QSR1854/4/5/6

Depositions of Edward Barnard of Houghton Regis, Thomas Haltom of Houghton Regis, James Chapman of Houghton Regis, Reuben Edward Kemp of Houghton Regis and Charles Dale of Houghton Regis. In the case of James Turvey accused of stealing a bushel and a half of wheat.

14 August 1854

From: 1854 To: 1854

Edward Barnard: a farmer living in Bidwell, in Houghton Regis. On 4 August he had a quantity of wheat in his granary. There were 13 and a half bushels. The door to the granary was locked at night and he examined the door on Saturday 5 August and found it as he had left it. In consequence of information received he ordered the wheat to be measured by Thomas Haltom. The prisoner was at work for him at the time and he discharged him on the Monday morning. The same afternoon he sent for PC Kemp. He went with Kemp and found some wheat in a sack in a field growing wheat in the occupation of Joseph Chapman, which adjoined Turvey’s premises. It was close to Turvey’s hedge. It was a low quick hedge and he could reach the sack over it. There was about a bushel and a half in the sack, which he examined and took a sample of. He later compared it with the bulk left at the premises and had no doubt that it was his property. The sack had been placed recently. Thomas Haltom: he worked for Mr Barnard at Bidwell. On 1 August he measured 13 and a half bushels of wheat for the granary. It was offal wheat. It was put into the granary and on 5 August his master told him to measure it again. He found only 12 bushels. He believed the wheat produced to be that which he measured. It was mixed wheat. James Chapman: lived at Bidwell and had a piece of ground adjoining the prisoner’s garden. His wheat was close to his barn. On 7 August he found a sack covered up in his wheat. It was close to the prisoner’s garden hedge. The prisoner’s wife was looking at him as he went along the hedge. She did not say anything to Chapman and went into the house. He told her he had found a sack and after his wife went in, the prisoner came out. He said to the prisoner that he was an old fool and didn’t care who he got into trouble. Turvey told Chapman to say nothing about it and that he would fetch it away once it was dark. The prisoner said it was there because he thought the police would come down and search. He told Mr Barnard as soon as he saw him, that there was a sack in the field. PC Reuben Edward Kemp: he received information from Mr Barnard that he had lost some wheat. On Monday 7 August he went with Barnard to Chapman’s field adjoining the prisoner’s premises. He found a sack containing about a bushel and a half of wheat, just over the hedge from Turvey’s garden. He traced the footsteps from Turvey’s door to the spot where it had been put over the hedge. He lifted the sack over the hedge. He found the prisoners name on the sack. Kemp identified the sack as one he had seen in the prisoner’s house on 19 June. On 8 August he went to the prisoner’s house with PC Dale and took the prisoner into custody. He saw PC Dale find another sack which he identified as one he had found at the prisoners house on 19 June. He showed the wheat to Mr Barnard and his identified it as his property. He compared the wheat with a sample found in the granary and they corresponded. PC Charles Dale: a police constable stationed at Dunstable. He went with PC Kemp on 8 August and assisted in apprehending the prisoner. He told him the charge and the prisoner said he knew nothing of the wheat. He then went to Barnard’s and examined the sack containing the wheat. He knew it to be the same as he had seen at Turvey’s house on 19 June. It was marked in 2 different places with ‘Turvey’ and the letter ‘W’. On 19 June he found another sack at Tuvey’s house which he found there again on 8 August. On 19 June Turvey had acknowledged the sacks as his. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Turvey, James,
Barnard, Edward,
Haltom, Thomas,
Chapman, James,
Kemp, Reuben Edward,
Dale, Charles

HOUGHTON REGIS, stealing, wheat