Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1854/3/5/16
  • Title
    Depositions of John Neal of Eaton Socon, carpenter and William Snell of Bedfordshire, rural police constable In the case of James Richardson of Saint Neots, labourer, accused of stealing a coat.
  • Date free text
    24 May 1854
  • Production date
    From: 1854 To: 1854
  • Scope and Content
    John Neal: on 22 May he went over to Keysoe where he was doing some work. He went over with a horse and gig and got to Keysoe about 10am. He stopped at the farmhouse of Mr William Hartop and took the pony out of the gig. Under the seat he left his great coat and his dinner. The gig was under the cart hovel. He went about his work and returned to the gig between 6 and 7pm and upon looking saw that someone had taken his dinner out of the cloth and basket. They had also taken his great coat and 2 pairs of gloves which were in the pocket. He did not see his coat again until shown it by the police constable from Keysoe. PC William Snell: from information received from Mr Neal on 23 May he made enquiries with respect to the coat Mr Neal had lost at Keysoe. Between 6pm and 7pm he had seen the 2 prisoners at Keysoe with a cart and donkey. He went to St Neots to a shop where he found the 2 prisoners at work. He charged them with taking the coat from Keysoe. James Richardson denied having taken it but afterwards said he would go and fetch the coat if there was no more made of it. Richardson left the shop and handed Snell the coat thought a little window in the shop. He took both John and James Richardson into custody. Whilst in custody James Richardson told Snell he had taken the gloves from the pockets of the coat and hidden them in a hedge in Keysoe. Richardson also said he had taken the coat but had not gone to the gig with the intention of doing so. Richardson also gave Snell a pencil which he said he had taken from the pocket of the coat. Statement of the accused: his little brother did not know what had been done and he was further behind with the cart.
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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