QSR1883/4/5/13-14

Depositions of Joseph Cook, farmer of Houghton Regis,William Allen Thody, police constable of Houghton Regis and William Broughall. In the case of George Turvey & James Cox accused of malicious damage to a mowing machine.

10 September 1883

From: 1883 To: 1883

Joseph Cook: a farmer living at Sewell, Houghton Regis. On 29 August he was reaping in one of his fields using a reaping machine. He found stakes driven into the ground on the course that the machine was about to take. He found 3 stakes, one was cut by the machine and another blocked the machine. One of the blades broke and the knife of the machine was injured. He saw the prisoners one the other side of the hedge. He had earlier send Turvey standing in the field close to the barley. Cox had been on the other side of the hedge. He accused Turvey of putting the stakes in the barley and complained ot the police. Cox had been in his service about 12 months previous. William Broughall: a 14 year old working for Mr Cook. On 29 August he had been riding the first horse of Mr Cook’s reaping machine. He saw Turvey standing in the field that afternoon and Cox had been in a gap in the hedge. William Allen Thody: a police constable stationed at Houghton Regis. On 30 August he accused the prisoners of driving the stakes in front of Mr Cook’s machine. Turvey said he had driven one down and Cox the other. He produced a piece of wood found on Mr Carter’s land; about 20 yards from where the damage took place and where the defendants were working. Statements of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Turvey, George,
Cox, James,
Cook, Joseph,
Thody, William Allen,
Broughall, William

HOUGHTON REGIS, malicious damage