QSR1840/3/5/21/b

Depositions William Langford Fountain, Harriet Parkes, Amelia Baker, John Cook, Joseph Baker and James Bates

21 May 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

William Langford Fountain of Cranfield, labourer - he saw Busby at Elstow Fair on 15 May with 4 cows. He met him again at Wootton and they had some beer together there, and some more at Marston. They took their droves on together to Cranfield. Busby asked if he had a pig or a donkey as he had some hay and bean flour to sell. He refused it. Busby said he had a bushel or a bushel and a half and his master should know nothing about it. Busby said he would bring it - he said not to, and told his wife not to let anybody bring any flour while he was away. He went to Salford and when he returned his wife said a man had brought some flour to an adjoining house. He went to Mr Baker and told him what had happened, and that some flour had been brought to John Roe's. Harriet Parkes, wife of Andrew Parkes of Cranfield, blacksmith - her brother Henry Cox came to her house about 9pm on Friday and asked her to let him leave some bean flour there. He left the bag on a chair. Busby followed her brother to the door and she saw a sack across his arm. Busby seemed very "forward with beer". He dropped the sack and went away - her brother went first so did not see this. She picked up the sack and laid it on the table. Soon after she heard a hue and cry that some bean flour had been stolen. She saw the letters J.B. on the sack and was very frightened. She put a stone in the sack and put it in a pond near her house. She was afraid she would get in trouble. Amelia Baker, singlewoman - lives with her brother Joseph Baker at Marston Park. Busby was at the door about 5 o'clock on the 15th. Soon after she saw him in the kitchen putting some bean meal into a sack which was held by a little boy. She told John Cook to help him. She saw Busby carry away about a bushel and 3 pecks in a sack with her brother's mark on it. It was usual for Busby to take the flour, but it was an unusual quantity. John Cook of Marston, labourer - he helped Busby put over a bushel of bean flour into a sack on Friday evening. He asked why it was so much - Busby said it was for the next day as well. He identified the sack produced as the one the flour was put in. Joseph Baker - identified the sack produced as his, rcognised by a particular patch over one of the letters. James Bates, superintendent of police - after much hesitation Harriet Parkes told him what had become of the sack and showed him the place in the pond. He had the pond dragged and got out the sack produced.

item

Busby, Benjamin,
Fountaine, William Langford,
Parkes, Harriet,
Baker, Amelia,
Cook, John,
Baker, Joseph,
Bates, James,
Roe, John

CRANFIELD, MARSTON MORETAINE, ELSTOW, WOOTTON, Cranfield Old George, Cranfield Plough, stealing, flour, Elstow fair, fairs and markets, cattle, blacksmith, police superintendent