QSR1918/4/5/4a(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)

Depositions of Witnesses: Janet Spalding; Arthur Edward Flemons & Arthurt Bacon Police Detective case against Eva Lily - Cox - Larceny of Cycle.

2nd October 1918

From: 1918 To: 1918

QSR1918/4/5/4a(i) Borough of Luton to Wit The Examination of Janet Spalding of 5 Crawley Green Road in the Borough of Luton, And of Arthur Edward Flemons of Wenlock Street in the said Borough of Luton. And of Arthur Bacon in the said Borough Luton taken on Oath this 2nd day of October 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 Eva Lily Cox who is charged this day before me for that she the said Eva Lily Cox on (left blank) day, the (left blank) day of One thousand nine hundred and eighteen at the Borough of Luton aforesaid feloniously did steal take and carry away a bicycle value six pounds the property of Janet Spalding. ------------------- QSR1918/4/5/4a(ii) Evidence against Eva L. Cox. Larceny of Cycle Janet Spalding States as follows: I am a single woman employed at the National Saw Mills, Dunstable Road, as Supervisor, and I reside at 5 Crawley Green Road. I know the Prisoner Cox, as she was employed in the Box making department at the National Saw Mills under my charge. On Monday the 2nd of September inst I rode to work on my cycle arriving there about 7.35am, I placed my cycle in a Shed which is about 100 yards from the highway, and the entrance to the Works. About 10.30a.m. the same morning I went to the Shed referred to, and found that my cycle was missing, the Shed was not locked and anyone could go in. I reported the matter to the Police the same morning. The Prisoner Cox did not clock in that morning, and she stayed away during that week. As she went to the Room where she worked, she would pass the Shed whereby cycle was stored. On Thursday evening last the 26 of Sept inst I was shown the cycle produced by Det. Sgt Bacon, which I identified as my property, and the same which I placed in the Shed at the National Saw Mills on the 2nd of Sept, and which was afterwards missing, and I value it at £6. Somehow after I told the Prisoner Cox, that my cycle had been stolen from the works, no one had any right to take it away. --------------------- QSR1918/4/5/4a(iii) Arthur Edward Flemons state as follows: I am Metal Dresses employed at Diamond Boundry and I reside at No. 1 Wenlock Street, with my parents. About 12 months ago I was employed at the Skefko Works, and the Prisoner Cox was also employed there in the same Room. I have seen her with a Bicycle in her possession when she has left off night work, so I took it that she could ride one. I left the Skefko sometime ago, and I did not see her again until about 3 weeks ago, it was about 10.39a.m. on Monday the 2nd of Sept inst, I saw her in Bute Street, and in course of a conversation. I had with her, she asked me if I knew anyone who wanted to buy a Bicycle (at that time she had not got a bicycle in her possession), I said “I myself was looking out for one,” she replied “I have got one to sell, but I’ve put it up, I took it that she had stored it. I then arranged to meet her in a quarter of an hours’ time at Wardown Gate, and she said that she would bring the Bicycle to me. I left her at the top of Bute Street and George Street, and she went in the direction of Upper George St., and I proceeded to Wardown, as arranged. She had previously told me that she was employed at Kents. About a quarter of an hour later she came to me at Wardown Gate, and she was riding the bicycle “produced” immediately she got to me “I asked her, how much she wanted for it” and she replied, “I’ll leave the price to you”. I did not ask her if it was her cycle or not. I then told her that I would giver her 50/- for it. I then took possession of the bicycle, and told her to wait against Wardown, whilst I took it up to Kents, to see my father, which I did. And in consequence of a conversation we had about the price, I returned and told the Prisoner Cox that I would give her £2 for it, which she accepted. I then told her to wait against Wardown which I fetched the money. I then rode the cycle produced, home, and returned with the £2, which I gave her at the bottom of Cromwell Hill, she did not give me a receipt. I left her there, and I did not see her again. I bought the cycle for my Father, with his own money. On Thursday last the 26th of Sept inst. Det. Sgt. Bacon saw me, and in consequence of what he said I eventually told him that I bought the cycle. -------------------- QSR1918/4/5/4a(iv) Arthur Bacon states as follows: I am a Det. Sgt. In the Luton Boro’ Police. On Monday the 2nd of Sept inst I received a report of the loss of this cycle from a shed at the National Saw Mills Dunstable Rd. I made enquires, and on Thursday last the 26 of Sept. inst I had the Prisoner Cox in custody on the previous charge, I cautioned her knew anything about her, and in answer to my questions, she denied that she knew anything about a bicycle which was missing from the Mills, and said “I’ve got a cycle of my own, I don’t want another” but eventually said, On Monday the 2nd of Sept, I rode to work on my cycle , I left it at a shop in Collington Street, I then went to the works, and stole a bicycle from a Shed, it was a brown cycle, I then went against the Town Hall, when I saw a man, I believe his name was Clarke, and he was employed at the Skefko when I was, we walked down Bedford Rd together and he asked me if I wanted to sell the Bicycle, and I said “yes” he said he would give me £2 for it, he took the cycle, and went up Cromwell Hill, about ten minutes later, he returned with the £2 which he gave me, and I have not seen him since, he did not ask me if it was my cycle or where I got it from. From further enquiries I, I have the cycle produced so the possession of the first witness Flemons then to the second witness Flemons, and eventually recovered it from the witness mooring at Markyate, it was later identified as the one stolen, I then showed it to the Prisoner Cox, and cautioned her and said “this cycle has been identified as having been stolen from the National Saw Mills, and I’ve placed it to your possession” she replied “that’s the one I stole from there, I then cautioned and charged her with stealing a lady’s cycle value £6 on the 2nd Sept inst the property of Janet `Spalding, and she made no reply. Rear of Document: Michs. Sess. 1918 Depositions

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Cox, Eva Lily,
Spalding, Janet,
Flemons, Arthur Edward,
Bacon, Arthur

LUTON, Luton Bute Street, Luton Wenlock Street, Wardown, Luton Upper George Street, Luton Cromwell Hill, Luton Dunstable Road, Saw Mills Ltd, Diamond Foundry Co. Ltd, Skefko, metal worker, bicycle, cycles, larceny, stealing