QSR1831/3/5/11

Depositions of Ezra Eagles, gentleman of Ampthill. Ingram White, labourer of Ampthill. Eliza Swepton, wife of John Swepston. John Swepston, of Maulden. John Walker, labourer of Ampthill. Samuel Dennis, bricklayer of Ampthill. In the case of Jonathan Barker accused of stealing a silver watch and a gold seal.

28 May 1831

From: 1831 To: 1831

Ezra Eagles: about a month or 5 weeks previous he lost his watch. He searched his house for it and having not found it he looked for it in the summer house on his premises called the Moss House. He thought he may have left it there having left it there before, but he did not find it. On Thursday last, Ingram White came to his house and gave him a watch. He knew it to be his. In the afternoon Mrs Swepson brought him the seal which he knew to be his. Ingram White: on the previous Wednesday the prisoner asked him if he had any money in his pocket. He told him he had 5 shillings. The prisoner said that was of no use as he wanted more. He lent him 10 shillings and 6 pence and the prisoner gave him the watch as security. The prisoner asked him to go with him to Maulden about a seal and he did so, where he saw Swepson’s wife and enquired for her husband. He found him at Mr Dowderwell’s public house. The prisoner and Swepson bargained for the seal. Swepston paid the prisoner 7 shillings and 6 pence for it. He believed the seal produced to be the same. He took the watch to Mr Eagles on Thursday morning. Eliza Swepston: she was the wife of John Swepston, a labourer. On Sunday 8 May her husband delivered her the seal. She knew it by the 2 E’s upon it and the face was rather broken. She took the seal to Mr Eagles on Thursday afternoon. John Swepston: a fortnight previous he gave the prisoner 3 half crowns for the seal ring and key. He knew the seal by 2 letters upon it. The prisoner also offered him a watch which had John Whitbread’s name on it, but he could not agree on a price. He believed the watch produced to be the same. John Walker: he was on his way to work at Mr Charles May’s yard when he saw Ingram White produce a watch. He asked White to let him look at it. He examined the watch and told him the name on the watch was John Whitbread, Ampthill and the number on it was 250. Samuel Dennis: the prisoner told him he had found the watch in Mr Eagles summer house, the Moss House. The prisoner showed him the watch and he examined it. He would know it again by the name and number. He did not see a seal. Statement of the accused: he would rather not say anything.

item

Barker, Jonathan,
Eagles, Ezra,
White, Ingram,
Swepston, Eliza,
Swepson, Eliza,
Swepson, John,
Swepston, John,
Walker, John,
Dennis, Samuel,
Whitbread, John,
May, Charles

AMPTHILL, MAULDEN, stealing, watches, bricklayer