QSR1876/3/5/3

Depositions and examination - Robert Wilson, charged with stealing a quantity of potatoes value 10s from Frederick Marsom at Biggleswade on 29 March 1876

3 May 1876

From: 1876 To: 1876

Thomas Maddams of Biggleswade, farmer – he is the son of William Maddams of Biggleswade who occupies land on the Langford Road. On Wednesday 29 March about 5.45pm he found 2 bags of potatoes hidden in the Haulm Wall in his father’s field, covered over with straw. They were not their potatoes. He gave information to the police. Eli Bayes of Biggleswade, police constable, PC 35 – on Wednesday 29 March he went along Langford Road and went into Mr Bond’s shed opposite a field in the occupation of Mr William Maddams in which some potatoes were concealed. About 7.30 to 7.45 he saw Robert Wilson and another man with a wheelbarrow go into the field. They left the barrow just inside the gate and went 50 or 60 yards to where the potatoes were. Wilson brought down one full bag and put it in the barrow. He then went back and he and the other man came back another full bag. Wilson then went to the gate and said “stop a bit, let us see who’s about”. At this time he [Bayes] had left the shed and was under the hedge close to the gate. He went up to Wilson, took hold of him, and asked what he did with the potatoes (the other man ran away). Wilson asked how he knew they were potatoes. He asked Wilson how he came by them. Wilson said they were grown at Hitchmead by his father. He said that this was not a likely place to find potatoes from Hitchmead and that Wilson would be charged with stealing them. They struggled and Wilson escaped. He warned Wilson that he knew him and would have him another day. He brought the wheelbarrow and potatoes to the police station. That evening he went to Wilson’s house with PC Cain and Inspector Smith and again the following night but could not hear anything of him until a few days ago when they heard he was at Woolwich. The next day he was apprehended. On 30 March he went to a field in the occupation of Frederick Marsom on the Langford Road and took a sample of potatoes. He produces these with the 2 bags of pototoes found in Wilson’s possession. Frederick Marsom of Biggleswade, market gardener – on Monday 27 March they put 5 tons of potatoes up and sent them away. The potatoes he grew were Jacksons Whites. The potatoes found in Wilson’s possession are like his. There were 11 or 12 tons of his potatoes left. Walter Robert of Biggleswade, labourer – he works for Mr Frederick Marsom and on 27 March he helped to put up some potatoes and take them to the station. On 29 March he went to the pit where the potatoes were and found the pit had been opened and about 3 or 4 bushels were gone. They were Jacksons Whites. The potatoes in the bags produced are the same kind. John Jeeves of Biggleswade, labourer – he works for Frederick Marsom. On Monday 27 March after the 5 tons of potatoes were taken away he covered up the pit, “strawed it up and dirted it up”. On Thursday 30th he saw Eli Bayes take a sample of the potatoes. The potatoes that came from the prisoner are the same kind. Robert Wilson – he did not steal them. He found them along the road. He owns he put them there and went to fetch them, but he never stole them.

item

Wilson, Robert,
Marsom, Frederick,
Maddams, Thomas,
Bayes, Eli,
Roberts, Walter,
Jeeves, John

BIGGLESWADE, Biggleswade Langford Road, stealing, potatoes, farmer, market gardener, police constable