QSR1841/1/5/19

Depositions and examination - Reuben Warner

7 December 1840

From: 1840 To: 1841

Jonathan Abbott of Flitwick, farmer - he is the son of John Abbott of Flitwick, farmer. His father had barley in a barn in the parish of Harlington. It was threshed but not dressed. The previous day Frederick Hodgson, police constable, showed him two samples of barley which matched the barley in his father's barn - the barley was grown on white land and had in it crow needles and burrs. Frederick Hodgson of Toddington, police constable 35 - on the previous Saturday 5 December a man came to him and told him he had seen Reuben Warner and Thomas Bates, both labourers of Toddington, with loads in sacks on their backs coming across Mr Foxley's field. They watched them and saw them take it into a barn belonging to John Sinfield. He called upon Mr Foxen near Sinfield's and then met with Fletcher, late constable, and told him to take charge of the persons in Sinfield's house until he had searched Sinfield's barn. He and Sinfield found two sacks with about 5 bushels of barley in each. Sinfield said he did not know how they came there. He took Sinfield to Mr Lewis's the magistrate, and afterwards took Reuben Warner and Thomas Bates into custody. After making inquiries he found that Mr Abbott of East End Flitwick had lost some barley. William White of Toddington, servant - the previous Saturday night he saw Reuben Warner with a sack on his back go into Sinfield's barn. About 1/4 hour later he saw Thomas Bates go into Sinfield's house, but he had nothing with him. William Poole of Toddington, labourer - last Saturday night he saw Reuben Warner with a sack on his back go into Sinfield's yard. He bid him good night. Thomas Wilson of Harlington, labourer - he works for Mr Abbott at Harlington. He threshed the barley in his barn. On Tuesday night he left a quantity of threshed barley there. The shortest of the chaff had been screened out of it. He left the barn locked about 5pm. The next morning it was locked. He saw barley littered outside the door. He missed a quantity - about 4 or 5 bushels. He has compared the samples and they are both his master's barley. Reuben Warner - he had nothing on his back all day on Satuday. He knows nothing about it.

item

Warner, Reuben,
Abbott, Jonathan,
Abbott, John,
Hodgson, Frederick,
Bates, Thomas