QSR1853/4/5/37

Depositions of James Phillips, farmer of Cranfield and Charles Flint, police constable of Cranfield. In the case of Thomas George accused of stealing a sack, a rabbit trap, a coal hatchet and a piece of wood.

31 August 1853

From: 1853 To: 1853

James Phillips: a farmer of Cranfield and employer of Thomas George. George had worked for him for about 14/15 months. Some time ago he had missing a rabbit trap from where it had been set and asked the prisoner of it. The prisoner said he did not know of it. Phillips did not suspect the prisoner and also asked his other men about it. On 28 August, an ash tree had blown over on the farm and on 29 he missed part of it. He sent for Constable Flint. He suspected the prisoner had stolen art of the tree. With the Constable he traced the tree from where it had fallen to the prisoner’s house. They went to a back place and saw the wood. The prisoner had no right to the wood. Whilst they were at the prisoner’s house the Constable asked the prisoners wife for the rabbit trap and she immediately went and fetched it. They also found a sack which was Phillips property, and of her own accord, the wife produced a coal hatchet. Charles Flint: on 30 August he was sent for by the prosecutor and taken to where part of an ash tree had blown down. They could tell where the wood had been drawn along the ground to the prisoner’s house. At the house they told the prisoner’s wife they suspected her husband of taking a tree and she took them to a back place where the part of the tree had been broken into 3 pieces. They asked her about the rabbit trap, which she produced and on searching they found a sack. The wife produced a coal hatchet. He took the accused into custody. The prisoner said he knew nothing of the tree and that he had nothing belonging to Mr Phillips. George said he did not know how the items came to be at his premises and he hoped the prosecutor would forgive him.Statement of the accused: he took the sack and the rabbit trap to catch some rats. He forgot to bring it back. He knew nothing of the hatchet or wood.

item

George, Thomas,
Phillips, James,
Flint, Charles

CRANFIELD, stealing, sack, wood