Reference
QSR1911/4/5/8c (i) - (xiii)
Title
Depositions: Stephen Hill; William Okins; Arthur Green Wood & Joseph Henry Attwood.
Date free text
30th August 1911
Production date
From: 1911 To: 1911
Scope and Content
QSR1911/4/5/8c (i), QSR1911/4/5/8c (ii), QSR1911/4/5/8c (iii), QSR1911/4/5/8c (iv)
The Borough of Luton to Wit.
The Examination of Stephen Hill of 130 Dunstable Road in the Borough of Luton,
and of William Okins of 29 Cuthbert Street Bedford
and of Arthur Greenwood of Bedford Borough Council and pf Joseph Henry Attwood of Police
Station in the said Borough:
taken on Oath this 30th day of August in year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and eleven at Luton, in the Borough of Luton aforesaid, before the undersigned, one of His Majesty’s Justice of the Peace for the said Borough of Luton, in the presence and hearing of Alfred Earnest Walker who was charged this day before me for that he the said Alfred Earnest Walker on day, the 22nd day of August One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eleven at the Borough of Luton aforesaid. Then being the Baillie of a certain chattel to wit a bicycle of the value of Five pounds the good and chattels of Stephen Hill fraudulently did take and convert the said chattel to his own use and thereby feloniously did steal the same.
This Deponent Stephen Hill on his Oath as follows:-
I am a cycle maker and reside at 130 Dunstable Road Luton for the 21st August the Prisoner came to my shop and hired the bicycle produced for one hour and paid me sixpence in respect of such hire. He returned in a few minutes and said because it had come on to rain he would not need the machine. He then asked me how much I would charge for a day’s hire of the machine. I said three shillings. The next day he came in and asked me how much I would charge him until tea time. The was about ten o’clock in the morning. It was not discussed between us as to what “tea time” referred. I told him the charge would be two shillings. He paid me the two shillings and he took the machine away. In consequence of information supplied to me I applied for and was granted a warrant for the apprehension of the prisoner at about 7 o’clock in the evening. Detective Attwood of the Luton Borough Police Force produced the bicycle now produced (and which I identified as my Property) to me at about 8.45pm on the same evening. The Prisoner was there when Detective Attwood produced the machine to me. He asked me whether I should press the charge against him. I value the bicycle at five pounds
Signed Stephen Hill.
QSR1911/4/5/8c (v), QSR1911/4/5/8c (vi)
The Deponent William Okins of 29 St Cuthbert’s Street Bedford upon his oath saith as follows:
I am a cycle maker. On Tuesday the 22nd August the Prisoner called at my shop between1 and 2 o’clock in the afternoon. He had the bicycle now produced in his possession. He asked me whether I would purchase the machine. I asked him what he wanted for it, he said Two pounds. I told him I had a lot of machines by me and I had given over buying machines unless they were very cheap. He said he had ridden it down from London and was tired and wanted to get to Cambridge and finally asked me whether I would loan him thirty shillings until the next day on the security of the bicycle. I told him “no I should not”. Then said he had to go to Kettering and asked me to let him have enough money to go there by train. I told him it was only about 20miles it was not far to ride. The prisoner then rode away. I have no doubt but that the Prisoner offered to sell me the machine for Two pounds. My suspicions having been aroused I made a communication to the Bedford Police.
Signed William Okins.
QSR1911/4/5/8c (vii), QSR1911/4/5/8c (viii), QSR1911/4/5/8c (ix), QSR1911/4/5/8c (x)
This Deponent Arthur Greenwood of Bedford upon his oath saith as follows:
I am an Inspector in the Bedford Borough Police. On Tuesday the 22nd inst at 1.35pm I was on duty in High Street Bedford. The Prison came to me and enquired for the Town Hall. He was then riding the bicycle produced. I gave him the direction and he then road away. Directly afterwards in consequence of what the last witness William Okins told me I went into St. Pauls Square. I there saw the Prisoner riding the bicycle. I asked him if he had seen anyone at the town Hal. He said “No” I said, “come with me and I will show you the way round the back”. We went to the side of the Town Hall and I then said to the Prisoner “Is that your own bicycle” he said “Yes” I said “how long have you had it”, he said “I bought it last December at a second hand bicycle shop in Scotland Road Liverpool and gave three pounds ten shillings for it”. I then asked him if he had a receipt for it. He said “No”. I then asked him who he was and he thereupon gave me the card produced marked A and said that he was the representative and manager of that company and that he wanted to take the Town Hall for his company to give a performance. I asked him for his address and after some hesitation he gave me 19 Argyle Street, Kings Cross London. He said “I started from that address at 7.30 this morning with the bicycle and I have ridden all the way calling at Hendon St. Albans and Luton and I want to go to Kettering to take a hall there” I told him his answers and explanations were not satisfactory and that he would be detained for enquires. In consequence of enquires made the Prisoner and bicycle were handed over to the Luton Borough Police on the same evening
Signed Arthur Greenwood.
QSR1911/4/5/8c (xi)(xii)
The Deponent Joseph Henry Attwood of upon his saith as follows:
I am a detective constable in the Luton Borough Police Force. On the 22nd of the present month from a communication received from the last witness I proceeded to Bedford. I there found the Prisoner and bicycle detained. I told him I should arrest him for stealing the bicycle. He said I did not steal it. I explained that he was a Bailee of the bicycle and that he attempted to convert it to his own use by attempting to sell it and thereby did steal it. He replied, “I did not steal it. I attempted to sell it but could not sell”
On arresting at Luton I produced the bicycle to the first witness and he identified it as his property. I formally charged him and he made no reply.
Signed: Joseph Henry Attwood.
QSR1911/4/5/8c(xiii)
Borough of Luton to wit.
Alfred Ernest Walker stands before me the undersigned, one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Luton this 30th day 0f August in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eleven for that he the said Alfred Ernest Walker on the 22nd day of August 1911, at the Borough of Luton, then being the Bailee of a certain chattel to wit a bicycle of the value of Five pounds the goods and chattels of Stephen Hill fraudulently did take and convert the said chattel to his own use and hereby feloniously did steal the same.
And the said Charge being read to the said Alfred Ernest Walker and the Witness for the Prosecution being severally examined in his presence the said Alfred Ernest Walker is now addressed by me as follows:
“Having heard the evidence, do you wish to say anything in answer to the charge? You are not obliged to say anything unless you desire to do so; but whatever you say will be taken down in Writing, and may be given in Evidence against you upon your Trial. And you are clearly to understand that you have nothing to hope from any Promise of Favour, and nothing to fear from any Threat, which may have been holden out to you to induce you to make any admission or confession of you gilt, but whatever you shall now say may be given in evidence against you upon your trial, notwithstanding such Promise or Threat:”
Whereupon the said Alfred Ernest Walker saith as follows:-
At 1.35 pm. At the time of my arrest by the Police at Bedford until about 4.30 the same afternoon I would not give them any information who I was only that I was a Music Hall Artist and the manager of a first class company and the card which I tendered him was taken for granted as being my address and the Police made enquires but could find nothing there. At 4.30 I found that I could not return with the cycle I made a statement to the Chief constable of the Bedford Police whose bicycle was, who I was and where I lived still using my professional name.
Rear of Document
Taken before me at the Court House, Luton in the Borough aforesaid, on the day and year first above mentioned.
And immediately after obeying the directions of the 18th Section of the Act Eleventh and Twelfth Victoria, chapter Forty-Two, I, the said Justice of the Peace, did demand and require of the said Alfred Ernest Walker whether he desired to call any Witness; and thereupon in answer to such demand the said Alfred Ernest Walker [neither] called or desired to call[any person or persons]
Signed Albert Wilkinson as Witnesses
Exent
12
Reference
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