QSR1844/1/5/38

Depositions and examination - John Cole charged with stealing one piece of oak wood from George Pearse at Harlington on 3 November 1843

1843

From: 1843 To: 1844

William Horspool of Harlington – he is employed by George Pearse of Harlington. For more than 2 years Cole has been employed by Mr Pearse as a carpenter. The carpenter’s shop is in a yard near his master’s house. He often goes to the shop and for the last fortnight has often missed pieces of oak wood from the shop. He has noticed pieces of wood in the shop between 12 and 1pm and between 1 and 2pm the same pieces have been gone. Cole leaves work to go to his dinner at 1pm and he suspected Cole must take the wood away. About 4pm on Thursday 2 November he saw 4 pieces of oad wood in the shop cut into the shape of staves for a pail. About 9pm that night 2 of the pieces were gone. In the afternoon he marked the 4 pieces he saw with “G P”. He has often seen Cole put away pieces of wood which he was at work at and put them on one side, then take up other wood to work at. Yesterday morning he went to the shop and noticed a piece of oak board nearly cut round. He marked the round piece on one side. The marks have been planed off, but he noticed on the other side 2 small holes as if made by brad awl. He is sure the piece now produced is the same piece. Cole has been employed for some time preparing wood for the erection of a shed in which there is not any oak of the description now produced used, but there were pieces of oak boards lying about the shop and premises. The two pieces of wood now produced by the constable in the shape of pail staves are two of the pieces he marked on Thursday. He found the other two pieces which were not in the shop on Thursday night this morning on the bench in the shop. He gave information to PC Sinfield and requested him to watch the prisoner on his going to his dinner to see if he took anything away with him. Today he searched his master’s shop with PC Sinfield and they found the 3 pieces now patterning with the round piece produced, but they cannot find the remaining part of the board from which the 4 pieces marked A B C and D were taken. Thomas Sinfield – he went to Harlington yesterday and at about 1.10pm he saw Cole come from Mr Pearse’s yard. He appeared to have something under his frock. He asked Cole what he had. Cole said nothing. He took Cole’s hand from his side and the round piece of wood produced fell to the ground from under his smock. He saw 3 or 4 other men come from Mr Pearse’s premises before Cole who was about 10 minutes behind his proper dinner time. Cole said he believed the piece of wood was for a trencher. He went to the shop and found the 2 pieces cut into the shape of staves for a pail. There were no other pieces in the shop at the time. He later took Cole into custody. Cole has since said the piece of wood he found on him was his own property. Cole denies any knowledge of the other 2 pieces. He has today searched Mr Pearse’s shop and found the 3 pieces of wood marked A B and C which match the round piece he found on Cole yesterday which is marked D. John Cole – the round piece of wood he brought from his own home in the morning and turned it round at his breakfast time and dinner time. That was the reason for his being 10 minutes behind time to his dinner.

item

Cole, John,
Pearse, George,
Horspool, William,
Sinfield, Thomas

HARLINGTON, TODDINGTON, stealing, oak, wood, police constable, carpenter