QSR1911/4/5/9a (i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)(x)

Statement of Accused - Amos Clark Depositions: William Newins Ward; Lewis Stanbridge & Joseph Henry Attwood.

20th September 1911

From: 1911 To: 1911

QSR1911/4/5/9a (i) Borough of Luton, To Wit Amos Clark stands charged before the undersigned, one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the Borough of Luton, this 20th day of September in the year One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eleven for that he the said Amos Clark between the 1st and 14th days of September 1911, at the Borough of Luton, feloniously did break and enter the Factory of William Newins Ward there situate therein feloniously did steal Sixteen Straw Hats, one Hat Brim and Eleven Chip Crowns the goods and chattels of the said William Newins Ward. And the said Charge being read to the said Amos Clark and Witnesses for the Prosecution being severally examined in his presence, the said Amos Clark 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 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 your gilt, whatever you shall now say may be given in evidence against you upon your Trial, notwithstanding such Promise or Threat: “ Whereupon the said Amos Clark saith as follows:- I plead guilty and I am very sorry. Rear of Document: Taken before me at the Court House, Luton, in the Borough aforesaid, on the day and year first abovementioned. And immediately after obeying the direction 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 Amos Clark whether he desired to call any witnesses: and thereupon in answer to such demand the said Amos Clark [neither] called or desired to call [any person or persons as witnessed. Signed Albert Wilkinson QSR1911/4/5/9a (ii) Borough of Luton to wit. The Examination of William Newins Ward of 9 Peel Street in the Borough of Luton, And of Lewis Stanbridge of 13 John Street, in the said Borough, And of Joseph Henry Attwood of the Police Station in the said Borough Taken of Oath this 20th day of September in the 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 Justices of the Peace for the said Borough of Luton, in the presence and hearing of Amos Clark. Who was charged this day before me for that he the said Amos Clark between, the 1st & 14th days of September One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eleven at the Borough of Luton aforesaid Feloniously did break and enter the Factory of William Newins Ward there situate and therein feloniously did steal Sixteen Straw Hats, on Hat Brim and Eleven Chip Crowns the goods and chattels of the said William Newins Ward. This Deponent William Newins Ward on his Oath saith as follows: QSR1911/4/5/9a (iii)(iv) I am a Straw Hat manufacturer and my factory is situated at no. 9 Peel Street Luton. The Prisoner was formerly casually employed by me. During the past month, I have missed a quantity of hats from my stock. I gave information to the Police. One Saturday the 9th instant I made up an Order of two dozen hats ready to go away on the following Monday. I left my factory at 4 o’clock pm on that Saturday and when I left, I locked the premises up securely. I returned to business at 9 o’clock on the following Monday morning when I missed 15 hats out of the two dozen which I had got ready on Saturday to be sent on the Monday. The hats were in the front room upstairs in a separate heap. I also missed a number of chip crowns. I gave information to the Police and on the 16th September 1911 Detective Attwood showed me the hats produced which I identified as being a portion of my property. The whole of the goods I missed on the Monday morning I value at Onepound and eight shillings Signed William Newins Ward QSR1911/4/5/9a (v) (vi) (vii) This Deponent Lewis Stanbridge of upon his Oath said as follows: I am a job buyer in the Hat Trade and reside and carry on business at 13 John Street Luton I have known prisoner 10 or 12 years. He worked where I bought thousands of hats that was at Mr Wright’s of Adelaide Street, Luton. A week last Saturday Prisoner came to my house and brought me a dozen or fifteen crowns and brims. He did not say where the came from and I did not ask him. I sis nor know where he was working at the time. I gave about eight shillings a dozen for them. I consider that a fair price for me as a job buyer. I knew prisoner was in a good place the season before. He brought them to my shop before breakfast. It did not seem to me unusual as I generally go to London to by the Seven fifty am. On the Saturday the 16th instant Detective Attwood fetched the hats produced away which are a portion of those I brought from the Prisoner. As regards the finished hats, I sold them to a man named Joseph another hat jober. He gave me about ten pence a piece. Signed L. Stanbridge QSR1911/4/5/9a (viii) (ix) (x) This Deponent Joseph Henry Attwood of upon his Oath saith as follows: I am a Detective Constable in the Luton Borough Police Force. From information received, I kept observation on this factory from time to time from about the 7th instant. On Saturday the 16th instant I found Prisoner in custody at the Police Station and in answer to my question he said on Saturday last I had 15 hats from there on Monday last I had 13. I did not take any home I took them to Stanbridge directly I stole them. ‘Stanbridge’ did not ask as to where I got them from. I then visited Stanbridge’s shop and found there the hats I now produce and identified them as corresponding to the description of the goods stolen. I took possession of them and afterward produced them to the Prosecution who identified them as his property and valued them at one Pound eight shillings and three pence. This morning I charged the Prisoner with his offence and he replied “Then you found it quite right what I told you” and I relied “Yes” Signed Joseph Henry Attwood

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Clark, Amos,
Wilkinson, Albert,
Ward, Newins William,
Stanbridge, Lewis,
Attwood, Joseph

Williams Newins Ward, felony, hats, jobber, detective, Luton Peel Street, Luton John Street, LUTON