QSR1869/4/5/7

Depositions of Job Odell, labourer of Crawley Green, Luton. Levi Phillips, labourer of Crawley Green, Luton. David Jaquest, police sergeant of Luton. In the case of Henry Farmer accused of assaulting Job Odell with the intent to rob.

30 August 1869

From: 1869 To: 1869

Job Odell: he was a labourer at Crawley Green. He was in the Brewery Tap public house on 21 August about midnight. A little before midnight he was in the company of Joseph Goswell and Levi Phillips. The prisoner Farmer was there. Farmer did something to Goswell and he asked what he had done that for. Farmer replied that if he didn’t like it he could “bloody well have it” and he struck him about the head. Sergeant Jaquest came in and stopped the disturbance and they all left the house. He, Phillips, Goswell and a man named Slough all went down Park Street and turned up Lea Road on their way home. Near Church Walk they met farmer and 5 others. He did not know them. He was struck on the head but no by Farmer. He was struck again, he believed by the same man, and was knocked down. He got up and went towards home. Phillips and Goswell went with him. Farmer and 5 more caught them against Church Cemetery and 2 of them went to Phillips and Goswell and asked for their money. The prisoner and another came up to him and Farmer said “give me your bloody money”. He said he would not as he had to work hard for it. Farmer struck him on the eye and knocked him down. They left him and he went on home. His nose bled all the way home and for an hour afterwards. He lost no money. [cross examination by Mr Scargill for the prisoner] he had 2 shillings and 4d in halfpence in his pocket. He was not tipsy. The prisoner did not seem the worse for drink. Levi Phillips: on 21 August he was at Luton and went home with Job Odell and Joseph Goswell. He met the prisoner Farmer and 5 other betwixt the end of Lea Road and the church walk. He thought it about 12.15am. One of the men, not Farmer, hit Odell twice and knocked him against the stone wall. They all went towards home. Framer and the others overtook them again against the Quakers cemetery next to the Church cemetery. 2 of the 5 men came and asked for his money and he told him he hadn’t any. He was about 10 yards from Odell. The men went back to the others and Farmer struck Odell on the eye and told him to give him his money. Odell replied that what money he had he had worked hard for and should not give it to him. It was after that the Farmer struck him. Odell’s nose bled all the way home and a long time afterwards. [cross examination by Mr Scargill for the prisoner] he had spoken to Odell about it last night. He had been with Odell at the Brewery tap. When Odell said he should not have his money, Farmer said “I’ll have you then” and hit him. Farmer did not try to rob Odell when he was down. Sergeant David Jaquest: he apprehended Farmer on a warrant on 24 August on the charge of assaulting Job Odell with intent to rob him. The prisoner said he expected it and asked if he was taking anyone else besides him and that Odell had struck him as well as him striking Odell. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Odell, Job,
Farmer, Henry,
Phillips, Levi,
Goswell, Joseph,
Jaquest, David

Crawley Green, LUTON, Luton Brewery Tap, assault, robbery