QSR1869/4/5/20

Depositions of Mary Lamb of Girtford, a widow. Christopher Jeeves, publican of Girtford. Joseph Robinson, butcher of Northill. Eliza Blunt, wife of John, of Sandy. Thomas Goodship, shoemaker of Girtford. Joseph Newton, police constable of Sandy. John Blunt, labourer of Sandy. Susan Goodship, wife of Thomas. John Robert Jefferies, silversmith of Biggleswade. In the case of Jesse Medlock accused of uttering a counterfeit florin.

6 October 1869

From: 1869 To: 1869

Mary Lamb: she lived at Girtford and kept a beer house. She knew the prisoner and on Thursday or Friday evening he came to her house and had half a pint of ale. He put a 2 shilling piece on the table in payment. She looked at it and told him she did not like the look of it, so he gave her 1d for the beer. Christopher Jeeves: he lived at Girtford and was a publican. On the night of Friday 17 September the prisoner came to his house about 9pm and asked his wife what he owed. She said “you know Jesse” and the prisoner replied “8 pence”. She agreed. The prisoner had a 2 shilling piece in his hand and ordered 3 half pints of beer. He went and fetched the beer and when it came back his wife gave him the 2 shillings piece. She said she did not think it was a good one and she had it from Medlock. Medlock was present. He looked at the coin, tried it and threw it into the passage saying it was not worth a farthing. The coin produced by PC Newton was the same one. Medlock picked up the 2 shilling piece Medlock used very bad language and said he had taken it from old Mother Lamb, meaning Mrs Lamb who lived near. Medlock left saying he would get good money from Mrs Lamb for it and returned a minute or two later and said Mrs lamb had denied giving it to him and would not give him good money for it. He told Medlock that he had not had time to go to Mrs Lamb and back and Medlock said he would prove it next bench day using bad language. Underwood asked for some beer and he and Medlock went away together. Joseph Robinson: he was a butcher at Northill. On 18 September, he employed Jesse Medlock at Sandy market to make out meat for him. He sent Medlock with a piece to Thomas Goodship, which came to 3 shillings and in return Medlock gave him a bad 2 shilling piece and a shilling. He kept the shillings and gave the 2 shilling piece back to Medlock and told him to take it back to Goodship. After some time Medlock came back and said Goodship had kept the 2 shilling piece and he should call on him. About 8pm Mrs Goodship came and told him that she had given Medlock good money. Medlock was present. He offered Medlock a piece of meat instead of paying him and Medlock said “you know I don’t want nothing, I don’t want any bother about the 2 shilling piece I will bring you 1s 6d next Saturday”. He gave Medlock the meat. The 2 shilling piece produced by PC Newton was the same. Eliza Blunt: wife of John. On Friday 17 September Jesse Medlock came to the house and asked her husband to go and have half a pint of beer. Her husband said no as he had no money only a bad 2 shilling. Medlock offered him half a pint of beer and ½ an ounce of tobacco for it. Her husband said Medlock would not have it as it was no more good to Medlock than it was to him and it did very well for the children to play with. The children had it for 3 or 4 day and were playing with it. She believed the piece produced by PC Newton was he same although it looked brighter. It had been bitten by a child. He husband and Medlock left the house and went down the lane together. Her husband was now working for Mr Harradine down in the fens. [cross examination] her husband returned about quarter of an hour later and had his tea and pulled his shoes off and went to bed. He did not go out any more that night. When they left her husband had the money. Thomas Goodship: on 18 September he saw Jesse Medlock who brought a piece of meat for him. He gave him 2 shilling piece and a shilling. He did not think the piece produced was the one he gave Medlock but he did not know. Medlock came back and returned the money. The piece Medlock brought back was not the piece he gave to him. He had not taken any money for 3 or 4 days before and the money he gave Medlock had been in his possession for almost a week. The 2 shilling piece was bad he had given to his wife. PC Joseph Newton: he received the 2 shilling piece from Mrs Goodship on 21 September and afterwards on 23 September he apprehended Jesse Medlock. He charged Medlock and Medlock said he had the coin from the Goodships of Girtford. John Blunt: he remembered being with Jesse Medlock at Sandy on 18 September and he gave him the 2 shilling hit as it was a bad one. He had nothing for it. He gave the coin t Medlock in Mrs Brown’s public house at Girtford. The 2 shilling bit produced by PC Newton was the same one. Susan Goodship: she was the wife of Thomas Goodship. She saw her husband give Jesse Medlock a 2 shilling piece and a shilling piece which she believed to be good money. Afterwards she received a bad 2 shilling piece from her husband and gave it to PC Newton. Robert john Jefferies: he was a silversmith at Biggleswade and the coin shown to him was pewter and had been electroplated. Statement of the accused: he did not remember going into the public house and calling for a pint of ale.

item

Medlock, Jesse,
Lamb, Mary,
Jeeves, Christopher,
Robinson, Joseph,
Blunt, Eliza,
Blunt, John,
Goodship, Thomas,
Goodship, Susan,
Newton, Joseph,
Jefferies, John Robert

Girtford, SANDY, passing counterfeit coin, publican, butcher, shoemaker, silversmith, beer shop keeper, BIGGLESWADE