QSR1897/4/5/3a

Depositions of Elizabeth Webb, William Harry Wren, William Chamberlain, John Pedder, Joseph Stewart and George Edward Harman. In the case of Frederick Barber, accused of stealing a hearth rug and fender, knowing it to be stolen property.

8 September 1897

From: 1897 To: 1897

Elizabeth Webb: a widow of Luton. The prisoner came to her house about 8.30 am, the week after the Jubilee in June. The prisoner had a rug under his arm. The prisoner asked her to buy it and she replied that she did not want one. The prisoner said that the rug and a tablecloth were that last items belonging to his poor wife which he had pledged. The prisoner then asked her to lend him 3 shillings sixpence as he was short and travelling to Margate. She asked the prisoner how long he would need the loan for and the prisoner replied that he would pay her back the following week. She lent him the money and he left the rug. The prisoner did not return for the rug nor pay back the loan. She did not untie the rug but called for Mr. Wren to take the rug to the police when she heard of the case. William Harry Wren: a furniture dealer of Park Square, Luton. On 2nd September he went to Mrs. Webb’s house where she showed him the rug. He identified the rug as his property by the private selling marks. William Chamberlain: a detective sergeant of the Luton Borough Police Force. On 31st August he apprehended the prisoner on a previous charge. On 2nd September he received a rug from Mrs. Webb. He showed the rug to the prisoner and told the prisoner that the rug had been identified by Mr. Wren as having been stolen from his shop. He asked the prisoner how he had come into possession of the rug and the prisoner replied that he could not say. He then charged the prisoner with stealing the rug around the 26th June. Frederick Barber: Guilty of receiving John Pedder: living in Hitchin Road, Luton with his father, a harness maker. On 31st August the prisoner came into his father’s shop about 10am and asked him if he would take care of a fender for a few minutes. The prisoner was carrying the fender and a rug under his arm. He took the fender from the prisoner and put it to one side. The prisoner said that he would be back in a few minutes. As soon as he heard of the case he contacted the police. [Cross-Examined] He did not think it was pouring with rain at the time. William Harry Wren: The fender was shown to him by the police around a week ago and he identified it as his property by the private selling mark. He had not sold it to the prisoner or anyone else. William Chamberlain: On 31st August he apprehended the prisoner on a previous charge. On information received he went to Mr. Pedder’s house where he was handed the fender. On 8th September he showed the fender to the prisoner and told him that the fender had been identified as having been stolen from Mr. Wren’s shop and left at Mr. Pedder’s shop. He asked the prisoner for an explanation as to how he had come by the fender. The prisoner replied that he did have an explanation but he did not give one. He charged the prisoner with stealing the fender around the 31st August and the prisoner made no reply. [Cross-Examined] He did not remember the prisoner saying that the fender was along with the first hearth rug. Frederick Barber: Guilty of receiving William Harry Wren: Charles Wood was in his employment as a porter and fitter for around 16 years. Around the end of August, in consequence of suggestions from the police, he took note of his stock of rugs and made private marks on all of the rugs. On 31st August Charles Wood entered his shop around 8.45am. He was keeping watch from his office when he saw Mr. Wood take a rug off a pile and down into the basement of the shop. He then saw Mr. Wood come up the basement steps into the yard with the rug. Mr. Wood crossed the yard into the stable and after a minute he saw him leave by the back way into Church Street carrying a parcel. He could not see what was wrapped up but the shape of the parcel resembled a rug. About midday he was sent for to Mr. Harman’s, the pawnbroker, where he was shown the stolen rug. He identified the rug as his by the private marks he had placed on it. He noticed the prisoner, Frederick Barber, loitering about his premises about 9.15 am on 31st August [Cross-Examined] he did not see the prisoner, Charles Wood, take anything else with him off the premises except the parcel. Joseph Stewart: a landlord of the Wheatsheaf Inn, Church Street, Luton. He knew the prisoner, Frederick Barber, as a customer. On Tuesday 31st August the prisoner, Barber, came into his inn about 8am and asked for a man who stables his pony in his yard. He said to the prisoner, Barber, that he had not seen this man. The prisoner, Barber, left the inn and returned around half and hour later. The prisoner, Barber, paced up and down the yard and waited nearly an hour for the same man. He saw the prisoner go to the corner of a hovel in the yard near a gate where carriers have their parcels placed. He saw the prisoner, Barber, pick up a parcel from this place which was about 2’6” in length. He told the prisoner, Barber, that he did not allow parcels to be put on his premises without his knowledge. The prisoner replied that he wanted to send the parcel to Dunstable. The prisoner told him that the parcel contained a little fender and a hearth rug. The prisoner, Barber, then left carrying the parcel under his arm. [Cross-Examined] The prisoner did not ask if anyone had left a parcel for him. George Edward Harman: a pawnbroker of Park Street, Luton. In consequence of new hearth rugs having been pledged by the prisoner, Frederick Barber, he contacted the police. On 31st August around 11.15am the prisoner, Barber, bought the hearth rug into his shop and asked him to advance him 3 shillings on it. He did this and the prisoner then told him that he had sold the hearth rug with a fender to a party but they could not pay him until the Saturday morning. The prisoner, Barber, told him that he thought it safer that the rug be left in his shop. The prisoner also asked him if he would take the fender. He replied that he would as long as the prisoner fetched it back. As soon as the prisoner had left he contacted the detective sergeant, Chamberlain. Mr. Wren came down shortly afterwards and identified the rug as his property which had been stolen that morning from his shop. William Chamberlain: On 31st August between 9am and 10am he saw the prisoner, Frederick Barber, loitering in Church Street near the Wheatsheaf Inn. The inn is about 15-20 yards from the back entrance to Mr. Wren’s premises. From information received he apprehended the prisoner on 31st August and charged him with knowingly receiving a stolen heart rug. The prisoner made no reply. On searching the prisoner he found in his possession 11 pence and a pawn ticket for the stolen rug. [Cross-Examined] When he searched the prisoner, Frederick Barber, he prisoner said that he had a ticket on him. Frederick Barber: Guilty of receiving

item

Webb, Elizabeth,
Wren, William Harry,
Chamberlain, William,
Pedder, John,
Harman, George Edward,
Barber, Frederick

LUTON, stealing, pawnbroker, detective, dealer, furniture, innkeeper, widow, harness maker