QSR1886/2/5/2b

Depositions of John Cope, thatcher of Tempsford, Charles Cheshire, police constable of Sandy and Thomas Woods, police constabel of Blunham. In the case of Arthur Punter accused of stealing 5 trusses of hay.

27 January 1886

From: 1886 To: 1886

John Cope: a thatcher living at Tempsford. He had a haystack standing in the meadow there which belonged to his brother and himself. He saw it safe on 11 December and on 13th he noticed the haystack had about 5 trusses of hay missing. He advised PC Woods. On 15 December the prisoner and his brother came to Tempsford. Fromm what the brother said he told the prisoner he thought him daring it a daring price of business for him to cut the quantity of hay and questioned if he had done it alone. The prisoner wished to settle the matter but Cope said he wished it settled with the police. He sent of the police and afterwards went to the prisoner’s house where a quantity of hay was found which he was able to identify as the same sort and quantity which he had missed. Charles Cheshire: a police constable stationed at Sandy. On the 15 December, in the company of PC Woods, he went to the prisoner’s house and saw a quantity of hay lying in the stable which they suspected to have been taken form the stack of John Cope. He went to Tempsford in search of the accused and met him on the road by Tempsford School. The accused ran away and absconded. Thomas Woods: a police constable stationed at Blunham. In the company of PC Cheshire they went to the house of the accused and found quantity of ha in the stable there. They suspected it stolen from the stack of John Cope. The hay was taken into their possession and conveyed to Biggleswade Police Station. On 25 January he received the prisoner into custody from the Superintendent of Police at Burton on Trent. Statement of the accused: nothing to say except he wished the matter settled.

item

Punter, Arthur,
Cope, John,
Cheshire, Charles,
Woods, Thomas

SANDY, TEMPSFORD, BLUNHAM, stealing, hay, thatcher