QSR1854/1/5/25

Depositions of William Lilley, farmer of Guilden Morden, Cambridgeshire, William Dimsey, police constable of Ashwell and Charles Riddiford, police constable of Wrestlingworth. In the case of William Church accused of stealing half a peck of beans.

17 December 1853

From: 1853 To: 1854

PC William Dimsey: on 16 December he was on duty at about 2am when he observed some footmark in the snow and traced them from a barn in the occupation of Mr James Lilley. He went into the barn and observed some beans scattered about on the floor. He suspected some beans had been stolen and left the barn to follow the footsteps, for a considerable distance, to a gipsy tent. He called out to the people inside, asking what they were doing there and saying he must see inside. He found a boiler with a quantity of beans in it. In the corner of the tent he saw a man, woman and child in bed. He asked them where the beans were from and the woman said she had got them from a cart in Bassingbourne, but then said a man the road had given them to her. The woman said she hoped Dimsey would consider her children and that she would beg pardon on her hands and knees. The man said he would beg pardon but not on his hands and knees; we would rather suffer death. Dimsey took them into custody. There was about half a peck of bean, worth about 9 pence. The distance from the barn to the tent was about 200 yards. The barn door was shut but the padlock was on the ground. PC Charles Riddiford: on 10 December he received information that some beans had been stolen from a barn in Dunton belonging to Mr Lilley. He went to the barn and saw some beans on the floor. He took a sample of beans which he compared with those produced by PC Dimsey. They appeared to be of the same kind. William Lilley: resided with his father James Lilley, a farmer at Guilden Morden in Cambridgeshire. He managed his father business and they had a barn in the parish of Dunton. On 16 December he heard some beans had been taken from the barn and immediately went out and saw some beans on the floor. He had been in the barn the previous day and left it swept. Nobody had any business in the barn afterwards. He believed the beans produced to be the same as those missed. Statement of the accused: his wife had brought home the beans and he knew nothing more about them.

item

Church, William,
Dimsey, William,
Riddiford, Charles,
Lilley, James,
Lilley, William

WRESTLINGWORTH, Guilden Morden, Ashwell, stealing, beans