QSR1918/2/5/2(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(v)(vi)(vii)(viii)(ix)

Deponent of William Henry Howard; George Peck; Richard Odell and Detective Sergeant Arthur Bacon.

2nd March 1918

From: 1917 To: 1918

QSR/1918/2/5/2(i) Borough of Luton to Wit The Examination of William Henry Howard of the Biscot Camp in the Borough of Luton, and of George Peck of 22 Dallow Road in the said Borough, and of Richard Odell of Luton in the said Borough, and of Arthur Bacon of Luton in the said Borough, taken on Oath this 2nd day of March in the Year of our Lord One thousand Nine Hundred and Eighteen 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 George Webb who was charged this day before me for that he the said George Webb on Sunday, the 30th day of December One Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventeen at the Borough of Luton aforesaid feloniously did break and enter Christ Church and therein feloniously did steal a watch, cigar case, two One Pound Treasury Notes and a Postal Under for One shilling and sixpence, value altogether two pounds eight shillings and sixpence the property of William Henry Howard. This Deponent William Henry Howard on his Oath saith as follows: - QSR/1918/2/5/2(ii)(iii)(iv) This Deponent William Henry Howard of 63 Ashburnham Road Luton on his Oath saith as follows I am Staff Sergeant for the C Battery 6th Reserves Brigade RFA. On Sunday evening 30th December last I attended Christ Church, Luton, I help in the Choir. I went into the vestry. I hung my Service jacket in the vestry hall. The vestry hall is about 50 yards distant from Inkerman [Hut] by the path. When I went in I closed the door behind me. When the choir proceeded from the vestry to the chancel no one was left in the vestry. In the right hand pocket of my service jacket there was an ordinary metal wristlet watch – in the left hand breast pocket was a black leather cigar case containing two one pound treasury notes and a postal order for 1/6 and several letters and photographs. I am certain the door of the vestry was closed when the choir proceeded to the Chancel by the [] door I mean the inside door and not the outside door of the church. To get into the vestry anyone would have to pass through the outer door and push a [] on the inner door. After the service about 7.30pm I returned with the choir to the vestry. I noticed that my service jacket on the floor as though it had fallen from the peg. I also noticed the buttons of the pockets were unfastened. I did not examine the jacket to see whether everything was intact. I put my service jacket on and went home and on reaching home I put my hand in the right-hand pocket of my service jacket and found the watch from and I then found that the contents of the left hand breast pocket were also missing. I reported the matter to the police and have since been shown the watch by the police and I identify the same as being my property. I estimate the total value of the goods missing from my service jacket at £2.5s.6d QSR/1918/2/5/2(v) This Deponent George Peck of 22 Dallow Road, Luton on his Oath saith as follows: - I am employed at the aeroplane works at Leagrave. I have known the prisoner Webb since Xmas last and about January he came to work in the same shop as I was working in. Towards the end of January, I broke my watch. I knew the prisoner had then himself two watches one a wristlet watch. I asked him whether he would sell one, one of his watches. At first, he dismissed but subsequently agreed to sell me the watch now produced. I gave him 5/- for it. In consequence of something I heard I reported the matter to the Police and handed the watch over to them. QSR/1918/2/5/2(vi) (vii) (viii) This Deponent Richard Odell of Luton Borough Police Force on his Oath saith as follows: - On the 26th February 1918 I received the watch produced from the witness Peck and in consequence of information received at was identified by the witness Howard as being the one stolen from his service jacket. I subsequently name the prisoner Webb who was in custody on another charge. I cautioned him and showed him the watch produced and said this watch has been identified as having been stolen I have [placed]it as been in your possession – how do you account for it. He replied “I went to Christ Church – the outer door was about two inches open the inner door was closed and latched. I opened it and went in the vestry hall and stole the watch a black leather cigar case which I tore up and threw away – the money I spent” I charged the prisoner with feloniously breaking and entering Christ Church on the 30th December 1917 and stealing a watch and other articles from therefrom the property of William H Howard. The prisoner replied “Yes I stole them” QSR/1918/2/5/2(viii)(ix) This Deponent Arthur Bacon Detective Sergeant of Luton Borough Police Force on his Oath saith as follows: I was present at the Police Court on the 13th August 1913 when three charges were prepared against the prisoner Webb – the first charge was for breaking and entering a shop stealing biscuits – the second charge was for breaking and entering a shop with intent to steal and the third charge was for breaking and entering premises and stealing a purse and money. The prisoner was convicted and ordered to receive Six strokes with the birch and his parents ordered to pay costs on the 22nd April 1914, and two charges were preferred against him. One was for shop breaking and the other for stealing a bird and cage. He was found guilty on both charges and was sent to a Reformatory for four years. In all his escapades he keeps to himself and involves nobody else. Signed Arthur Bacon and C. Dillingham Taken before me Justice of the Peace for the Borough of Luton this 2nd day of March 1918. Signed C. Dillingham Rear of document: Easter Session 1918 Depositions

9 pages

item

Howard, William Henry,
Peck, George,
Odell, Richard,
Bacon, Arthur,
Dillingham, C.,
Webb, George

LUTON, Biscot, Luton Dallow Road, Luton Ashburnham Road, breaking & entering, biscuits, purse, money, coat, birds, Birch, stealing