QSR1854/4/5/2

Depositions of Benjamin Parsons, labourer of Haynes. William Nelson, beershop keeper of Langford. Abel Bray, beershop keeper of Clifton and Richard Todd, police constable of Biggleswade. In the case of George Stokes accused of stealing a mare and a cart.

1 August 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Benjamin Parsons: a labourer living in Hawnes. On 27 July his master, Mr John Young, sent him with his horse and cart on an errand to Biggleswade. On the way he met George Stokes at Ireland, in the parish of Southill. Stoke got up on the cart and rode with him. When they got to the turn to Langford, Stokes asked Parsons to lend him the horse and cart to go to Langford to fetch some potatoes he had bought. He asked Parsons to go to Biggleswade and feed his horse which he had left at the Crown there and he would meet him there after returning from Langford. Parsons let Stokes take the horse and cart and went to the Crown and there learnt that no horse and cart had been left there. Parsons went to the station and afterwards to Langford to look for the prisoner but heard nothing of him. Parsons returning to Biggleswade and gave the information to the police. He and PC Todd made enquiries and traced the prisoner as far as Clifton. The following morning they went on and found the horse and cart in the possession of Abel Bray in Clifton field near Shefford. On the side of the cart had been nailed a tin with his master’s name upon it. He had seen it on the cart when it turned towards Langford. When they found the cart the tin was off and some name in chalk wax was written on the cart where the tin had been. William Nelson: keeper of a beer shop in Langford. At about 12 noon the prisoner came to the house with a horse and cart and took several pints of beer. Whilst at the house he offered to sell the horse to a man by the name of Smith for £25. He then walked round to the cart and on the side was painted the name of Young of Hawnes. Smith declined to buy the horse and the prisoner left the house. The prisoner proceeded with the horse and cart towards Henlow. Abel Bray: keeper of a beer shop in Clifton Fields. On 27 July at about 5pm the prisoner called at the house and had a pint of beer. He had a horse and cart with him and when he came into the house he left the horse and cart without anyone to man it. It ran back and broke a gig. He then told the prisoner he should not go until he compensated him and the prisoner said he would leave his fathers horse and cart until he went to Shefford. He then left the horse in the shed. The reason he let the prisoner go was because there was no proper address on the cart. He asked the prisoner his name and the prisoner replied Dodswell. On the cart was a name written in chalk which looked like Dodswell. It was not well written. The prisoner was so long gone at Shefford that Bray went after him and made enquiries bit could find nothing of him. The next morning the policeman and Parsons came and claimed the horse and cart. There was no other name besides Dodsworth on the cart and it appeared tin had been recently removed and the paint appeared fresh. PC Richard Todd: on 7 July he had been at Biggleswade. He was instructed by the superintendent to accompany the witness Parsons and to assist in recovering the horse and cart. They traced the prisoner to Langford and Clifton but could hear no more of him that night. The following morning between 6 and 7am they found the horse and cart at Bray’s beer shop in Clifton fields. Parsons immediately recognised the horse and cart. The cart bore the name Dodswell in chalk and it appeared as if the tin with the name on has recently been taken off. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Stokes, George,
Parson, Benjamin,
Nelson, William,
Bray, Abel,
Todd, Richard,
Young, John

HAYNES, LANGFORD, CLIFTON, BIGGLESWADE, stealing animals, horses, cart, beer seller, Biggleswade Crown