QSR1841/3/5/24-27

Depositions and examinations - William Fleckney, William Skinner, William Bates, James Bates

13 May 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

Depositions ------------------- John Fletcher, labourer in the service of Mrs Ann Pedder, widow, of Toddington - he sleeps in the house. About 11.15pm the previous night he came home and saw the wheat barn door open and a light in the barn. He went towards it and saw 3 or 4 men run out of the back door of the barn. He went into the house and told his mistress's friend's daughters. They waited inside the house and in about 1/2 an hour he heard men in the barn again. He saw some of them against the door and some go in. John Ayres was also in the house with him. He went and called Mr Thomas Pedder who lives in Toddington. His mistress's farm is at Thorn in the same parish. He went back to the wheat barn but the men were gone. John Ayres - he works for Mrs Ann Pedder and sleeps in her house. The previous night he was called by John Fletcher who said he heard men in the wheat barn. He went to get assistance and Robert Fossey went with him towards Dropshorts which is 1/2 mile out of the town towards Dunstable. They met William Fleckney and James Bates coming along the road towards Toddington. Each had a stick in his hand. They went on to Dropshorts. He saw Thomas Bates standing against his own door. They stood looking at Bates - he was not doing anything. Fossey remained there and he went back to Toddington to fetch the policeman. The policeman went the front way towardsThomas Bates's and he went the back way. He then saw William Skinner come out of Dropshorts Yard with a bag on his arm. He called Fossey who came and took Skinner. He saw the policeman at the same time take William Bates into custody. Skinner's bag (now produced) had undressed wheat in it. Thomas Pedder, farmer at Toddington - he acts as bailiff for his mother Mrs Ann Pedder. He saw the wheat in the barn the previous day. There was about ten loads thrashed. He saw the wheat that morning and it was one load short. He was called that morning and informed the barn had been broken open. He went with James Powell, a constable, to James Bates's house. The door was not fastened. A woman said Bates was not at home. He went to William Fleckney's house and a woman answered he was not at home. He has no doubt the wheat produced by Ayres and Halliday is his mother's. James Powell, constable of Toddington - between 1 and 2am that morning he was called by Thomas Pedder. They went to Ann Pedder's and found the barn door locked. Mr Pedder unlocked it, they went in but did not see anything particular. They went to the houses of Fleckney and James Bates, but at both houses the women said they were out. They went towards Dropshorts and met Ayres coming towards Toddington. From what Ayres said he went to Pratt's beer shop at Dropshorts and took possession of four bags of wheat. John Odell, William Bates, William Skinner and Thomas Bates all live at Dropshorts. He searched all their houses. In Odell's house he found a heap of wheat ears in a corner, and the same in Thomas Bates's house. Robert Fossey, labourer at Toddington - he works at Mrs Ann Pedders. He was called up that morning by John Ayres and went to Dorpshorts. John Ayres went with him. They met William Fleckney and James Bates. Each had a stick in his hand. He went on to Dropshorts and saw Thomas Bates at his own door. He continued watching Thomas Bates out of his sight and sent Ayres to Toddington for a policeman. Thomas Bates was at the door for half an hour. There was no light in the house. When the policeman and Ayres came back one of them called out - he followed adn caught William Skinner in a field behind Dropshorts with a bag. He and his partner thrashed all the wheat for Mrs Ann Pedder. There were about 10 loads of thrashed wheat the previous night. He is sure the wheat taken from the bag and that produced by Halliday is part of his mistress's wheat. Robert Halliday, police constable stationed at Toddington - at 1.55am he was informed of the robbery at Mrs Pedder's barn. Due to information from John Ayres he went to Thomas Bates's house. He rapped at the door, which was opened without any lock turned or bolt drawn. He saw Thomas Bates in his shirt. He noted the shirt "adhered to his thighs as if from sweating and not as if he had laid in bed". He took Bates into custody. He then went to John Odell's to get assistance as it had the best appearance of any of the houses. He heard a key turn in the door and the sound of a step on the stairs. He rapped on the door and presently Odell came to the window upstairs with a frock and waistcoat on. He saw a hand take off his hat at the same time. He asked Odell to come and help him, but he said he could not as he could not walk down without assistance. He heard a noise behind teh houses. He went round and saw William Fleckney in a kneeling position holding a sack between the wall of one of the houses and his knee. At that moment he heard the struggle between the old man and Skinner. He encouraged Fossey to hold him fast and at that time saw 3 or 4 more men standing together near a corner with 2 sacks standing by them. He seized William Bates. They all made a rush to get away. He tried to seize another, but stooping to recover his staff he was struck a blow on the back of his neck twice. He thinks James Bates was the other man he tried to take. He handcuffed William Bates and Skinner together. William Bates escaped. Examinations --------------------- William Fleckney - he was not nearer the place than when he met Robert Fossey and John Ayres. He went towards home and then away to Fancott and saw no police until he was taken that morning. He was abed at 2 o'clock. He got up soon after and walked up toward Dropshorts as he had been taking salts. He saw no wheat nor anyone with wheat. James Bates called him and came after towards Dropshorts. He said he was going after work. Bates walked back with him and left him about 4am. William Skinner - when he went over to the corner the parcel of wheat lay there just before him and he saw Fossey and Ayres. He went to bed at 8pm and got up at 2am. He was going to get a faggot of wood. William Bates - he went out to do a job for himself. He had been out only a few minutes before the policeman took him. He said he was willing to go for he had not done anything. James Bates - he went to call Fleckney and walked towards Dropshorts after him. He met Fleckney coming back, turned back with him and they walked about together.

item

Fleckney, William,
Skinner, William,
Bates, William,
Bates, James,
Fletcher, John,
Pedder, Ann,
Pedder, Thomas,
Ayres, John,
Fossey, Robert,
Powell, James,
Pratt,
Odell, John,
Halliday, Robert

TODDINGTON, Thorn, DUNSTABLE, Toddington Dropshort, stealing, wheat