QSR1840/3/5/5

Depositions and examination - John Odell

16 April 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

William Dowdeswell of Maulden, farmer - he was informed the previous morning that his potato pit had been opened and found 3 or 4 bushels of potatoes had been taken. He saw the marks of a man's shoes to the pit and back across some fields, which looked as if the same person had been to the pit across an onion land and back three times. The marks showed both the shoes had tips on the heels with large nails between them, and one of the shoes appeared to have lost some nails at the toe. He traced the marks to the road about 150 yards from Odell's house. He informed Mr Bates the superintendent of police and traced the marks with him. They saw John Odell a little distance off. As Odell saw him and the inspector he turned round, lolled on the wall and hid his face. The inspector looked at Odell's shoes and asked where he lived - he said Clophill, but that his wife lived at a house in Maulden nearby. They went towards the house and saw potato parings he was sure were his on the dunghill. Odell said "I have none of your potatoes Mr Dowdeswell" - nothing had been said about potatoes before. In the house he saw the bag of potatoes now produced, which match the potatoes from the pit - red kidneys which grew on some new land. Odell said he bought the potatoes from Mr Horn of the New Inn at Clophill, at later said he bought them from Mrs Britten and gave 10d for the half bushel. Mrs Britten is Horn's housekeeper. Francis Roberts, No.10 Bedfordshire Rural Police - he accompanied the inspector and Dowdeswell and helped trace the footmarks. After Odell was taken into custody he went with him to Clophill and left him there with the inspector. He took Odell's shoes and compared them with the footmarks at the potato pit. They matched exactly. John Odell - he bought the potatoes at a place in Hertfordshire. He did not buy any from Mrs Britten or Mr Horn. He bought them at Breachwood Green for the price of two bags of sand. They are a poor people. He does not know their name. It was on Wednesday week.

item

Odell, John,
Dowdeswell, William,
Bates,
Britten,
Horn,
Roberts, Francis

MAULDEN, CLOPHILL, Breachwood Green, stealing, potatoes, Clophill New Inn