QSR1844/3/5/9-10

Deposition of John Butler Johnson of Potton, farmer and draper, against Thomas Emery and William Britton

11 May 1844

From: 1844 To: 1844

He lives at Potton where he carries on business as a draper and is also a farmer. His farm yard is some little distance from his place of residence. Passing in that direction about 10pm last night on his way home he went to see if the yard gate was locked and found it open. He went to Mr Pain’s who lives a few yards from the premises and whose duty it is to see the gate locked and asked the servant for the key. She said her master was gone to bed but she would fetch it. He said was of no consequence and returned to the gate. Just as he got there he fancied he heard footsteps in the yard. He followed the sound towards a dark passage in the yard when he distinctly heard someone breathe. He called out “who’s there? Come forward” and the 2 prisoners came out of the passage. He seized them and took them into an adjoining house. He found a quantity of potatoes in Britton’s smock. He asked Mr Pain to take charge of the prisoners while he went to search the passage. He took a light and found the two fowls produced in the passage. They were warm and had been recently killed. He swears the fowls are his property and believes the potatoes to be his as they correspond with some he had in the cow house, to which anybody could have access by climbing through an opening about 7 feet high against which there were some hurdles. There was some short straw scattered among his potatoes and was some of the same description among the potatoes in Britton’s smock.

item

Emery, Thomas,
Britton, William,
Johnson, John Butler,
Pain

POTTON, stealing animals, stealing, fowls, potatoes, farmer, draper