QSR1868/4/5/3

Depositions of William Spendlove, draper of Leighton Buzzard. Sarah Turnham, singlewoman of Leighton Buzzard. Thomas Ruffhead, police constable stationed at Leighton Buzzard. William Knight, superintendent of police for the Leighton Buzzard division. In the case of Mary Ann Jelly, wife of John, accused of stealing 36 yards of Holland.

11 August 1868

From: 1868 To: 1868

William Spendlove: he was a draper at Leighton and knew the prisoner as she was a customer. On 1 August about 10pm his attention was called to some goods outside the shop. He missed 36 yards of Holland valued at 30 shillings. He had seen it a few minutes before. He was informed the defendant had it and went up the street and overtook her. He told the defendant he wanted her and she asked him what for. She returned with him to his shop and gave up the Holland. He identified it as the piece he had missed. He informed the police. He asked the prisoner her name and she at first hesitated and did not give it. He then fetched the police. He was willing to forgive her as she gave her name to his wife and had given up the Holland. The PC was then in the shop. He let the defendant go. He had seen the defendant since the 1 August and she came to him asking to be forgiven and he told her it was in the hands of the police. She said she was sorry she had taken the Holland and that she had taken half a pint of ale and believed it had gone to her head. On the night of the theft the prisoner had left him 2 shillings at the shop and said she was willing to pay for any damage done. He took the 2 shillings as the Holland was crumpled. The prisoner was in the possession of the Holland for about 5 minutes. [cross examination] there had been 3 pieces of Holland outside the shop. When he went after the prisoner she said she had picked the cloth up off the street. The prisoner willingly gave up the Holland. The Holland was damaged and he wanted 3 shillings and the prisoner gave him 2 shillings for the damage. He did not take the 2 shillings and returned it on the following Monday. He thought it had been settled. Sarah Turnham: she was a single woman and lived at Leighton. She did not know the prisoner. On 1 August about 10pm she was passing the brewery at Leighton close to the prosecutor’s shop. She saw the defendant folding some Holland and covering it with her shawl. She went into the shop and told the prosecutor what she had seen. He went off after the prisoner and she saw the prisoner return with the prosecutor to the shop with the Holland. PC Thomas Ruffhead: on 1 August he was told by the prosecutor that woman had taken 36 yards of Holland from his shop window but he had found the woman and she had given it up but he wished him to go to the shop. He saw the defendant and the Holland. He was going to take the defendant into custody when the prosecutor said he did not intend to charge her but wished to know her name. The defendant gave her name. The prosecutor took the defendant out of the back door and he left the shop. On returning he told the prosecutor the woman would be summoned by the Superintendent. The prosecutor said he had made it all right with the defendant and she had given him 2 shillings and he had let her go. He had not seen the 2 shillings pass. He had told the Superintendent about 10 minutes before he had returned to the shop for the second time. Superintednt William Knight Clough: on Friday 7 august he saw the defendant at her house at Linslade. He served the summons on her there and read it through to her. He charged her with stealing the Holland. The defendant said she had picked up the Holland from the ground and after Spendlove had it back from her he had asked her for 3 shillings and she had given him 2 shillings. Statement of the accused: “I am quite innocent”.

item

Jelly, Mary Ann,
Spendlove, William,
Turnham, Sarah,
Ruffhead, Thomas,
Knight, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, LINSLADE, stealing, cloth, draper