QSR1871/1/5/12-13/a

Depositions - William Mead charged with stealing 2 bushels and one peck fo a mixture of oats, split beans, chaff and bran, value 5s from William Carling at Luton on 17 December; John Fantham charged with receiving stolen goods

2 January 1871

From: 1871 To: 1871

John Nottingham of Stopsley in Luton, police constable – by order of his superintendent he watched the White Horse public house at Stopsley kept by Fantham on Saturday 17 December. At about 4pm he saw Mead come from the Luton direction with a wagon and 3 horses and stop at Fantham’s. The wagon belong to Mr Carling and had his name on. He saw Mead take a bulky sack from the back fo the wagon and carry it into the White Horse. He followed Mead into the house in a few minutes and found Mead and Fantham in the taproom together. He asked Mead what was in the sack. Mead did not reply. The second and third times Mead answered “nothing”. He then asked Fantham who said he never saw a sack and knew nothing about it. He said he would search the house. He found nothing in the taproom. When he was about to go into the back part of the house Fantham said he would find it there. He found the sack which contained 2 bushels and a peck of oats, split beans, chaff and bran. He charged Mead with stealing the sack and its contents from his master Mr Carling. Mead denied stealing it and said he was leaving it there for his horses until he came that way again. He took Mead into custody. He produces a sample of horse food he had from Carling which corresponded with the food in the sack. On Monday 19th he arrested Fantham on a warrant. Fantham said it was a rum job. He searched the house and between the sacking of the bedstead and the bed he found the piece of sacking now produced with 5 bushels and a peck of spit beans, oats, chaff, bran and maize (nw produced). He asked Fantham to account for it – Fantham said he had it from 6 or 7 different people. He then charged Fantham with receiving stolen goods. Fantham said he had had it in the house for 7 or 8 months. He took Fantham into custody. [Cross-examined by Fantham] Fantham was not talking to Robert Manning when he came in that he heard. Manning (Fantham’s son-in-law), Fantham and Mead were there. Fantham did not tell him Mead was in the habit of leaving corn until he came back. William Carling of Hitchin (Herts), miller- he employed Mead as a waggoner. Mead had been with him 2 or 3 years and was in the habit of often coming to Luton with his wagon. Stopsley is on the road between Luton and Hitchin. From information received he sent information to the police at Luton and on Saturday evening 17 December he saw PC Nottingham at his house at Hitching. Nottingham brought a sample of horse food with him and asked to compare it with a sample of what Mead had taken with him in the morning. The samples corresponded exactly. Mead had 3 horses with him and there is more than he should have taken for his horses. He belives the other quantity or horse food produced is also his. It is worth 10s. The beans in the mixture are mostly new beans. Fantham could not have had new beans 7 or 8 months ago. Mead should not have left food anywhere. If he had any left over he should have brought it back again. Amos Sheppeard of Hitchin (Herts), miller – he is a miller at Mr Carling’s. Mead was employed as horsekeeper and waggoner. Mead took food for his horses when he went out with them. He noticed the corn had gone rather quick. The food for the horses on 17 December was beans, bran and chaff. He believes the first mixture produced came from his master’s premises. He has looked at the second lot produced. He never gave Mead any oats not crushed. Mead could have taken the whole oats without his knowledge as he could get at them. There is often maize in the food, but was not on 17 December. Mead is generally out about 12 hours when he goes to Luton. He never measured the stuff Mead took – if there was any over he would bring it back. 3 bushels of that food would not be too much to take with him. After making his statement Fantham called Robert Manning as witness … Robert Manning of Stopsley, brazier – he is Fatham’s son-in-law. When Mead came on 17th he was talking to Fantham. Mead asked if he could leave it and Fantham told him to chuck it down. Fantham did not ask any questions about it.

item

Mead, William,
Fantham, John,
Carling, William,
Nottingham, John,
Carling, William,
Sheppeard, Amos,
Manning, Robert

LUTON, STOPSLEY, Hitchin, stealing, oats, beans, bran, police constable, miller, brazier, waggoner, horses, Stopsley White Horse