QSR1921/4/5/5a to 5s

a) The Examination of Arthur Grey Duberly of Fenlake Barnes Eastcott a Lieutenant Colonel (retired) in His Majesty's Army; John William Jackman of Beverly Crescent Bedford, bank cashier; Ernest Snowden St Quinton of Campton Bedfortdshire, a Captain (retired) in his Majesty's Army; Margaret, Lady Ampthill of Oakley; & Ralph Tingay Bedford Police Sergeant taken on oath 22nd September 1921 in the presence & hearing of William John Davies charged with fraud & false pretences., against the above listed people

22nd September 1921

From: 1921 To: 1921

b & c) Arthur Grey Duberly on oath said: I am a Lieutenant Colonel (retire) in His Majesty'd Army & live at Fenlake Barns. I remember Saturday 13th August last, about 3pm a man came to me askinf for help. To my best belief the prisoner is that man. He told me he had served in the 8th Hussars & had been wounded in the war & produced a telegram & a letter. The letter produced marked "A" is the one.He said he was a Variety Artist , he asked me for help. I told him I would advance him the money to get to Aberdeen, I wrote him a cheque (marked B) for £3.10 payable to F Stewart which he said was his name. I gave him the cheque & told him to leave the telegram with me until he came back with his ticket. The prisoner suggested it. Until last friday I had not seen him again. He didnot leave the telegram. I gave the prisoner the cheque because I thought he would loose an engaement if he did not get the money. The prisoner promised to return the mney as soon as he got to Aberdeen. Signed AG Duberly d) John William Jackman, on oath said: I am a cashier in the London County Westminster & Paris Bamk & live in Beverley Crescent Bedford. During the month of Augaut I was Relief Manager at the Branch in Cauldwell Street, The cheque pruduced marked "B" was cashed at the Cauldwell Street Branch on 13th August it bears my cancellation mark. It appeared to be in order & i cashed it signed J W Jackman e) Ernest Snowden St Quinton on oath said: I live at Campton & am a Captain (retired) in the Army.On the last Sunday in August the 28th, between 2 & 3 pm the prisoner came to my house, he told me he wanted to get to Aberdeen & the railway would not ive him a ticket without payment of the money. He handed me a telegram(marked "C") He also showed me a letter in pencil, Ithink it was. He said he had been in hospital in the West of England & he had served in the war. I askedhim several questions. He told me the fare to Aberdeen was £3.18, that he had a brown suit which he could sell for 30/-, I gave him £2.10 whuich he promised to refund me. I gave him the money to get to berdeen because I thought he must have a job there. signed E S St Quinton f) Margaret, Lady Ampthill on oath said: I live at Oakley Tuesday 2nd August about 11 am a man came to ask me for assistance. He was the prisoner I believe. He showed me a telegram & a letter & told me be was a Variety Artist & had been offered an engagemant at £6 a week in Penzance. He asked for the money to pay his fare. He told me he knew my sisiter Lady Mary Trebusis & had tried to find her in London but had just missed her so came to her. He told me that his wife's sister was cook to Lady Mary. I told him I was not prepared to help him immediately & recommended him to go to Colonel Stevens, whose address I gave him. signed Margaret Ampthill g & h) Ralph Tingey on oath said; I am a sergeant in the Beds Constabulary. On Friday the(th September about 8:45pm I was on the platform at Kings Cross Railway Station when I was the Prisoner. I went up to him & asked him his name & he replied "Davies" I said to him "you answer the description of a man wanted on a warrant in the name of F Stewart for obtaining £4 in money by false pretences from Colonel Duberly at Eastcotts on 13th August 1921" I took the prisoner to Somertown police Station where i read the warrant (marked "D") to him & also cautioned him. I also told himthat other charges would bepreferred against him. The Prisoner replied " I don't wish to say anything" shortly afterwards he said " I am the man you want " I then showed him the telegram produce (marked "C") He said " I wrote it. I also wrote all the letters, my missus had nothing to do with it & knows nothing about it. I shall plead guilty to all the charges. What is the charge?" I said " In reference to a cheque for £4 from Colonel Duberly" Prisoner said " I cashed the cheque the same day at a bank. I enlisted in the Middlesex regiment & finished up in the Sussex" I said to the prisoner "have you got a silver plate in your head?" He replied I don't know, there is a bump, I told allthe people I defrauded I had been a comedian but my occupation is a serviceman. I expect I shall get Penial Servitude for this. There are several other cases. I wany nothing hanging over my head when I come out. There is Colonel Duberly, Captain St Quinton & Lady Ampthill in your district. I attempted to obtain money from Lady Ampthill. All the particulars in the telegrams & letters are false. Signed Sergt. Ralph Tingey i) Ralph Tingey, Police Sergeant, stationed at Bedford, states ;- On friday 16th September 1921 about 10:45am I was escorting the prisoner William John Davis from the gaol to the Shire Hall Bedford when he said " I want to see your Superintendent & yourself after the hearing to-day, as I want to make a confession of my past history". I said "do you mean you want to make a statement" he said "yes". At th12:30 pm on the same day I took the prisoner to the Superintentden's office , Gdsby Street Bedford, & in his presence & after cautioning him the prisoner took down the attached statement. Signed Ralph Tingey sergt. j to m) William John Davis who after being duly cautioned wish to make the following statement. I was born in the neighbourhood of Stratford London. My first conviction was at Barnstaple in 1907 for stealing a watch, sentenced to 1 month imprisonmenr for this offence. He then listed a number of offences & the sentences; He joined the Middlesex Regiment at Shoreditch Town hall & was sent to Northampton, started drinking & stealing, sentenced to 6 months, wnet back to the regimant. Went to France in 1917 with the regiment, was wounded in the right hand by shrapnel. sent home & was in various hospitals "I was no further use for the army & ran away from the hospital, went to London & was arrested as a suspected person." More arrests, then charged with desertion, charge withdrawn, went before a Medical Board & recommended for a pension, demobed in June 1920, made serveral application for the pension but only received paper, np money. Resorted to obtaining money by false pretences. Before going to London I borrowed a bicycle from a friend of mine. On 8th September I left the bike in the cloak room at Agate Tube Staion paying 6d for it to be cared for.Went back for it on 9th & it wa gone. Read over to me & signed in the presence of Sergt. Tingey, William John Davis n & o) Willaim John Davies Stands charged before the undersigned , one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace this 22nd September 1921 that he the said William John Davies on 13th August at Eastcotts by certain false prentence did unlawfully obtain from Arthur Grey Duberly a cheque drawn on the London County Westminster & Parrs Bank Ltd for payment of £4 with intend to defraud. & also for that he on 28th August at Campton by certain false pretence did unlawfully obtain from Ernest Snowden St Quinton the sum of £2.10/- in money with intent to defraud. & Also that he on about 2nd August at Oakley by certain false pretence did unlawfully attempt to obtain from Margaret Lady Ampthill a sum of money with intent to defraud. The charges being read to the said William John Davies & witnesses for the prosecution he is asked if he has anything to say, whereupon we says ;- I have already made a statement to the police I don't want to make any staement now. I don't want to call any witness. Signed William John Davies, Edward Creasy justice of the Peace. p to t) Criminal Appeal ct 1907. R. v Davies. List of exhibits; " A" letter "B" cheque "C" telegram "D" warrant all produced for the prosecution signed G Williams , Clersk to committing Justice

item

Duberly, Arthur Grey,
Jackman, John,
St. Quintin,
Lady Ampthill, Margaret,
Stewart, F,
Tingey, Ralph

BEDFORD, EASTCOTTS, CAMPTON, OAKLEY, London, Barnstaple, France, false pretences, money, army, letters, telegraphs, comedian