QSR1845/4/5/24

Depositions and examination - John Short charged with stealing wheat

19 September 1845`

From: 1845 To: 1845

Edward Barnard of Houghton Regis, farmer – on Friday Sept 19th about 6am PC Dewberry came to his house and asked if he would recognize his wheat and he said he would. He had two sorts standing out in the field, one was a particular sort called White Scotch wheat. He went into the field with PC Dewberry and found several sheaves of the White Scotch wheat had been taken. He went to PC Dewberry’s house and was shown sheaves of White Scotch wheat he immediately recognized as his from a particular weed which grows amongst it in his field. No one else in his neighbourhood has such a weed growing in their fields, nor does any other nearby farmer grow that type of wheat. James Dewberry of Houghton Regis, police constable – on 18 September at about 8pm he saw Short go towards his house with a large bundle of wheat on his back. He followed Short who claimed it was straw he had fetched from his mother’s. He examined it and found it was wheat sheaves. He took possession of the wheat and took Short into custody. On Friday 19th he went to Barnard’s house … [rest as above] John Short – he found the wheat in the high road tied up together.

item

Short, John,
Barnard, Edward

HOUGHTON REGIS, stealing, wheat, farmers