QSR1871/3/5/5-6/a

Depositions and examinations - Barnard Brooks and George Brooks of Ampthill, charged with stealing sundry pieces of wood value 2s from George Welch at Ampthill on 3 May 1871

8 May 1871

From: 1871 To: 1871

George Welch of Ampthill, builder – in March he was building a house at Ampthill for Henry Bunker and took wood there. The piece of wood produced with his name on it he swears to positively. The other pieces are exact size of the wood he used for building the house. On 5 May he saw the wood produced at the police station. He had not missed any wood from Bunker’s premises, but it could be taken without his knowing it. George James, superintendent of police for Ampthill Division – on 3 May he was present when Sergeant Hillyard took the wood produced from 2 unfinished pigsties on the premises of George Brooks. The wood was used up with other wood. On 6 May when the prisoner were in the exercising yard at the police station together the wood was lying there and he pointed it out to the prisoners. He told them they were both charged with stealing the wood. George Brooks said he knew nothing about it. Bernard Brooks said he stole the wood and that he took it from where there was a new house being built for Bunker. He had done whatever is wrong, not his brother. William Hillyard, police sergeant stationed at Ampthill – on 3 May he found the wood in some unfinished pigsties on George Brooks’s premises at Ampthill. George Brooks said “it is not mine I know nothing of it.” On 6 May he heard the prisoners charged with stealing the wood. George Brooks said he knew nothing of it. Barnard Brooks said he stole the wood from the yard where the new house for Bunker was being built. Barnard Brooks – “I am guilty”. George Brooks – “I am not guilty”.

item

Brooks, Barnard,
Brooks, George,
Welch, George,
James, George,
Hillyard, William,
Bunker, Henry

AMPTHILL, stealing, wood, builder, police superintendent, police sergeant