QSR1835/3/5/19-22

Depositions and examinations - Henry Hanson, William Jones, William Roe and Mary Smith, charged with stealing a shirt from Jabez Gregory

9 May 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

Eliza, wife of Jabez Gregory of Luton, labourer – this morning between 9 and 10am she had hung out some linen on a line at Winghall where she lives. Soon afterwards she missed a shirt of her husband’s from the line. John Smith was at work in his garden and said he had seen 4 people go up the road. She and two other women went after them. She can swear the shirt now produced is her husband’s. Fanny, wife of James Mitchell of Luton, labourer – she went with Mrs Gregory after the prisoners and saw them against the gate near Farley Green. She saw one of them in a round frock, who calls himself Henry Hanson, pull the shirt from under his frock and show it to the young woman and the other two. He saw her, ran away, jumped over the bank and went behind a bush. When they got to him she said she saw it in his hand. He then went and fetched it. John Smith of Luton, labourer – he was at work in his garden this morning near Winghall and saw the 4 prisoners go up the road. Soon afterwards Mrs Gregory told him she had lost a shirt. He went after the people. When he overtook them his son had got one of them in custody. Isaac Smith of Luton, labourer – he was at work in his father’s garden and went after the prisoners. When he got near Farley Green the women told him one fo the prisoners had run into the hedge. He went into Mr Crawlys lawn and found the man in a smock frock who calls himself Harry Hanson sitting in the Dell underneath a bush. He [Smith] jumped over the hedge and Hanson went further into the Dell. He went to him and Hanson took the shirt from underneath the bush and gave it to him. He told Hanson he wanted him not the shirt. Hanson set off to run away and he caught hold of him and threw him down. Hanson said the lad had given it to him. He gave Hanson in charge to his father and went to fetch the lad. Henry Hanson – the lad said he had picked up a shirt lying in the road. He said “Cooper [meaning himself], here’s a shirt, take it as you have not got one on your back do you take this”. He went over the bank to put the shirt on. William Jones – he saw him pick it up close to the road against the corner of the hedge. William Roe – he just picked it up against the hedge. Mary Smith – at the time the shirt was found she was 40 yards before them. She did not see whether it was picked up or not.

item

Hanson, Henry,
Jones, William,
Roe, William,
Smith, Mary,
Gregory, Jabez,
Gregory, Eliza,
Mitchell, Fanny,
Mitchell, James,
Smith, Isaac,
Smith, John

LUTON, Luton Winghall, Farley Hill, stealing, clothing, shirt