QSR1841/3/5/36/a

Depositions - Edward Ring charged with burglary

15 June 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

Robert Hewlat of Oakley, miller - he went to bed the previous night about 8.30pm leaving his granddaughter Elizabeth Hulat and 2 man servants John Ward and William Abbott still up. In the morning he found his dairy window broken. It was a strong wood lattice window with iron stancheons. The wood lattice work was broken. The stancheons would have prevented anyone getting through but a person could have taken anything within arm's reach. He does not himself know that anything was taken. It appeared the laths of the lattice work were pulled off the frame as the nails were nearly all left in. He saw a muck drag belonging to him in the dairy, which was left in the hose of the cistern in which they salt bacon. There were pies and dishes on the cistern which were not removed. There was a little wicker basket which stood in the dairy window and was burnt on the lid as if a light had been placed upon it. Edward Chapman, constable of Oakley - that morning he saw the prisoner on his premises from his bedroom window. He dressed, followed Ring and overtook him on the road. He searched him and found a box of lucifer matches, 2 pewter spoons and a clasp knife (now produced). He took him into custody. About 6 o'clock he went to Robert Hewlat's at the request of his man John Ward and found the lattice window of his dairy broken open and a muck drag lying inside. He asked Miss Hewlat what had been lost. When she told him he showed her the spoons and she owned them as Mr Hewlat's. He examined the ground outside the dairy window and observed marks such as would be made by a person with wooden legs - the prisoner has two wooden legs. He also observed a great many of the same marks in different parts of the garden. He found the three half burnt matches (produced) in the dairy window - one on a wicker basket the lid of which was a good deal burnt and the other 2 on the window sill. Edward Chapman [further information] - Ring saw him following him on the road and as soon as he saw him threw something away. He kept his eye on the place and found there a pair of blacksmith's iron tongs (now produced). It appeared the wooden laths were drawn from the dairy window by such an instrument. Ring denied knowing anything about the tongs.

item

Ring, Edward,
Hewlat, Robert,
Hewlat, Elizabeth,
Ward, John,
Abbott, William,
Chapman, Edward

OAKLEY, burglary, dairy, disability