QSR1879/1/5/1

Depositions and examination - Robert Bowler of Husborne Crawley, labourere, charged wtih stealing one linen sheet, one calico sheet, 2 dusters and one shovel, total value 14s, from Ann Phillips, widow, at Woburn on 15 October 1878

21 October 1878

From: 1878 To: 1879

Ann Fleet, wife of Joseph Fleet of Husborne Crawley, gardener – she works as a laundry woman at the house of Mrs Phillips. She was there on Saturday 12 October. A few minutes past 6pm she saw the two sheets produced. One was on the table in the laundry and one under the table. The two dusters produced were also there. She recognizes the sheets as they were marked in the corner. On Monday 14th she went into the laundry at 8am and found all the articles mentioned had gone. The laundry door was locked but the window was left open. It is an out of door laundry on the ground floor attached to the house. James Coburn of Woburn, labourer – he is employed by Mrs Phillips and lives at Woburn. On Monday 14 October he was informed of the loss of the sheets. About 10am he was at work in the hay loft cutting chaff. He turned over some hay and found some things rolled up in an old bag. He took them to Burgess who examined them and took them to Mrs Phillips. At Burgess instructions he took them and put them back in the hay where he found them. The next day about 1pm he saw the things still undisturbed in the hay. Before 6pm he found they were gone. They leave work at 6pm. William Burgess of Woburn, groom – he is employed by Mrs Phillips and lives at Birtchmoor Green in Woburn. He knows Bowler well – he is horse keeper on Mrs Phillips’ farm. On Monday 14th Coburn showed him two sheets in the wood barn. They were put into the hay again. He sheets were marked as the two produced are. The two dusters were with the sheets. Robert Fooks of Husborne Crawley, labourer – he is employed by Mrs Phillips. Last Thursday PC Whinnett showed him the shovel produced. He has seen it before on Mrs Phillips’ farm and used it there. William Whinnett, police constable stationed at Aspley Guise – on 17th October he received a warrant to search Bowler’s house for some sheets and dusters. He went to execute the warrant between 1 and 2pm. At the house he saw Bowler’s wife. He said he had come for the two sheets her husband had brought home on Tuesday night, and said if she did not produce them he would search the house. She went upstairs and he followed her. In the back room hanging at the foot of a bed he found the sheet produced marked Z P. Bowler’s wife gave it to him. He asked for the other. They went into the front room and under the bolster of the bed there PC Pickering who was with him found the other sheet produced. He asked Bowler’s wife for the dusters. She gave him the dusters produced, sewn together as they are now and wet. He later went to Mrs Phillips’ and saw Bowler in the stable. He told him what had been found in the house. Bowler said he knew nothing about it and would not go. He told Bowler he must and that he must come quietly. Bowler then went with him. The same day he took the articles to Mrs Phillips who identified them as her property. The next day while at the justices’ clerks’ office with Bowler waiting for a remand Bowler said it was quite wrong about the shovel which was his own. The other things Bowler found under the wall on Monday morning. Bowler put them up in the loft and took them home Tuesday evening. He also found the shovel produced in Bowler’s barn, behind a meal tub. Robert Bowler – he had nothing to say.

item

Bowler, Robert,
Phillips, Ann,
Fleet, Ann,
Fleet, Joseph,
Coburn, James,
Burgess, William,
Fooks, Robert,
Whinnett, William

HUSBORNE CRAWLEY, WOBURN, ASPLEY GUISE, Birchmoor, stealing, household goods, gardener, groom, police constable, washerwoman, hay, horsekeeper