QSR1867/4/5/2

Depositions of John Burrows, miller and dealer in flour of Leighton Buzzard and Mary Burrows, his wife. Elizabeth Thorn, wife of John, labourer of Wingrave. Drusilla Sencicall, wife of John, a groom of Crafton, Buckinghamshire. Keziah Webb, wife of James, tailor and draper of Leighton Buzzard. Eliza Bliss, wife of Thomas, labourer of Totternhoe. William Knight Clough, superintendent of police for the division of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Thomas Kempster accused of embezzling several sums from his master.

13 August 1867

From: 1867 To: 1867

John Burrows: the prisoner had been in his employment. The prisoner first came into his service in the later part of the previous year and remained until nearly the end of April when he ran away. When the prisoner went away he found he had not accounted for money he ought to have done. It was the prisoner’s duty to go around the village and dispose of goods and receive money on his account for those goods. He was told the prisoner had received 9s 4d from Mrs Simpson, 12s 6d from Mrs Webb, 17s 6d from Mrs Thorn and 9s 4d from Mrs Bliss. All of which was accounted for. The prisoner received at least £7 which w as accounted for. Before the prisoner left he asked the prisoner if he had received any money from Mrs Sencicall and the prisoner replied no as she only took her money once a month and had not got any in the house. He afterwards heard Mrs Sencicall had paid 9s 4d for a bushel of flour. He asked the prisoner if Mrs Webb had paid and the prisoner said she had been attending to her sick son and sometimes he could not see her when he called. He later heard from Mrs Webb that she had paid the prisoner 12s 6d for flour and barley. He also asked the prisoner about Mrs Thorn and the prisoner said she had not paid as she had just paid a doctors bill. He asked the prisoner if Mrs Bliss had paid and was told by the prisoner that there was a case of small pox and he had not gone beyond the yard. All parties subsequently told him they had paid their accounts. Goods had been delivered to Mrs Sencicall on 11 April. To Mrs Webb between 19 February and 20 April. To Mrs Thorn between 21 March and 11 April. To Mrs Bliss from 22 February to 29 March. The prisoner left his service on 23 April without saying anything to him about going. He hired the prisoner by the week. He applied for a warrant against the prisoner on 24 April. The prisoner had brought money home but did not pay 10s on account of Mrs Thorn. He did not brig home any money 12s 6 on account of Mrs Webb. He had never stopped but one 2s 4d out of the prisoners wages and that was for a peck of flour he said Mrs Robinson had. The prisoner had brought money on the accounts of different people but not for the accounts mentioned. He had settled with the prisoner every night. Mary Burrows: wife of the prosecutor. The prisoner had been in their service up to April when he left without giving any reason. On the day he left, he came in the evening and said he was poorly and left and did not return. He remembered the prisoner had on one occasion told her Mrs Bliss had got small pox in the house and that he could not go for her money. She ascertained after the prisoner left that Mrs Bliss owed her husband 9s 4d. The prisoner also said he had met the doctor coming from Mrs Thorn’s house and she had paid a bill of £5 meaning she was unable to pay her account. Mrs Bliss then owed her husband 17s 6d. The prisoner said Mrs Sencicall had not paid as her husband only took his money once a month. Mrs Sencicall owed 9s 4d for flour. The prisoner said he could not see Mrs Webb as her son was ill. The prisoner had not paid her anything on the accounts of the 4 persons named. Elizabeth Thorn: the wife of John Thorn of Wingrave, a labourer. She was a customer of the prosecutor and when she had goods from the prisoner she always paid him except once or twice by a few halfpence which she had paid on the following occasion. She did not run a bill with the prosecutor. She afterwards received a bill for 17s 6d and did not owe a farthing of it. She had paid on the delivery of the goods. Drusilla Sencicall: wife of John, a groom at Mentmoor. They lived in Crofton in Bucks. She had dealt with the prosecutor for goods which the prisoner brought. She always paid for the goods when she had them. She owed nothing to the prosecutor. She remembered having a bushel of flour from the prisoner on 11 April and she paid the prisoner. Keziah Webb: she had dealt with the prosecutor and the prisoner would bring the goods to her house. She never trusted for good except on 2 occasions. She had had not change and had left it until the following Saturday when she paid the money. She had never made any excuse for not paying the money except that she had mentioned. The prisoner ceased coming to her house some time in April. At that time she owed nothing. Eliza Bliss: wife of Thomas, a labourer at Totternhoe. She had dealt with the prosecutor for a year and a half. She remembered the prisoner coming to her house with goods every week. This ceased at the latter end of April. She did not owe him 9s 4d. She paid on receipt of the goods and never made an excuse to the prisoner for non payment. Superintendent William Knight Clough: he received a warrant against the prisoner on 24 April and went into search of the prisoner whose friend lived at Leighton. He found the prisoner had absconded. He saw no more of the prisoner until 18 August when he found him at his father’s house in bed. He took the prisoner into custody and told him the charge. The prisoner said he did not owe the prosecutor anything. On being taken to the police station the prisoner said “I am no scholar I can’t keep any accounts”. Statement of the accused: all the money he took he delivered up and if he did not make his money right every week he used to have it stopped. He brought home every week what the other chap trusted whose name was Henry Brandom. He used to have it stopped out of his own money and never kept a farthing. He brought home money that people paid him and they never crossed about it. He brought home 3 or 4 different lots in a week and the reason he went away was he [Burrows] swore at him and said his money was too much and more than he received himself. He told him he had another place and went to it. He [Burrows] said he must get a boy at about 3 shillings a week and the 8 shillings was too much.

item

Kempster, Thomas,
Burrows, John,
Burrows, Mary,
Thorn, Elizabeth,
Thorn, John,
Sencicall, Drusilla,
Sencicall, John,
Webb, Keziah,
Webb, James,
Bliss, Eliza,
Bliss, Thomas,
Clough, William Knight,
Bransom, Henry

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Wingrave, Crafton, TOTTERNHOE, Mentmore, embezzlement, miller, flour merchant, tailor, draper, groom