QSR1874/3/5/2

Depositions and examination - Joseph Cockings of Carlton, labourer, charged wtih stealing a fork value 2s and hand-saw value 2s from Thomas Clark at Carlton on 23 March

24 April 1874

From: 1874 To: 1874

Thomas Clark of Carlton, labourer – he lives at Carlton in a house in a farm yard belong to Mr Keep, in which no other cottagers have a right to go. On Sunday 22nd March between 8 and 9pm Joseph Cockings came to his house to borrow a rake. He looked for it in his barn and could not find it. Cockings went into the barn with him to look for it. He had a hand-saw and a 3 tined digging fork in the barn and saw them whilst Cockings was with him. When they came out he shut the door and latched it. The next morning he went into the barn and the saw and fork were gone and the door stood open. Ten days afterwards (on Good Friday) he gave notice of his loss to PC Cook. On the following Tuesday 7th April Cook came to him with information. They went to Cockings who was working in the allotment field. Cockings said “this is the fork I borrowed of you”. Cook asked where the saw was. Cockings fetched it from his house. The saw was one he had borrowed from Charles Rudd. He and PC Cook took the saw to Mr Rudd and PC Cook took charge of the fork [Cross-examined] He lives in the same house in which his father lived. When he went to Cockings’ house he said the saw was not the one he had lost. He said this because it was rusty and when it was with him it was bright. He bought the fork in February at Mr Page’s in Bedford in his own name, not his father’s. On Sunday 22 March he went into Rudd’s public house with Cockings and they had 3 pints of beer. They went into his barn afterwards. It was dark and he took a candle and lanthorn. Cockings did not ask him to lend him a fork. They left the barn together. He does not know why he did not go to the police before Friday. He waited to see whether anyone would come forward to say they had borrowed the things. On the Monday morning he told Charles Rudd of his loss. In the meantime he had seen Cockings several times, but they never spoke about them. When he saw Cockings at work he said at once “this is the fork I borrowed of you”. He did not say anything about the saw until Mr Cook had asked him. Cockings paid for the beer they had. Thomas Cook of Harrold, police constable – on Good Friday 3rd Clark spoke to him about his loss. On Tuesday 7th he saw Cockings at work on his allotment with a fork like the one that was lost. He told Clark who went with him to the defendant. He asked Cockings to let him look at the fork. Clark said it was his. Cockings said Clark lent it to him. Clark said he did not. He asked Cockings where the saw was. Cockings said he did not have one. Cockings looked at Clark and said “Why, you sold me that for 18d”. Clark denied it. Cockings said it was at his home. They went together and Cockings brought the saw out to them. He showed it to Clark who said it was not his as his was a bright one. It was getting dark. He asked for a light and then saw the initials “C.R.” on the saw. They then all took the saw to Rudd’s. He asked Cockings what he had given for the saw – he said nothing and that there was no bargain made. Rudd identified the saw as that which he lent to Clark. [Cross-examined] Clark told him he had suspected Cockings . Clark did not tell him earlier because he thought it would turn up. There had been a mark on the fork which had been taken off and the handle had been cut. Charles Rudd of Carlton, carpenter – the saw is his property and is the one he lent to Thomas Clark a few weeks ago. He saw Clark and Cockings at his house on Sunday night drinking together. They went out together and one came back again, but he does not know which of them it was. Joseph Cockings – he has nothing to say but that he did not take the things.

item

Cockings, Joseph,
Clark, Thomas,
Cook, Thomas,
Rudd, Charles

CARLTON, HARROLD, stealing, tools, police constable, carpenter