QSR1889/3/5/2-3

Depositions of Henry Bailey, carrier of Steventon, Radborn Lilley, labourer of Steventon, George Poole, labourer of Northampton and George Lansberry, police constable. In the case of Charles Manton & John Roberts accused of stealing an oilskin horse cloth.

27 April 1889

From: 1889 To: 1889

Henry Bailey: a carrier of Steventon. Radborn Lilley was at work for him on 26 March and he sent him for a load of coal. There was a horse cloth on the horse when he started off. On 27 March he saw Roberts at Steventon and asked him if he had been round Steventon and Oakley the day before with Manton. Roberts said he had but when asked if he had picked up a horse cloth along Station Road he said he had not. Bailey told him he had understood Roberts to have come down behind the cart and picked up the cloth. Roberts said he had seen nothing of the cloth. He later saw Manton and asked him the same. Manton said he had seen a cloth which some Oakley people had picked up. He wrote to Manton on 29 March. On 30 March he saw Manton at Bedford in the cattle market and asked him why he had not told the truth about the cloth. Manton said he didn’t wish to get the other man into trouble but that the horse cloth was in the possession of the other man and was safe. Bailey said that the cloth should be taken to the Old George where he was being put up. Manton agreed. Bailey did not receive the cloth. [cross examination] he wanted his cloth and that was the reason for the proceedings. He had written in his letter to Manton that if the cloth was not returned to the Old George he would put the matter in the hands of the police. The letter was addressed to Mr Chas Manton, pig dealer, Pilcroft Street, Bedford. He knew Manton’s nephew received the letter as he had been told so outside the Woolpack. He took a glass of beer with the defendant Manton but he did not recollect if Manton told him the cloth was in Pilcroft Street and he could collect it. He did not recollect Manton saying he would bring it the next time he was round and he did not recollect calling Manton Charley. He believed Mr Quenby to be prosecuting as he was not. He valued it at 1s 6d. Radborn Lilley: on 26 March he was employed by Mr Bailey and was sent to Oakley station for coal. He had a horse, cart and a cloth like the one produced. On leaving the station he had the cloth buckled to the saddle. He undid it and threw it into the back of the cart. He missed it when opposite Oakley School. He started back towards Clapham and saw 2 men coming down the road from Oakley station. He beckoned and bellowed to them. He saw a boy called Poole at the corner of the road and he made a statement to Lilley. Lilley could not run very fast. George Poole: now a bricklayer at work in Northampton. On 26 March he had been going from Clapham to Steventon and when he got to the end of the road leading to Oakley Station he met the 2 defendants with a heavy cart. He spoke to Manton about a sow which he had taken to Clapham for him. Whilst he was talking to Manton, Lilley came running toward them. Roberts said “this old chaps coming let’s go” and they drove away. Roberts was sitting on a cloth. PC George Lansberry: on 17 April he saw Manton asked him whether he had been around Oakley on 26 March and if he had found a horse cloth. Manton said he had and he directed Lansberry to where Roberts lived. Roberts’s house was locked up. On the following day he went back to Roberts’s house and Mrs Roberts gave him the cloth. On 28 March he saw Roberts and asked him to account for the cloth. Roberts said he had picked the cloth up and that Bailey could have had it back if he had fetched it. Asked why had had tarred it over, he said he had not; a boy who worked for him had done it. He would not say the boys name. Roberts said he would have told Bailey about it if Manton had not. Statement of the accused: no answer.

item

Manton, Charles,
Roberts, John,
Bailey, Henry,
Lilley, Radborn,
Poole, George,
Lansberry, George

Steventon, Northampton, bricklayer, carrier, stealing, cloth