QSR1914/3/5/1a (i) to (xv)

The depositions of witnesses Arthur Tompkins, Agnes Ellen Hawkesworth, Joseph Henry Attwood & Arthur Bacon Deposition, Albert Palmer & Percy Blindell charged on 27th June 1914 that they on 20th June1914 did unlawfully & feloniously break & enter the Warehouse of J & K Connor there situate & therein Feloniously steal 475 pieces of Tagal Plait the goods & chattels of the said J & K Connor The deponent Arthur Tompkins on his oath said the following;

27th June 1914

From: 1914 To: 1914

I am foreman for J & K Connor of 28, 30 & 32 Buxton Road, I reside at 31 Lyndhurst Road Luton. On Saturday 20th June I locked up the warehouse at half past 2. I went to the premisies on Sunday 21st & found No 30 had been forcibly entered from the rear. It was about noon on Sunday when I visited the premises. The back room window was broken, the catch was unfastened, the window open, the door leading from that room into the front part of the premises the lock was forced. There is a passage from the street connecting no's 28 & 30. The gate to 30 was fastened & had been broken open. I notified the police. On the Sunday I went over the premises with Detective Attwood & found a case of Tagal Plait, a quantity of the tagal plait had been taken away. I was certain that 475 peices were missing which would be equal to 19 bundles. The 475 peices which were stolen are valued at 1shilling & 1 penny a peice, that is the price we actually paid for it. Detective Attwood showed me some plait on 22nd June which I recognised as the property of my employers. The 18 bundles of plait now produced are part of the 19 bundles missing. The plait was purchased by my employers on 19th June. Signed Arthur Tompkins The deposition of Agnes Ellen Hawkesworth; I reside at 51 Buxton Road Luton & live with my husabnd who is a blocker. On 20th June between 2 & 3 in the afternoon I was in my front room using my sewing machine. Messrs Connors factory is just apposite & I can see it from the room where I work. I heard a loud rapping on the door. I locked through the window to see what it was & saw Defendant Palmer standing on the front steps of 30 Buxton Road & Blindell was sitting on the lower step. They went up the street together & come back again. When they came back they went up the passage between no's 28 & 30 & after a little while Palmer came out by himself. He walked up & down the the street. here were some boxes at the entrance of the passage & while Palmer was in the street 4 brown paper came over the boxes into the street, Blindell then came out of the passage . Blindell & Palmer each took up 2 of the bundles, One of the bundles I saw would make several of those produced. They carried the bundles away. Signed Agnes Ellen Hawkesworth The deposition of Joseph Henry Attwood; I am Detective Sub Inspector in Luton Borough Police Force. On Sunday last in consequence of a complaint from Mr Tompkins I went to the warehouse in question & we went over the premises & I corroborate his staement as to the damage done to the premises. He told me 475 peices of plait were missing. On 22nd June Iwent to Blindells house & said to him " I am going to take you up the station for the purpose of indentification" He said "What for I have done nothing" I took him to the police station & cautioned him & said "On Saturday last you & another boy were seen to leave Buxton Road with 4 brown paper bundles. You went to the Old Bedford Road, you there gave your 2 bundles to the other boy. He went into a certain house, you went into the "Rabbit Inn". Those bundles contained Tagal Plait which was stolen from Mr Connors factory. He replied "thats right" I afterwards went to Palmers House. I told him I should take him to the station & he replied "I've done nothing". On the way to the station I cautioned him & repeated the statement made by the other prisoner in his absence. I told him Blindell has said "the other boy came into the Rabbit to me & gave me 17 shillings as my half. Palmer said I gave him 17/6 which was half & I had a 6 pence extra which wasgiven to me for myself by the man who bought it. When we got to the station I put the 2 prisoners together & I said I shall charge you together with breaking & entering Connors factory & stealing 475 peices of Tagal Plait. Palmer replied "yes" Blindell made no reply. I received the plait produced from Mr Sidney Charles Cooper's Manufatory , 21 Old Bedford Road Luton. I had it from Mr Cooper himself. I showed the plait to the witness Tompkins & he indentifed it as the plait stolen from his employers factory. As far as what I have said relates to the 2 prsioners Detective Bacon was with me & heard & saw what took place, Signed Joseph Henry Attwood The deposition of Arthur Bacon; I am a Detective Constable in luton Borough Police Force. I was with Attwood during the times he went to each of these prisoners & I heard all that took place & what he has said is correct signed Arthur Bacon. Statement of accused, Albert Palmer charged that on 20th June 1914 he did break & enter the warehouse of J & K Connor & feloniously steal 475 peices of Tagal Plait the goods & chattels of J & K Connor The Justice of the Peace Charles Osbourne asks the accused, having heard the evidence do you wish to say anything in answer to the charge? Whereupon Albert Palmer said, I do not wish to say anything. Taken before me at the Court House Luton , Signed C H Osbourne, Justice of the Peace. Statement of accused, Percy Blindell charged that on 20th June 1914 he did break & enter the warehouse of J & K Connor & feloniously steal 475 peices of Tagal Plait the goods & chattels of J & K Connor The Justice of the Peace Charles Osbourne asks the accused, having heard the evidence do you wish to say anything in answer to the charge? Whereupon Percy Blindell said, I have nothing to say. Taken before me at the Court House Luton , Signed C H Osbourne, Justice of the Peace.

item

Tompkins, Arthur,
Hawkesworth, Agnes Ellen,
Attwood, Joseph Henry,
Bacon, Arthur,
Palmer, Albert,
Blindell, Percy,
Osbourne, C H,
Austin, William

LUTON, stealing, breaking & entering, plait manufacturer