QSR1851/4/5/12

Depositions of William Clay, police constable of Aspley Guise, Hannah Hartwell, wife of Thomas and Job Hartwell, a minor. In the case of Henry Lewis accused of stealing a earthern flower pot containing an ice plant.

13 August 1851

From: 1851 To: 1851

Hannah Hartwell: wife of Thomas a farmer of Husborne Crawley. On 5 August she had an ice plant growing in the garden opposite her husband’s house. The following morning she missed it. The gate into the garden was unlocked. She mentioned the loss to her daughter, who said she had seen one like it in Lewis's garden. Lewis lived with his grandparents at Crawley. On 11 August Constable Clay came to her and asked if she had lost an ice plant. She said she had and the plant and pot had been given to her by Mrs Hardy, the plant shown to her by Clay looks similar and may have grown since we missed it. Job Hartwell: the son of Hannah Hartwell. He had seen the plant standing in the garden and believed it similar to the one produced by Constable Clay. He knew the prisoner Lewis and about 5 weeks previous he had mended a pair of trousers for him. He had been told y his mother of the lost plant but did not know she suspected anyone. He had not given the pot and plant to the prisoner for mending his trousers. He had given him a four pence piece and received a penny back. William Clay: a police constable stationed at Aspley. He had received many complaints of plants being stolen from Aspley & Huborne Crawley. From information received he went to the house where Henry Lewis lived and saw the pot and plant. He took these to Mrs Hartwell for her to identify. She swore to them as hers. He took them to job Hartwell, who also identified them as his mothers. He asked Job Hartwell if he had given it as part payment for the repair of his trousers to the prisoner, and Hartwell denied this. On searching the prisoner’s house, Clay found a number of pots and plants, which answered the descriptions of those reported lost to him. He marked several of them and told the grandmother and grandfather of the accused not to meddle with them. On returning several hours later he found the pots and plants smashed and broken to pieces.Statement of the accused: he received the pot and plant from Job Hartwell

item

Lewis, Henry,
Clay, William,
Hartwell, Hannah,
Hartwell, Job

HUSBORNE CRAWLEY, stealing, plants