QSR1854/3/5/23

Depositions of Robert Low, farmer of Clophill, Valentine Doggett, labour of Clophill, George Brasier, labourer of Clophill, James Worsley, police constable of Clophill and Vincent Doggett, parish constable of Clophill. In the case of James Parish accuse of one and half bushels of wheat.

9 June 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Robert Law: a farmer residing in Clophill. From information received he had reason to suspect that the prisoner James Parish had been taking away some wheat when he had been threshing in the barn. In consequence he made an application for a search warrant which was granted and he accompanied PC Worsley and Vincent Doggett, the parish constable to the house of the prisoner. He examined in the barn whist the constable went upstairs and about 3 minutes later they came down with a sack containing some wheat. He examined the wheat and found it like this own. He then accompanied Vincent Doggett to apprehend the prisoner who was at work on his farm at Beadlow. The prisoner was searched in his presence and a small quantity of beans [?] found in his pocket. Law knew them to be missing. They also found 12 eggs in his basket covered by a piece of hay, which he also believed to be his property. Valentine Doggett: son of Vincent Doggett the constable. On 5 June he met the prisoner coming from the direction of the prosecutor’s barn, for whom he knew he had been threshing wheat. He had a bag covered with his smock frock. The bag appeared to have something in it. He had observed the prisoner once coming away from the barn in the same manner. In consequence of his suspicions he told his father what he had seen. George Brasier: on 7 June he was returning home to dinner when the prisoner overtook him. The prisoner had a bag under his arm which had something in it. The bag was concealed by his smock frock. When he first saw the prisoner, he was coming out of the [?] yard going to own home. PC James Worsley: in consequence of having a search warrant, he and Vincent Doggett went along with the prosecutor to the prisoner’s house. On going upstairs to the prisoner’s bed room they found a sack containing a bushel of wheat. Worsley brought it down and showed it to the prosecutor and after examining it he had no doubt that it was his. He accompanied the prosecutor to the barn where the prisoner was threshing wheat. Worsley took a sample the wheat from the barn and a sample from the wheat found at the prisoners. They appeared the same. On further searching the prisoner’s house he found a bag containing eggs concealed. Vincent Doggett: in consequence of the information he received from his son, who had seen the prisoner carrying something from the barn of the prosecutor, he communicated the information to the prosecutor. He then accompanied PC Worsley and the prosecutor to the prisoner’s house to search it. Upstairs they found wheat in a sack, which the prosecutor believed to be his. He then accompanied the prosecutor to his farm at Beadlow and apprehended the prisoner. He searched him and found in his jacket pocket a small quantity of beans. On searching the prisoner’s basket he found a quantity of eggs. The prosecutor believed the beans to be his. The prisoner said he had taken the eggs and was going to give them to his [?]. He also heard the prisoner say he had never taken anything before. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Parish, James,
Low, Robert,
Doggett, Vincent,
Doggett, Valentine,
Brasier, George,
Worsley, James

CLOPHILL, Beadlow, stealing, wheat