QSR1853/1/5/12/a

Depositions of Joseph Peasnall, farmer of Riseley, John King, police constable and Thomas Smith, miller, of Keysoe. In the case of William Lewis accused of stealing 2 sacks.

23 November 1852

From: 1852 To: 1853

Joseph Peasnall: occupied a farm at Pertnehall, partly in Bedfordshire and partly in Huntingdonshire, which was lately occupied by Mr William Islip. The prisoner lived at Pertnehall and worked on the farm. He had several times missed wheat from the heap in the barn at the farm. On the 5 or 6 November, he missed some wheat. About 3 November he had missed a sack of barley. In consequence of what he heard he went to Keysoe Mill, in the occupation of Mr Smith to make enquiries. Mr Smith's man, Joseph Poole, showed him a sack containing about 2 bushels of wheat. Peasnall swore to the wheat. He was told Mr Smith had it from William Lewis's house. The sack was marked Blue, WZ. Next morning he advised John King, the constable. Peasnall had sold a load of wheat to the prisoner but that had gone to the mill at Kimbolton, and was ground to flour. He later went with the constable to the prisoner’s house and found 2 sacks, which had been in his possession a couple of days before he had missed the wheat. John King: went to the mill at Keysoe and took a sample from the sack Peasnall had seen there the previous day. He also took a sample of wheat from Peasnall's barn and the 2 samples matched. King took the prisoner into custody. Lewis said that the wheat taken to the Mill had been gleaned by his wife. King was with Peasnall when he found the 2 sacks on the prisoner’s premises. The prisoner also said he had a load of wheat from Peasnall which had gone to Kimbolton Mill. He pointed to one of the sacks in the house and said it had been from the wheat which went to Kimbolton. Thomas Smith: had taken a sack of wheat from the prisoner’s house to be ground at the mill. There had been about 2 bushels of wheat. He had kept it in the sack at the mill and during that time, Peasnall came to the mill and saw it. He had previously had 4 bushels of wheat and barley mixed form the prisoner, which he had ground for him.

item

Lewis, William,
Peasnall, Joseph,
King, John,
Smith, Thomas,
Poole, Joseph

KEYSOE, PERTENHALL, RISELEY, miller, stealing, wheat, sack, MILLS