QSR1835/4/5/16

The depositions of John Field, butcher of Luton; Samuel Morris of Market Street Luton and Joseph Dawes In the case against Daniel Roper charged with felony

01 September 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

John Field said: Yesterday afternoon between 5 and 6 o’clock I went into the Crown with Joseph Dawes to have a pint of ale – whilst I sat there I felt something against my hip and I pulled my purse to pay for the ale – putting my hand into my pocket I felt my steel which was laying at my side and I turned it behind me – the prisoner Daniel Roper sat behind me all the while – when I got up to go away the prisoner was gone and I found my apron strings cut and my steel was gone – I told Mr Dawes directly – I went out and found the prisoner in the Priory – I charged him with having my steel he denied having it – Samuel Morris went in and charged him with having it – Morris then took the steel out of the prisoners pocket. the steel now produced is the one that I lost from my side and is the same steel which I saw taken out of the prisoners pocket. Samuel Morris of Market Street said: Yesterday afternoon I was at the Crown at Luton – I saw the prisoner sitting down close to Field – for perhaps half an hour – the prisoner got up and walked away and Field and Dawes went out after him – I then saw the prisoner come up the yard and they following him – I went out and asked them what was the matter – Field said the man who is in the Priory has stole my steel – I said have you been in and searched him – he said no – I bolted into the Priory and got hold of the tail of his coat and felt the steel in his pocket and took it out – I asked him first whether he had got it and he said he had not – the steel now produced is similar to the one taken from the prisoners pocket. Joseph Dawes said: I have heard what John Field and Samuel Morris have said and it is perfectly correct.

1 pages

item

Roper, Daniel,
Field, John,
Morris, Samuel,
Dawes, Joseph

LUTON, butcher, felony