QSR1842/4/5/49/a

Depositions - David Baker

5 August 1842

From: 1842 To: 1842

Daniel Claridge of Eggington, farmer - last May the prisoner was employed on his farm. He received information on 12 July that a pair of lamb pliers he had bought from Bates (a saddler) had been offered to him for sale. He searched for them on the 13th and could not find them. He gave information to PC Clough and the next day Clough brought them to him. He knows the article by the mark on the punch as well as by the maker's name. Baker had been in his employ nearly a year and left some time in June. The value of the pliers is 4s 6d. David White, shepherd to Mr Claridge - he does not know the pliers produced. He never touched them and cannot swear to them. He has seen such a thing in his master's hands. His master used to keep them on the plate of a hovel where the sheep lay. About a month or more after the sheep were turned out Baker and others were throwing the dung up. One of them asked if he had lost anything - he said he had not. He asked if they had found anything. They said "yes" and showed him a pair of pliers just like these. He told them to put the pliers in their place again. He never saw them after that. William Clough, police constable no.40 - he made inquiry and found this pair of pliers now produced at Thomas Clare's, a saddler at Leighton. He took Baker into custody yesterday. He told Baker what it was for and Baker said he had found them. Yeoman Clare of Leighton, saddler - on 12 July the pair of pliers now produced were brought to his shop by Charles Baker. He knew him and that his name was Baker and that he lived at Eggington. Baker offered to sell the pliers. He refused, saying they were of no use to him. Baker begged him to buy and asked 6d for them. He offered 3d. He did not know what they were made for - he only saw them as a punch. Baker sold them to him for 3d. Baker said he found them, or that they were found, he is not sure which. Charles Baker of Eggington, brother of the prisoner - his brother lived with his father next door to him while he was employed by Mr Claridge. He had seen the pair of pliers lying in his father's house. He was looking at them one day and asked whose they were. Someone in the family told him David found them. David went to the hay country a month or two ago. David left his watch at home. He used it and broke it. He took it to be mended and did not have enough money. He thought he might as well sell the pliers to help pay for the watch and sold them to Mr Clare as he stated.

item

Baker, David,
Claridge, Daniel,
White, David,
Clough, William,
Clare, Yeoman,
Baker, Charles

EGGINGTON, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, agricultural implements, farmers, saddlers, shepherds, farm labourer