QSR1843/3/5/18-19/a

Depositions and examinations - Joseph Brown and James Williams, charged with stealing one pair of haimes and the breeching of a set of cart harness from John Millard

9 June 1843

From: 1843 To: 1843

John Millard of Leighton Buzzard, victualler - he is now a publican at Leighton . Last May he occupied a farm at Heath and Reach. On 29 May he missed some cart harness from his stable. David Turner was in his service - he told him of it a day or two later. The harness now produced is the missing harness. He knows it by a mark on the wood and the wear of it. He knows the breeching by the same marks. He made the punch marks himself. The buckles have been taken off and the chains have been put in the fire again and coloured. He is quite sure it is his property. David Turner - he was in Millard's service last May. On 26 May he hung up the cart harness now produced in the stable on Millard's farm. On Monday morning 29 May he missed it. On Wednesday 31 May he told his master. He made inquiry among the neighbours if anyone had borrowed it. Last Wednesday 7 June the same stable was broken open and some more harness stolen. He knows the harness now produced by the punch marks and by the general wear and appearance. He knows particularly the iron work of the breeching. The parts stolen the first time were the breeching and the hames. The crupper he gave today to James Sherwood to bring here. It belongs to the stolen harness and fits properly. He is sure the hames are his master's property. John Bishop of Leighton Buzzard, saddler - on Wednesday 7 June Joseph Brown came to his shop with a pair of thill-horse hames. Brown asked 3s for them. He agreed. Brown said he had a breeching which he would bring the next morning. He said he would have 1s then and the rest of the money the next morning. The next morning he was informed Millard's stable had been broken open and some harness lost and that a fortnight before Millard had lost a pair of thill-horse hames and some breeching. He took the hames he had bought to Millard and he claimed them. He went to Brown and aked him why he had not brought the breeching. Brown then wanted to sell him some gig harness. He asked for the breeching. At first Brown said he would bring it another day. Brown went upstairs and fetched the breeching. He asked Brown why he had cut the buckles out. Brown said he though of putting some fresh ones on. He told Brown to take it to his house, where he paid him the 3s. He told Brown to come again with the gig harness. Brown came but did not bring the harness. Millard and constable Sherwood were with him. Sherwood took Brown into custody. The hames and breeching produced are those he purchased from Brown. When Brown was bringing the breeching to his shop he asked where he got the things - Brown said he had them from Mr Roadnight. He asked him how it was that Roadnight sold them without the cart saddle and crupper - he said they were worn out. Afterwards Brown said they were brought to him in a sack by his brother Charles Brown and Williams and that he bought them for 6s. Yesterday he saw Williams in custody and asked him if he sold the things to Joseph Brown. He said he did not sell them nor take any money for them. He asked Williams if he took them to Brown and Williams made no answer. James Sherwood, constable of Leighton Buzzard - yesterday he took into his care from Bishop the breeching and hames now produced. He fetched the cropper from Millard's farm. He took Joseph Brown into custody and cautioned him. At first he said he bought the harness from Charles Roadnight for 3s. Afterwards he said he bought it from John Williams and Charles Brown and was to give them 6s for it. He took Williams into custody - he was in bed, that was about 1pm. They both denied all knowledge of it. Afterwards Williams said he had the harness but never received any money for it. Joseph Brown - "I am innocent of the job" James Williams - he sent Charles Brown to Joseph Brown with this harness. Brown was to bring him back 9s or he was not to have it. Brown came back and said his brother would only give 6s. He said Joseph Brown should not have it. He has had the harness in his possession 6 months and bought it at Birmingham with a wheelbarrow and a boat line for a sovereign. The harness was locked up in his boat for about 4 months and then was in Mr Roadnight's gig house 2 months. He belives this is the same harness and the same hames. There was an old crupper with them which he sent to Joseph Brown with the rest. Charles Brown - he knew that Williams had some harness. Williams asked him to take it to his brother and to bring him 9s for it. His brother said he could only afford to give 6s. He does not know that this is the same harness. He took no particular notice of it.

item

Brown, Joseph,
Williams, James,
Millard, John,
Turner, David,
Bishop, John,
Sherwood, James,
Brown, Charles,
Roadnight, Charles

stealing, harness, victualler, LEIGHTON BUZZARD, HEATH & REACH