QSR1899/4/5/8b

Depositions of Annice Moses, Manageress of the Refreshment Room at the Midland Railway Station at Luton; Shadrack Anderson, a Labourer of 37 Wenlock Street Luton; Jane Anderson, wife of Arthur Anderson of 37 Wenlock Street Luton; John Henry Preston, Telegraph Clerk of 69 Cardigan Street Luton; Samuel Green, Stationmaster for Midland railway Company at Luton; William Chamberlain, Detective Sergeant of the Luton Borough Police and Frederick Cheshire, Police Constable in the Beds County Police of Slip End Luton. In the case against Thomas EdwardBrookes accused of breaking and entering a refreshment room of the Midland Railway Company and stealing 3shillings and sixpence in money and a quantity of tobacco cigars and cigarettes to the value of 3shillings and ninepence, the goods of Midland Railway Company.

27 September 1899

From: 1899 To: 1899

Annice Moses said: On Saturday the 23rd of September inst. at 10.45 I locked up the refreshment room I saw that the kitchen window was shut and fastened. The door between the kitchen and refreshment room was fastened and locked – next morning about 10.30 I went to the refreshment room I found the lock of the door between the kitchen and refreshment room broken. I went into the kitchen and found the top sash of the window quite down. The glass was broken at the bottom of the top sash so that anyone could get their finger to window catch. I found a chisel on the kitchen table it did not belong to the Company and I had not seen it before. I produce the chisel. I examined the tills in the Bar and found 2 shillings and 6 pence gone from one and 6 pence from the other 4 ½ pence in coppers from the shelf at the back of the bar. I missed 3 or 4 packets of cigarettes same brand similar as to size to those produced. I also missed 9 cigars of the same brand as those produced. They had been taken from a glass standing on the same shelf – I missed 2 or 3 packets of tobacco same brand and size as the one produced. Shadrack Anderson said: I am a Labourer. The prisoner lodges at the same house I do No. 37 Wenlock Street and occupies the same room. Last Sunday about 5 o’clock in the morning he got up and said he was going to meet his father at the station to get some money to pay his landlady. He left the house and I saw him again same morning about 9 o’clock at breakfast in the kitchen. After breakfast he smoked a cigarette and offered me some loose tobacco. He at the same time said “I’ll serve you all alike” and he gave me 2 cigars and I smoked them. After dinner time the Police came. We remained in the house until the Police came. We went to bed the night before about half past eleven. Jane Anderson said: I am the wife of Arthur Anderson. The Prisoner lodged with me. He came the first Saturday in August last and has been with me ever since. On Saturday he owed me 18 shillings for rent. I asked him for it. He said his father would send it on Sunday morning – On Sunday morning when I came down he was in the kitchen dressed at 8 o’clock. He gave me 4 shillings and 6 pence and said his father had sent it. 4 shillings was in coppers and 6 pence in silver – the chisel produced belonged to my husband. it was shown to me on Sunday afternoon by Detective Sergeant Chamberlain. John Henry Preston said: I am a Telegraph Clerk in the employ of the Midland Railway Company. I was on night duty on Saturday night last at the Midland Railway Station. About 6.30 on Sunday morning I went to the Porter’s room. I saw the Prisoner there alone standing with his back to the fire. I asked him “Is the night foreman here”, He said he thought he had gone lamping. I left the Porter’s room leaving the Prisoner there. I have known the Prisoner since I first came here on 1st June – I had seen him there several times before and thought he had come down to help with the milk. Samuel Green said: I am Station Master at Luton in the service of the Midland Railway Company. Last Sunday morning about 10.45 I had occasion to go round the station buildings. I passed the kitchen window of the refreshment room. It looks on the station road I noticed the top sash down. I examined it and found a little piece of glass was broken out close to the latch and the latch pushed back. I sent for the witness Miss Moses and for the Police. I know the Prisoner – he was formerly employed by my Company as telegraph clerk at Luton and left on the 12th September last year. The last few weeks I have seen him about at the station. William Chamberlain said: I am a Detective Sergeant in the employ of the Luton Corporation. Last Sunday morning I was sent for to the Midland /station about 11 o’clock. I examined the kitchen window and found it in the condition described by the last witness. There were footmarks on the window sill outside and on a table inside the kitchen. The chisel produced was handed to me by Miss Moses – I found the door from the kitchen to the refreshment room had been broken open by forcing the lock off after taking out the screws. There were marks on the outside of the door corresponding to the chisel. The same afternoon I went to the Prisoner’s lodgings with a search warrant I saw him there He was by the fireplace He jumped up and ran upstairs. I called to him but he took no notice. I went outside and could see him in the back bedroom which I afterwards found was his sleeping room. I called PC Bransome. the witness Anderson called the Prisoner and he came down. I said have you any cigars about you. He said no. I said turn out your pockets and let me see. He did so. He had only 2 pence. I searched his bedroom and under some clothes in a Cradle I found the 6 cigars 2 packets of cigarettes and the packet of Players Navy Cut tobacco and on a shelf in the kitchen the part packet of cigarettes produced. I said how do account for these as they answer the description of some stolen from the Midland Railway. He said a man I met on the Midland Bridge this morning gave them to me – I said I shall charge you with breaking and entering the Midland Refreshment Room and stealing a quantity of cigars tobacco cigarettes and about 3 shillings and 6 pence in money. He replied you have got the [end of deposition missing] Frederick Cheshire said: I am a Police Constable in the Beds County force. I was at the lock up on Sunday when the Prisoner was brought in by Chamberlain. He began to make a statement to me in the afternoon and I cautioned him that it might be used in evidence against him. He said he should like to write a statement. I gave him pen ink and paper and he wrote the statement produced. Thomas Edward Brooks [the accused] said: When I came down stairs I me Mr Chamberlain He said I want to speak to you a minute and wanted to go in the front room. the door was fastened I told him so. We then both went in the kitchen and he said to on e of the witnesses tell PC Bransome to come down. Chamberlain went into the kitchen. Mrs Anderson went upstairs while Chamberlain and a witness were talking. When they ceased talking they called Mrs Anderson down. Chamberlain then went upstairs and when he came down he said he should charge me. He said he wanted me to go away and I went. [Marked “A”] T E Brooks beg to state that last night at about 7.30pm I passed by the Town Hall and was stopped by a man who asked me where the place was that Bricklayers lodged. He said he had walked from London and had started from there at 12 noon he shown me a card of some Bricklayers society at Leicester and he went on strike at the Leicester dtrike and went down south to obtain work and was now on the way back to Leicester I took him to the public house at about 7.45 in Waller Street opposite the theatre he could not get a bed there we got into conversation for a while and it was arranged that we should meet at the corner of Hightown Road this morning (Sunday) at 6.00am I got up. At about 6.10 am I went accordingly but he was not there. I waited a little while but no one turned up I then walked down the Midland Road and up Burr Street and then went down to the station in to the porter’s room and sat down against the fire while I was there a telegraph clerk came from the office and asked if I had seen the foreman he meaning the porter I said no I seen him coming in with the lams just now I then went out in the object of going home and when near Mrs Green house I was stopped from behind by the man in question and he said take hold of this for me and added are you coming (meaning Leicester) I said whats up he being out of breath he again said are you coming or else I will punch your head for you I hen said no very sharply he went off down the Midland Road very fast (running) leaving me with the articles tied up in a handkerchief cannot say whether he has gone on to Leicester or not but I can give a very good description of the man about 5 ft 3 dressed in a labourers outfit with a pair of [low] sand shoes on and a parcel with a pair of boots and bread, tied up in a red handkerchief the articles could be seen he left me with the articles in charge of Mr Chamberlain he remarked as he went away you will drop in for it fine if you don’t get out of the town quick I have broken in to a bar the people saw me (him) on the bridge I still kept the parcel and went home with it (the wrong thing to do) I was unaware up to the time of Mr Chamberlains visit where the things were from I directed him to Burr St last night for lodgings but this morning he remarked he had been in the Gents Room on the station I may also add that he remarked he had got his whack. I think that is all and the best evidence I can give. Yours truly T E Brooks Letter from T E Brooks from HM Prison Bedford dated October 30th 1899: Re the charge of breaking into the Refreshment Rooms of the M R Co on the 24th of Sept, I hereby offer a honest and true statement for my defence. I will admit, however, before going any further, that my statement which was written in the Guard Room of the Police Station at Luton on the date last mentioned, is partly true, and partly false for which I regret having written. My evidence is as follows:- On the evening of Sept 23rd I went out from the house where I was lodging or the sole purpose of obtaining a Football Star (as was my regular custom) the witness [Jimmie] Anderson can bear out this statement the paper is of a pink colour. When I got to the Town Hall it would be about 7.30pm as near as I can possibly remember and I stood for a minute or more looking at the Salvation Army giving forth their tumult and whilst I was doing so I was tapped on the back by a young man unknown to me. He said something like the following “Good Evening Sir is this Luton” To which I replied ”I think so” He then went on “Do you know where the place is that bricklayers ser up at” (He seemed to speak as if there was a place set apart for bricklayers) I said “No but I daresay I can direct you to a place for the night” Whereon he said “They told me there was one against the Theatre” I said “Very well then I will go with you as far as there”. Whilst on the way there we got into a general conversation during which he said he had just got in from London started from there about 12 noon (quick travelling indeed) and that he as very tired I said “I should think so too” Well we arrived at the theatre and had a look round, there is only a public house anywhere near the Theatre (besides warehouses) so he went in himself to ask for a bed for the night he was objected to. Well I told him to come with me I would put him right at the Welcome Stranger we went on over the railway bridge and got talking again. He said he was a Bricklayer by trade and having come out at the Leicester strike he decided to journey down south and did so leaving a wife at Leicester he was now on his way back. He wanted to stay in Luton till morning and make to Bedford on the Sunday and so walk a little at a time till he completed his journey. I told him I shouldn’t mind going with him if I could get on alright (I had spoken about going to Leicester two or three times before this) and witness Shadrake Anderson can verify that I asked him to go with me on the morning of the Monday previous when he returned from the Gas House. Well the man in question said it was no use going without one of these (producing a card) I didn’t take much notice however but I could see that it belonged to some Association and had his mane on it but he said I should be alright with him and we accordingly made arrangements for meeting on the morrow. I shown him to the Welcome Stranger gave him 4 pence to add to 2 pence of his own for a decent bed. Sunday morning came and true to my word I got up about 6 o’clock (not five as stated by witness S Anderson) and besides he did not speak to me as he states for it was on the night before I told him that I was going to meet my father. To go on with my statement I met my companion against the Mitre he said are you coming I said yes he said give us a fag I had not got one. I was smoking a pipe I told him I knew where there was plenty he seemed to take to it in an instant although it was far from my thoughts to attempt such a thing I only said it in a jocular manner. He said he would risk it at all events if I would consent to watch I did because I thought it the best game. As it happened on the Saturday morning I had occasion to break some wood for the house for which I employed a hammer and chisel (produced) and when done with I put it into my pocket and never thought of taking it therefrom. It was a handy thing it seems for this Sunday morning how he got in I do not know anyway. I went into the Porters Room for a few minutes I left just after the Telegraph Clerk (witness) came in and I thought it about time to see my companion I walked as far as Mr Greens house and when I got there I was recalled by a whistle. I turned and met him and while we were going down the Midland Road I asked him for the chisel he had left it behind I said Good God you have done me now he said never mind he would go back and fetch it and told me to wait. I waited long enough and I turned back to see what had become of him. When I got on the bridge to look down the M R private road I could just see him turning the corner which leads to Midland Road he waved his hands which I took to be a sign to proceed there, I went but there was no trace of my companion he had given me the things wrapped up in a ladies handkerchief which I can produce and which can be perhaps identified by the Manageress. What could I do I did not know I took them home and told wilful lies about them too and I regret it. I hand this statement Gentlemen to defend me a little if so be that you will comply. I do not see that it is fair for me to suffer a term for him as well the coward that he was I had done him no harm in fact I done him a kindness on the Saturday. I implore on you Gentlemen to deal leniently with me it is my first offence and I am truly repenting for what I have done wrong I have seven years good character from the Company and all the witnesses know me and some of them are my friends and can I think speak good of me providing I do not have a solicitor to defend me. I shall be glad to try and answer any questions asked me. I can assure you Gentlemen I shall never offend again and I humbly beg for mercy. I am Dear Sirs yours respectfully Thomas Edward Brooks.

19 pages

item

Brooks, Thomas Edward,
Anderson, Shadrack,
Anderson, Jane,
Preston, John Henry,
Green, Samuel,
Chamberlain, William,
Cheshire, Frederick

Luton Wenlock Street, Luton Cardigan Street, LUTON, Luton Slipe End, Midland Railway Company, stealing, money, tobacco, cigars, cigarettes