QSR1844/3/5/22

Depositions and examination - William Richardson charged with stealing 2 1/2 bushels of potatoes value 5s from James Lomas and Thomas Lomas on 5 June 1844 at Clophill.

6 June 1844

From: 1844 To: 1844

James Lomas of Clophill, labourer – he and his father Thomas Lomas occupy a garden in the parish of Clophill about ½ mile from where they live. They had about 3 bushels of potatoes in a pit in the garden. He saw them there on 1 June. The pit was covered over with stubble and grass. On Monday morning 3 June about 5am he went to the pit and found that nearly all the potatoes were gone. He saw a piece of a cotton handkerchief in the pit which was not there on Saturday night. It was the piece produced by Doggett. He did not move it. He later saw Doggett pick it up. He saw marks of one person having entered the garden and gone to the pit, tramped about, and gone out again. Richardson had a piece of land among the Poor Allotments. He went there and saw a place where he thought potatoes were. He put in his hand and took out 2 or 3 potatoes, which he identified as his. They were the same sort and were gnawed by mice. He procured the assistance of Doggett and having obtained a search warrant they went to Richardson’s house. He saw Doggett pick up the large pieces of handkerchief now produced in the window. He later took the potatoes out of Richardsons’ ground. There were about 2 bushels and 3 pecks. He has no doubt they are his. Vincent Doggett, parish constable of Clophill – yesterday morning he procured a search warrant and went to Richardson’s house. He found there the 2 larger pieces of handkerchief now produced. He had previously taken the small piece of handkerchief produced from Lomas’s pit. The pieces match. He helped to take the potatoes from the pit in Richardson’s ground. They appear to correspond with Lomas’s potatoes. The potatoes in Richardson’s ground were close to the surface. William Gaylor of Clophill, labourer – he occupies a rood of ground among the Poor Allotments. About a fortnight ago he crossed Richardson’s ground and saw a large hole which had been a potato pit. He can’t say there were no potatoes in it. It was not covered over. He did not see any straw. If there were any potatoes within a foot of the ground he would have seen them. He knows it is where Lomas’s potatoes were found. He told Lomas of the hole when he said he had lost his potatoes. William Richardson – 3 weeks ago he covered up that hole and his potatoes were in it. He knows nothing about the handkerchief. He has moved his potatoes twice.

item

Richardson, William,
Lomas, James,
Lomas, Thomas,
Doggett, Vincent,
Gaylor, William

CLOPHILL, stealing, potatoes, parish constable, allotments, mice, handkerchief