QSR1852/4/5/17

Depositions of John Crawley, butcher of Hockcliffe and William Clough, police sergeant of Hockcliffe. In the case of John Mitchell accused of stealing 10 pound weight of Mutton.

4 October 1852

From: 1852 To: 1852

John Crawley: about 8 o'clock on the night of 2 October, he was in Battlesden with a cart with some mutton on it. He stopped opposite the prisoner’s door. He called at the at the prisoners door and sold his wife some pork. There was no candle in the house and he did not see the prisoner. The prisoner’s wife had a little child in her arms and said that all the other children were in bed. After serving the wife he drove off to Milton and when he arrived there he missed a breast of mutton out of the cart. Shortly after he going to show a customer the hind quarter of some mutton and missed that from a basket which had been in the cart. He saw nobody at his cart when he had been in Battlesden and it was very dark night. He did not stop between Battlesden and Milton. The basket was heavy and could not have been moved by a child. On 3 October he advised Sergeant Clough of the loss and went with him to the prisoner’s house. The police constable searched the house and found the mutton. Crawley identified it as that he had lost. William Clough: in consequence of information received he went with the prosecutor to the prisoner’s house at Battlesden. He asked the prisoner wife if there was any mutton in the house. The house was searched and fresh mutton found in a cupboard downstairs and another piece, recently salted, was found under a tub. They saw nothing of the prisoner at this time but returned later and he said he knew nothing of it. The prisoner said his little boy had found the mutton in the road but subsequently said his little boy had stolen it. The prisoner said that if he had been home, he'd have made him take it back. The boy was pointed out to Clough. He was a boy of 6 or 7 years. The prisoner’s wife then said that the boy had taken it.Statement of the accused: it was a job done whilst he was out. He was in Hockcliffe and until past 8 o'clock.

item

Mitchell, John,
Crawley, John,
Clough, William

BATTLESDEN, Hockcliffe, stealing, mutton, butcher