QSR1869/4/5/15

Depositions of Joseph Rolfe, straw dealer of Eaton Bray. James Dyer, straw manufacturer of Eaton Bray. Mary Ann Purton, wife of James, labourer of Totternhoe. Charlotte Rolfe, wife of Joseph Rolfe, straw dealer. William Champkins, police constable of Totternhoe. In the case of William Fountain accused of stealing a purse and the sum of 9 shillings from the person of Joseph Rolfe.

13 September 1869

From: 1869 To: 1869

Joseph Rolfe: he was a straw dealer at Eaton Bray. On Wednesday 25 August he was at Dunstable market. He rode home from the market with William Fountain and James Dyer. They all went into the Bell at Totternhoe and had some beer. He had 9 shillings in his pocket. There were 2 half crowns, 2 shillings and the rest in sixpences. He paid Mrs Gadsden, the landlady 6d for 3 pints of beer. He then went to feel in his pocket and found his money gone. The money had been in a yellow canvas purse. There was only Fountain, Dyer and an old man there, but the old man was not near him. He told them he had lost his money and Dyer picked up the purse from underneath his chair. There was no money in it. He put it in his pocket and gave it to the policeman on the Thursday night. [cross examined by Mr Neve for the prisoner] they had a pint of beer at the Anchor in Dunstable and some more at the Plume of Feathers. They had a pint a piece and he had drunk one glass before that. They had 2 pints a piece at the Bell. They all had beer enough. He did not know how many sixpences there were. James Dyer: he was a straw manufacturer at Eaton Bray. On 25 August he rode from Dunstable market with Joseph Rolfe and Fountain. They stopped at the Bell at Totternhoe about 2pm and had some beer there. They had 2 pints a piece. Rolfe changed 6d to pay for his first pint. He saw him take the sixpence out of the purse which was in his right hand breeches pocket. He had sat on Rolfe’s left and Fountain stood against Rolfe. Soon after Rolfe said he had no money and that he had lost his purse. He could not find it anywhere. He said to Fountain that he must have it as he didn’t. He told Rolfe that if it was him he would have a policeman see if he could find it. Fountain said he did not have it. Mary Ann Purton, Rolfe’s daughter and his wife came in. One of the women said they must have a policeman. Fountain snatched up 7 shillings and said “there’s all I had of him and take it”. Mrs Purton took the money and he picked up the purse by the old man’s chair. There was nothing in it. [cross examined by Mr Neve for the prisoner] they met at Dunstable and came home in the cart. At the Plume of Feathers they had a pint a piece and some bread and cheese. He had a glass at the market and he was quite sober. Rolfe can’t stand beer like some and he was rather the worse for the beer. Mary Ann Purton: she was the wife of James Purton, a labourer of Totternhoe. From something she heard she went into the Bell public house about 4pm on 25 August. She found her father, William Fountain, James Dyer and another man she did not know there. She said to her father “What’s your game here” and her father replied he had lost all his money. She heard Dyer accuse Fountain and asked Fountain for the money. At first he said he did not have it. Her mother told Fountain if he did not give it up she would send for the police. Fountain gave her 7 shillings. The next morning Fountain came to her house and asked her if she thought her father would know what money he had and that he only had the money he had given her. She gave the money up to the police constable and marked it. It was 2 half crowns and 2 shillings. [cross examined by Mr Neve for the prisoner] he father did not say at first how much he had lost and her father didn’t say it wasn’t all of it when Fountain gave up the 7 shillings. They did not send for the policeman. Charlotte Rolfe: wife of Joseph Rolfe and she lived at Eaton Bray. On 25 August, from something her daughter told her, she went to the Bell at Totternhoe. Her husband, Dyer and Fountain were there. She heard her husband say he had lost his money and they were all talking together. Fountain denied he’d got it. She went to him and told him to deliver up the money or she should send for the policeman. He delivered up 7 shillings and her daughter took it. PC William Champkin: from information received he took William Fountain into custody on 27 August. Fountain said he had found the purse in the house and would not have touched it for a pound had he have known. He produced the purse he had from Rolfe and the marked money from Purton. Statement of the accused: he would leave it to his solicitor.

item

Fountain, William,
Rolfe, Joseph,
Dyer, James (d),
Purton, Mary Ann,
Rolfe, Charlotte,
Champkins, William,
Neve

EATON BRAY, stealing, purse, straw dealer, straw manufacturer, Totternhoe Bell, Dunstable Anchor, Dunstable Plume of Feathers, Dunstable Market