QSR1854/3/5/1

Depositions of Vincent Doggett, gardener of Clophill, James Worsley, police constable and George Garner, beer seller of Clophill. In the case of John Odell accused of stealing a quantity of wood.

10 April 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Vincent Doggett: a gardener of Clophill and he had employed the prisoner to tie up some ridge wood which he had purchased from Pedley Wood belonging to Thomas Phillip Weddell, Earl de Grey. When he engaged the prisoner he specifically told him he should not take any wood for his own use. Doggett was suspicious of something going on and told the prisoner to complete the work he had in hand and he would settle with him. On the evening of 5 April Odell came to Doggett’s house but he was not at home. Odell returned next morning and said he had completed the work. Doggett told Odell to call later that morning and his wife would settle with him. Doggett then went to Pedley Wood to check the work had been completed and saw a quantity of wood which should have been tied up thrown on an adjoining ridge, which was owned by John Sharp a publican. Suspecting something was going on he went to George Garner, knowing he had some wood, and asked to compare the bottoms of the poles with those which had been cut down. He took PC Worsley with him and found the pole compared with the stumps left in the ground. PC James Worsley: being advised by Doggett of his suspicions, he accompanied him to Pedley Wood and compared the pieces Doggett had received from Garner with the stumps in the ground. They found they compared exactly. Worsley apprehended the prisoner and gave him into the charge of the Superintendent of Police. The prisoner denied having sold any wood to George Garner. George Garner: keeper of a beer shop. Odell came to his shop with a bundle of wood. Garner bought it for sixpence. He saw Odell go into the tap room. 2 or 3 days later Odell returned with another bundle which Garner again paid sixpence for. Odell again went into the tap room and Garner saw no more of him. Garner remained sitting in his yard until the prosecutor came and asked for the wood he had purchased from Odell. Doggett took away the 2 bundles of wood. Garner's wife had purchased bundle of wood at a similar time but the type of wood was different. Statement of the accused: he had been out of victuals for 2 or 3 days so he cut a bit from one and a bit from another until he had 2 bundles. He sold them to George Garner for sixpence a bundle and bought a loaf of bread.

item

Odell, John,
Doggett, Vincent,
Worsley, James,
Garner, George,
de Grey, Thomas Philip Weddell, 2nd Earl,
Sharp, John

CLOPHILL, gardener, beer seller, stealing, wood, Clophill Pedley Wood