QSR1876/4/5/1/a

Depositions and examination - George Woodward charged with embezzling £3 3s from his master James Henry Akers at Arlesey on 22 June 1876

22 July 1876

From: 1876 To: 1876

James Henry Akers of Waltham Cross, yeoman – he is a retired farmer living at Waltham Cross. In March 1875 he employed George Woodward to go round with a stallion “Young Shepherd F. Knapp”. He paid Woodward £1 for one week before he began travelling with the horse. He was to pay Woodward £15 up to the 24 June as his wages and £1 11s 6d for services after the 24 June up to 2 July when the season ended. Woodward’s duty was to travel round the south of Bedfordshire and the north of Hertfordshire. When he settled up with Woodward he gave him the names of the persons who had used his horse. Woodward dictated the names and particulars and he wrote them down on the left hand side of the book produced. Woodward told him that the sums set opposite the names were owed by them. Looking at the book he swears that Woodward told him that the Rev Mr Scott of Arlesey and Mr Inskip of Shefford both owed him £3 3s. In addition to the £17 11s 6d he paid him Woodward was entitled to the groom’s fee on each mare for himself. He received the letters he now produces from Woodward. He paid Woodward all the expenses of the horse travelling. On 16 September 1875 he came down to Shefford but could not see Woodward. He wrote to Woodward several times to account for any money he had received. Woodward has never accounted to him for £3 3s from Mr Scott or £3 3s from Mr Inskip. On 6 July 1876 he went to Shefford and saw Woodward. He told Woodward he had written to all the people whose names he had given and that they said they had paid Woodward. Woodward then admitted he had had the money and spent it. He told Woodward he would take out a warrant against him for embezzlement. [Cross-examined] He doesn’t think Mr Chamberlain has paid. Mr Goldthorpe has paid. Mr Turner of Henlow has not paid. Mr Brown of Willian has not paid. Isaac Presland of Arlesey, groom – he is groom to Rev R F Scott of Arlesey. He used the horse Young Shepherd F. Knapp for his master’s mare in June 1875 and paid Woodward £3 3s on 22 June 1875. He produces the receipt Woodward gave to him. George Daniels of Shefford, police sergeant – on Thursday 20 July 1876 he apprehended Woodward on a warrant charged with embezzling £3 3s on 6 July 1875. Woodward said “I kept the money to make right for a horse I sold him”. George Woodward – the reason he kept the money was because Mr Akers would not send him a pony down that Akers stopped the money for when he settled up the £15. Akers said he would give it a month’s grass. He sent for the pony and Akers said he would not send it until all the money was paid in.

item

Woodward, George,
Akers, James Henry,
Presland, Isaac,
Daniels, George,
Inskip, William,
Chamberlain,
Turner,
Goldthorpe,
Brown,
Scott, R.F.

ARLESEY, Waltham Cross, SHEFFORD, embezzlement, groom, police sergeant, horses