QSR1835/3/5/38-39

Depositions and examinations - Mary Snook, wife of James Snook, and Ann Chandler charged wtih stealing one piece of carpet (value 20s) and one washing tray (value 3s) from Isaac Chapman

30 June 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

Isaac Chapman of the Priory in the parish of St Paul, Bedford, shoemaker – about 3 months ago he lost part of a carpet. He had hung it to air in George Bushby’s yard next to his yard. He missed it the next morning. He made enquiries but heard nothing about it. Snook did not then live near them, but he now lives just at the back part of his house, very near the Priory House. Information was brought to him yesterday morning by Edward Parcell as a result of which he went to James Snook’s house. In the first room on the left hand side upstairs he saw part of his missing carpet. Snook was not at home but his wife was. He said nothing about the carpet but obtained a search warrant which he delivered to Mr Hill to execute. The four pieces of carpet now produced by Hill are his property. The small piece of border now produced was from the same carpet and was left behind in Bushby’s yard. The carpet was entire when he lost it except the small piece of border. [Further statement] On the same night he missed the carpet he also missed a washing tray, which is the tray now produced by Hill William Frederick Hill, constable of Bedford – yesterday afternoon he executed a search warrant at the house of James Snook in the [parish of St Paul. He saw both James Snook and Mrs Snook. He told them he had come to search for a piece of carpet. Mrs Snook said she knew what carpet it meant and went upstairs and brought down to him the largest of the 4 pieces. She said she bought it from Slater’s for half a crown. James Snook said he knew nothing at all about it. He went to the house of William Slater which is just at the back of Snook’s and near Chapman’s. He told Slater he had come to look for a bit of carpeting which had been lost. Mrs Slater said in her husband’s hearing that she had got a piece she bought of Mrs Snook. She then went upstairs and brought down one of the other pieces of carpet. He asked her if she had any more. She said no. He asked her to allow him to go upstairs to look. She said he might. She ran upstairs first. He followed. She met him at the top of the stairs with the other two pieces. He asked if she had got any more and she said she had not. She said that all she had she bought from Mrs Snook. [Further statement] He made a further search at the hosue of William Slater and found the washing tray now produced. William Slater – he is innocent of it. He knew nothing about the carpet being stolen until Mr Hill came for it. He was in bed asleep when it came into his house. He first saw it about 6 or 7 weeks ago. He asked his wife how she came by it and she said it came from Mrs Snooks. Sarah Slater, wife of William Slater – Mrs Snook has several times come to her house wanting the young woman who lives with her [Slater], Ann Chandler, to go out with her between 10 and 11pm, but she wished Chandler to stay in thinking it was bedtime. With great persuasion she went out with her on the night she supposes the carpet was stolen. She knew nothing of it until the morning when Mrs Snook came into the room when she was lighting the fire. Mrs Snook asked if Ann was up and she said she was not. Mrs Snook went upstairs to her in her room as she had several times before. She does not know what conversation they had. When Mrs Snook came downstairs she said “I have give Ann a bit of carpet to help carpet her room”. Nothing more passed then. She had not seen the carpet at that time. After Mrs Snook left she saw a piece of carpet in the bedroom where Ann Chandler sleeps. It is the one she delivered to Mr Hill. The carpet was later divided into 3 pieces to make it go further. She asked Ann Chandler if she knew where Mrs Snook had it from. She said she did not. She did not consider it had been stolen as Mrs Snook had given Chandler several trifles before so no more was said about it for a time. After a little while Ann Chandler said she did not have any particular use for the carpet and would sell it to her. She bought it from her for 4s. It was then in two pieces, one of which she divided into two. James Snooks – about 6 weeks ago he went home to one of his meals and his wife said “I have bought a piece of carpet of Ann at Slater’s” which was upstairs. He examined the carpet and said he thought it was quite enough money for it. His wife had told him she gave half a crown for it. Mary Snook, wife of James Snook – 6 or 7 weeks ago Sarah Slater offered her a piece of bedside carpet. She went to look at it. Mrs Slater took her upstairs into a bedroom in which she saw Ann (whose other name she does not know) sitting upright in bed. Mrs Slater pointed out a piece of carpet lying on the floor. Ann said “the carpet belongs to me but I owe Slater money and she can have two bits and you can have the other if you please”. Ann asked for either 3s or 3s 6d. She said it was too much as it was so faded and bought it for half a crown. It is the largest of the 4 pieces produced. She saw Mr Chapman yesterday about 11.30 and asked if his house was to let. He said it was and she said she wished Mr Snook to take it. She took him upstairs to show him their house and the piece of carpet lay by her little Emma’s bedside. Mr Chapman came again with one Wright to look at the house. She said they were welcome to go. They went upstairs and the carpet still lay there. She never took either the tray or the carpet. Ann Chandler of St Paul’s, Bedford, spinster – she lodges at William Slater’s house. She has lodged there about 3 months. Mrs Snook came to her as she sat at supper about 6 or 8 weeks ago and asked her to go out, saying her husband was not at home. They went round by Isaac Chapman’s house. Mrs Snook turned into his yard and she went on home and stood against Mr Shepherd’s the shopkeeper’s. Mrs Snook came up with the carpet in her hand and gave it to her. She asked who she had it from. Mrs Snook said it did not matter. She asked where she was going to take it. Mrs Snook said she would not take it home for fear her husband should be there. They took it into Mrs Slater’s kitchen. Mr and Mrs Slater were both in bed and knew nothing about it. Mrs Snook said nothing to her when she turned into Chapman’s yard. Nothing was said about the carpet until she returned with it. She did not know what Mrs Snook was going after. She waited at Shepherd’s to see if she was coming. She has had no conversation with Mrs Snook about the carpet since it was found yesterday. After they took the carpet into the house Mrs Snook said there were two trays in the yard. She went almost as far as the gate with Mrs Snook and told her to leave them alone but she went in and fetched the tray. She herself stayed out in the road. One of them (she is not sure which) carried the tray into Mr Slater’s house. It has been there ever since.

item

Snook, Mary,
Snook, James,
Chandler, Ann,
Chapman, Isaac,
Hill, William Frederick,
Slater, William,
Slater, Sarah,
Bushby, George,
Parcell, Edward

BEDFORD, Bedford St.Paul, stealing, carpets, household goods, shoemaker, constable