QSR1868/2/5/7

Depositions of William Allen, horsekeeper of Round Green, Luton. William Humphrey, labourer of Paulswalden, Herts. Walter Nash, gamekeeper of Luton. John Elsa, labourer of Luton. Charlotte Claridge, wife of Francis, beerhouse keeper of Luton. John Millard, innkeeper of Luton. George James, Inspector of Police at Luton. In the case of William Adams accused of receiving a bushel of split beans knowing them to be stolen.

6 April 1868

From: 1868 To: 1868

William Allen: he was horse keeper to Mr John Millard who had a stable by the side of the Old Bedford Road. Millard’s farm and horses were there. He had beans from Mr Millard for the horses and he put them into a tub where they kept the horse corn in the stable. Before 6 March, Adams, the prisoner, said to him “If you can get me anything I can do with it”. On 6 March about 6.30pm he took a bushel of split beans out of the tub and put them into a sack. He carried it to Adams field, which was the next but one, and put it into the bushes near the gate. He went from there to “Gardeners Call” beer house kept by Claridge. He saw Humphrey and Adams there and stopped there some time and called for a pint of beer. He told Adams where the split beans were and Adams replied “all right” and told Humphrey to go and get them. Adams gave him a shilling and said he would have some more beer to make it right. Humphrey’s was gone about half an hour. He went out of the door and saw Humphrey coming from the direction of the field with the beans on his shoulder. Humphrey took the sack to Adams house and then went into the “Gardeners Call” and joined them for some beer. He left Mr Millards a fortnight previous. William Humphrey: he lived at Bendish, Pauls Walden. On 6 March he was at work for William Adams, the prisoner, and was with him at the “Gardeners Call” about 6.30pm having some beer. William Allen came in and told Adams he had put some beans in his field and Adams told him to go and fetch them and take them to his house and then return for some more beer. He went over and gave the horse some hay and then Adams came out and said that he better go and fetch it now as there was nobody about. He went to the field and found the sack with about a bushel of beans in it. He took it to Adams house and into the kitchen where Adams kept the horses corn. He returned to Claridge’s and found Allen and Adams had some more beer. They had several quarts. On the Sunday morning Allen was locked up and he saw the police coming up the road to Adams house. Adams said he would get out of the way as he knew nothing about it and he went off down the yard somewhere. He saw no money pass between Allen and Adams. Walter Nash: he was gamekeeper to Mr Crawley and lived in the cottages at Bramingham Villa in Luton. On the evening of 6 March he was in Old Bedford Road near Millard’s stables. He saw Allen going towards Luton from the stable with a sack on his back. There seemed about 2 bushels in it. Allen got through the hedge into Adams field and laid the sack down between the hedge and the ash heap. Allen covered it over with some bushes. He stopped at the gate and spoke to Allen and they walked along the road together to the Gardeners Call where Allen went in and he continued to Luton. He was going for his money that night. John Else: he was a labourer at Mr Funnell’s in Old Bedford Road. On 6 March he went into the Gardeners Call beer house between 6pm and 7pm Adams and Humprheys were drinking there. Allen came in and he saw Humphrey leave soon afterwards. As he was going home he had to pass Adam’s field and he met Humphrey coming from the field towards the Gardeners Call with a sack on his shoulder. There seemed about a bushel and a half in the sack. Humphrey bid him goodnight. It was a moonlit night. Charlotte Claridge: she was the wife of Francis Claridge and they kept the Gardeners Call beer house in Old Bedford Road. Adams lived opposite them and would give away a good deal of beer. Sometimes Adams paid in tickets and sometimes in money. She knew Humphrey was Adams man and she knew Allen by sight. They had all been at the house about a month ago. She did not recall the date but she did not recall seeing them drink together at any other time. They had more than a quart. Adams ordered the beer. The money Allen owed was not for beer had that night. John Millard: he was a farmer and innkeeper at Luton and he had land in Old Bedford Road, where he kept horses. William Allen was employed as his horse keeper on 6 March. He supplied Allen with 4 bushels of split beans every 5 days for the horses. The beans were in 2 tubs in the stable. Allen had charge of them. A bushel of beans was worth 4s 4d ½ and he gave 35s a quarter for his. He had supplied a ½ quarter to Allen that day. His horses had fallen away in the last 2 months. On 28 March he was walking along the Riddee Lane, about 2 miles down the Old Bedford Road, and he saw some one running along the lane away from him and through the hedge. He ran down the lane to see who it was and saw it was Adams. He went after him and when Adams saw he was gaining ground on him, he turned around and said “John you want me my boy don’t you”. He told Adams the police wanted to ask him a question and Adams replied “So help me God I never had none of your beans in my life and I never did you any injury in my life”. He told Adams that he should stand his ground like a man. Adams was taken into custody at the police station. Inspector George James: he took Adams into custody on 28 March and told him the charge. Adams said he knew nothing about it. Allen and Humphrey were already in custody. He fetched Allen into the guard room and said in Adams presence “Is this the man you sold the beans to on the 6th of this March”. Allen replied it was and that he had been given a shilling and some beer for them. Adams said that was quite wrong and there was no truth in it but he had been there that night and Allen had borrowed a shilling off him. Humphrey was fetched and identified Adams as the master he had fetched the beans for. Adams said that it was a lie and he could not say what Allen and Humphrey had done after he had gone home to bed. James searched Adams house on 27 March in the presence of Mrs Adams and was shown a tub of corn which contains a quantity of split beans. He had gone to Adams’ house on 27 and 28 March to apprehend him but had not found him there. Mr Millard brought Adams to the police station. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Allen, William,
Adams, William,
Humphrey, William,
Nash, Walter,
Elsa, John,
Claridge, Charlotte,
Claridge, Francis,
Millard, John,
James, George

LUTON, Luton Old Bedford Road, Luton Round Green, Pauls Walden, receiving stolen goods, beans, innkeeper, horsekeeper, gamekeeper, beerhouse keeper, Luton Gardener's Call