoten, Arthur,
Page, Thomas,
Ireland, John

BIGGLESWADE, ARLESEY, breaking & entering, stealing, cloth, tailor, sergeant