QSR1868/3/5/7b

Depositions of Elizabeth Cooper and her husband Charles Cooper, baker of Luton. Samuel Kitchener, police constable of Luton. William Robinson Raban, silversmith of Luton. In the case of Alice Williams, otherwise Ann Fletcher, accused of tendering a counterfeit florin.

8 June 1868

From: 1868 To: 1868

Elizabeth Cooper: she was the wife of Charles Cooper and they kept a baker shop in Wellington Street, Luton. On 30 May the prisoner came to the shop and asked for a quarter pound of currant cake. She recognized the prisoner as the same women who had some on 2 M ay. She served the prisoner and the prisoner gave her a 2 shilling piece to pay for it. She saw it was bad. She told the prisoner it was a bad one and she had known it and that she had been the same woman who gave her a bad one the month before. The prisoner said she would give her another for it and laid down a good coin. She did not take it. She told the prisoner she had to wait until Mr Cooper came and the prisoner remained quietly until Mr Cooper arrived about 10 minutes later. She told him what had happened and gave him the bad coin. He said he would send for the policeman and the prisoner then became violent and she could not hold her. The prisoner tried to get out of the door and so she got a man to help her whilst Mr Cooper went for the police. The prisoner was given into custody. The florin produced was the same she had from the prisoner and had given to her husband. Charles Cooper: he was a baker in Wellington Street and husband of the last witness. On the night of 30 May he was sent for to go home. When he got there the prisoner was in the shop and his wife told him the woman had brought another bad florin. He went and fetched PC Kitchener and gave the prisoner into his custody. He found the door locked when he got back and a man was helping his wife take care of the prisoner. He gave the bad money to Kitchener but marked it first. PC Samuel Kitchener: on the night of 30 May about 11.30pm Mr Cooper fetched him to his shop. Mrs Cooper and a man named Walker were in the shop with the prisoner. The door was locked. The prisoner was given into his custody and he charged her with passing counterfeit coin. The prisoner said she had passed the coin but had not known it was bad and that she had offered to make it right. He asked to see all the money she had about her and the prisoner produced £1 8s 6d ½ in one purse, 3s in silver in another purse and 3s 7d ¾ copper loose. It was all good money. William Robinson Raban: he was a silversmith and jeweller at Luton. He tested a piece of coin resembling a florin. It was counterfeit. Statement of the accused: she was not aware it was a bad one.

item

Williams, Alice,
Fletcher, Ann,
Cooper, Elizabeth,
Cooper, Charles,
Kitchener, Samuel,
Raban, William Robinson

LUTON, Luton Wellington Street, passing counterfeit coin, silversmith, baker