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

Deposition of Arthur Bacon (Police Detective Sergeant) & Lily Pearson case against Eva Lily Cox - Felony stealing a Watch

2nd October 1918

From: 1918 To: 1918

QSR1918/4/5/4b(i) William Austin, Clerk. Telephone 638 Telegraphic Address “Official” Luton Borough of Luton Justices’ Clark’s Office, 7 Georges Street West, Luton 5th October 1918 Dear Sir, I herewith enclose depositions in the case of Eva Lily Cox who is to be delt with under the Borstal System at the next Quarter Sessions. Yours faithfully William Austin (Clerk) W.W. Marks Esq., Shire Hall Bedford ------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/4b(ii) Borough of Luton to Wit The Examination of Lily Pearson of 5 Chase Street in the Borough of Luton, and of Arthur Bacon the Police Station in the said Borough, 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 that she the said Lily Eva Cox on Saturday 21st day of September One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighteen at the Borough of Luton aforesaid feloniously did steal take and carry away a watch value One pound the property of Lily Pearson. This Deponent on her Oath saith as follows: ------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/4b(iii) Evidence against Eva L. Cox. Larceny of Watch. Lily Pearson states as follows: I am a single woman employed in the Box making department at the National Saw Mills, Dunstable Road, and I reside at 5 Chase Street. I know the Prisoner Cox as she is employed in the same shop as me, but a little distance away. On Saturday the 21st of September inst I arrived at work about 7.30 a.m., and the Prisoner was there the same morning. At that time I took my Watch off my wrist, and placed it in a nail box on my bench, at front of me. At 11.50a.m. the same morning I left the Shop to go and work overtime at the trucks in the yard, at that time I left my Watch in the nail box referred to, and the Prisoner Cox was also in the Shop with other girls, and who could leave the Shop by passing by my bench, where I had left my watch. I returned to the shop about 12.50p.m. the same morning and on looking for my Watch, I found that it was missing and the Prisoner Cox, and the other girls had also gone, I then reported the matter to the Police. I value my watch at £1, and no one had any right to take it away. -------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/4b(iv) Arthur Bacon states as follows: I am Detective Sergeant in the Luton Borough Police On Saturday 21st of September inst. I received a report of the loss of a Watch from the National Saw Mills Dunstable Rad. I made enquires and on Thursday last the 26 of Sept. inst I saw the Prisoner Cox at the National Saw Mills, where she is employed. I told her who I was and cautioned her, and in answer to my questions, she stoutly denied ever seeing a Watch in the Shop when she worked, or even working in the same Shop as Miss Pearson, but eventually said “well, I did take the watch from off the bench in the Shop, at the Saw Mills, and I gave it to a girl maned Hilda Clarke at Toddington, the same day.” I conducted her to the Police Station where I cautioned and charged her with stealing a Watch value £1 on the 21st of Sept. inst the property of Lily Pearson. She made no reply. I made further inquires and went to Toddington but failed to find the girl referred to, she then said her name was Lillian Allen Toddington, but this was also false. She then said that she had given it to her little brother at Sundon, this was also false. She then said that she threw it away on the road to Sundon in company with Sergt. Clarke we took her in a motor car, and she showed us where she had thrown the watch, after searching about the hedge and ditch an hour, she told us that she had not thrown it there at all, but had sold it to her Step Sister for 1/-. I took her to see her stepsister and I was handed the Watch produced, which the Prisoner said was the one she had stolen, this in the presence of the Prisoner the sister denied. I returned to Luton and found that it was not the same that was stolen, she then admitted that it was not the one she stolen she as since said that she gave it to a Soldier at Ampthill, then she said that she hid it at the top of their garden at home, up to the present time it has not been received.

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item

Pearson, Lily,
Bacon, Arthur,
Cox, Eva Lily,
Clarke, Hilda,
Clarke, Sergeant,
Toddington, Lillian Allen,
Allen, Lillian,
Austin, William,
Marks, W.W.

LUTON, Luton George Street West, Bedford Shire Hall, Luton Chase Street, TODDINGTON, felony, stealing, watch