QSR1868/1/5/4

Depositions of Simon Folbigg, shopkeeper of Arlesey. William Prutton, labourer of Arlesey and Charlotte Prutton, spinster of Arlesey. In the case of Sarah Stimson, wife of William, accused of stealing a pair of boots.

9 November 1867

From: 1867 To: 1868

Simon Folbigg: he was a boot and shoemaker and kept a shop at Arlesey. On the morning of 4 November he missed a pair of laced boots out of the shop. He had seen them on the counter of the shop at 9pm and did not close the shop until about 11.45pm. On the Thursday morning, William Prutton produced a pair of boots which he immediately identified as those he had lost. He had made them himself and the were worth 8s 6d. William Prutton: he was the parish constable at Arlesey. On 6 November, in consequence of information received, he searched the barn in the occupation of William Stimson at Arlesey. He found the pair of boots in a heap of ashes. He showed them to Folbigg and he identified them. He afterwards apprehended Sarah, wife of William, on the charge of stealing the boots from Folbigg’s shop. The prisoner said she went to the shop but did not take the boots. He afterwards took her to the lock up at Biggleswade and handed her over to the Superintendent of Police. On the way to Biggleswade, the prisoner asked him to try to make it up for her with Mr Folbigg and she would pay what he charged and have no further bother about it. Charlotte Prutton: she was a single woman and lodged with Mrs Stimson at Arlesey. On 4 November about 8pm Mrs Stimson was upstairs in bed and called to her and said she had a nice pair of boots. At about 9pm Mrs Stimson came down the stairs and brought the boots with her saying she had bought from a woman in distress. Mrs Stimson told her to put them on. She did so and wore them the whole day. She asked Mrs Stimson the prisoner and she put no value on them. On Wednesday afternoon she heard that Mr Folbigg had lost a pair of boots and on the same day she went over to Shefford to see Mrs Stimson, who was at her daughters. She told Mrs Stimson she had heard Folbigg had lost some boots and Mrs Stimson told her to hide the boots when she got home. Mrs Stimson did not come home that night and she did not see the boots again until they were in Prutton’s possession on Thursday. She had tried the boots on on Tuesday but they hurt her feet so much that she took them off and left them in the room. Statement of the accused: she had nothing to say but she had not stolen the boots.

item

Stimson, Sarah,
Stimson, William,
Folbigg, Simon,
Prutton, William,
Prutton, Charlotte

ARLESEY, shopkeeper, shoemaker, stealing, boots, parish constable