QSR1868/3/5/4

Depositions of Thomas Lane, warehouseman of Luton. John Worsley, labourer of Luton. William Coote, tobacconist of Luton. Henry Samuel Fisher, police constable of Luton. In the case of John Tugwood accused of stealing a meerschaum pipe, the value of 21 shilings.

27 April 1868

From: 1868 To: 1868

Thomas Lane: On 20 April about 4pm he was in the Billiard Room of at the George II inn at Luton. He had a meerschaum pipe with him and he laid it on the table whilst he had a game of billiards. The prisoner sat close to the table about the prisoner left about 10 minutes after he had laid down the pipe. He missed the pipe a short time later and went after the prisoner. He found the prisoner at Luton station and asked him if he had the pipe. The prisoner replied” It’s a strange thing my mistress told me before I left home this morning I should get in a row before night”. The prisoner said he knew nothing of the pipe. Lane took the prisoner into the waiting room of the station and searched him. He found nothing on him. On 20 April, from information he received, he went to Mr Cootes in Manchester Street. He saw the pipe there and he knew it to be his. He put the pipe into its case and he gave it to PC Fisher. He gave the prisoner into custody. John Worsley: he worked for Mr Baydon in Church Street, Luton. On 20 April he went into the Belgian Arms with the prisoner. The prisoner was about 3 parts drunk. The pipe hung out of the prisoner’s pocket. He told the prisoner that if he put his hand in his pocket he would drop the pipe. The prisoner said never to mind about it and he could have it if he liked. The prisoner gave it to him. The next Monday he took it to Mr Cootes the tobacconist and asked him to buy it. Cootes told him to call in half and hour and when he did Mr Lane was there and owned the pipe. PC Henry Samuel Fisher: he apprehended the prisoner on 22 April and charged him with stealing a meerschaum pipe from Mr Pugh’s billiard room. The prisoner said he was quite innocent and knew nothing about it. Statement of the accused: he was not guilty.

item

Tugwood, John,
Lane, Thomas,
Worsley, John,
Coote, William,
Fisher, Henry Samuel

LUTON, stealing, tobacconist, warehouseman, Luton George II, Luton Belgium Arms