Herts Advertiser - April 1871

From the Herts Advertiser, 1st April 1871

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

Alfred Winter, of London, was brought up in custody before W. Bradley, Esq., at the Police-station, on Saturday last, charged with obtaining from Alfred Bell, of the Lamb public-house, Chequer-street, [St Albans], the sum of £125 by false pretences.

The prosecutor deposed: I am residing at the Lamb public-house. I answered an advertisement which appeared in Lloyd's News for letting the said Lamb public-house, and came down to St. Albans on Monday last, the 20th day of March, and saw the prisoner who was then in possession of the public-house. He represented to me that he had got the consent of the landlord, Mr. Parsons, the brewer, who would accept me as the tenant in succession to him. Upon the faith of that representation I paid the prisoner the sum of £125, and the prisoner gave me a receipt for that, including a sum of £59, a liability, due to the spirit merchant, Mr. Balderson, and which I took upon myself. I produce the receipt at the back of the inventory which I saw the prisoner sign. I paid the money in London, to Mr. Passingham, the prisoner's broker, who came to St. Albans with me the same day, namely the 20th March, but the receipt for the money was signed by the prisoner, at St. Albans, and was witnessed there by Mr. Passingham. On the following day, the 21st March, I saw Mr. Parsons, the landlord, who told me he would not accept me as tenant, as he had another person in view for the house. The prisoner was present with me at this time.

The prisoner was remanded till Saturday, and admitted to bail.

From the Herts Advertiser, 8th April 1871

ALLEGED FALSE PRETENCES

Thomas Winter [sic] surrendered to his bail on remand at the Police Station on Saturday forenoon, before W. Bradley, Esq., charged with obtaining from Alfred Bell, the occupant of the Lamb public-house, Chequer-street, the sum of £125 by false pretences.

The defendant denied the charge in toto, and was now represented by Mr. Ody, of London.

The prosecutor's deposition, taken at the first examination, which ran as follows, was now re-read:- I am residing at the Lamb public-house. I answered an advertisement which appeared in Lloyd's News for letting the said Lamb public-house, and came down to St. Albans on Monday, the 20th day of March, and saw the prisoner who was then in the possession of the public-house. He represented to me that he had got the consent of the landlord, Mr Parsons, the brewer, who would accept me as the tenant in succession to him. Upon the faith of that representation I paid the prisoner the sum of £125, and the prisoner gave me a receipt for that, including a sum of £50, a liability due to the spirit merchant, Mr. Balderson, and which I took upon myself. I produce the receipt at the back of the inventory which I saw the prisoner sign. I paid the money in London, to Mr. Passingham, the prisoner's broker, who came to St. Albans with me the same day, namely the 20th March, but the receipt for the money was signed by the prisoner, at St. Albans, and was witnessed there by Mr. Passingham. On the following day, the 21st March, I saw Mr. Parsons, the landlord, who told me he had another person in view for the house. The prisoner was present with me at this time.

By Mr. Ody: I had been to see the Lamb public-house twice before the 20th of March, I saw the prisoner on the first occasion. I had no conversation with him then as to taking the house. I did not see him on my second visit. I did see Mr. Passingham the agent on that occasion. I had a conversation with him as to taking the house; in consequence of what passed between us I agreed to take the house and give Mr. Passingham an I O U for twenty pounds, the one now produced. On the following day I called at Mr. Passingham's house in London, and paid him £10 off the I O U, and it was afterwards arranged I was to take possession on the 20th day of March. On that day the 20th, I called at Mr. Passingham's house, and paid him the remainder of the purchase money, the £115, as agent for Winter. It was after I had paid my money that the conversation took place about obtaining the brewer's consent.

As it was evident from this that the charge could not possibly be established, the court thought it unnecessary to proceed further, and accordingly ordered the defendant to be discharged.