QSR1855/1/5/12,12a/b

Depositions of Joseph Thompson, fruiterer of Olney, Henry Ison Jebbett, superintendent of police of Bedford, James Weed, labourer of Turvey and Ephraim Aldridge, police constable of Turvey. John Weed, labourer of Turvey on behalf of the prisoner. In the case of John Crawley accused of stealing 2000 walnuts.

25 November 1854

From: 1854 To: 1855

Joseph Thompson: a fruiterer of Olney, Buckinghamshire. On 18 November he was going home from Bedford market and had to call at Turvey. He left his van in the street about 6.30pm and went into a shop with some herrings. He had some walnuts in the van which he felt as he removed the herrings from the van. On returning he stood on some walnuts on the ground. He felt in the van for the walnuts but they had gone. They had been in a bag. He had been away about 10 minutes. A little girl had stood against the van when he had taken the herrings into the shop. He went into John Woodings who brought out a light. He told PC Aldridge about the loss. PC Ephraim Aldridge: on 18 November he went with the prosecutor to his van. In consequence of some information he received from some children he went to the Kings Arms public house. He saw Crawley, West and Crawley’s wife whispering in the yard. About 3 hours later he went to Crawley cottage and stopped against the door. He heard Crawley’s wife say that he better go to bed and get up early and put those things out of the way, as she was sure the house would be searched. Aldridge went for assistance before returning and searching the house. He found a bag of walnuts. Crawley was in bed and he took him into custody and told him the charge. Crawley said he did not steal them and they had been brought to his house by Charles West. He afterwards apprehended the prisoner, Sanders and told him the charge. Sanders said he had gone up to Thompsons van in the company of West and he had seen West place his hand on the bag of walnuts and say they would have them. Sanders said he did not assist and had told West not to. Henry Ison Jebbett: on the afternoon 19 November he was conveying the prisoners from Turvey to Bedford. Sanders started a conversation by saying he was sorry for being charged with the offence of felony and he would not have been in the position if it had not been for West. Sanders said he and West had spent the latter part of the afternoon together at the 3 Fishes public house and on leaving had passed Thompson’s van. When they came to the van, West put his hand in it and said there were a lot of walnuts and they would have them. West had taken them out of the van without assistance and took them away. Sanders had not known where West had taken them. Sanders said afterwards he had gone home and heard no more of it until apprehended by the constable. James Weed: he had been at the Kings Arms on 18 November and had seen John Crawley there. He saw West go and speak to him and then they went out of the house together. He overheard in the house that some walnuts had been stolen. Crawley was present. West told him in the street that they suspected him of stealing the walnuts. Witness of behalf of the prisoners – John Weed: a labourer living in Turvey. He recollected going to the Kings Arms public house with Crawley at about half past five. He left about 9pm and Crawley had not left the house, except to go outside, in this time. Crawley’s wife came to the house about 8pm and called him out. He was called out directly afterwards. Crawley’s wife told him some nuts had been brought to the house by West and he would call for them again in a little while. She said Crawley told her he had picked them up in the street. Crawley’s wife wanted him to find West to fetch them back. She said she would throw them in the mill pit if he did not. Crawley said he would see if he could find West. Crawley was not sober when he went to sleep. He had to wake him and they went away together.

item

Crawley, John,
West, Charles,
Thompson, Joseph,
Aldridge, Ephraim,
Sanders, John,
Jebbett, Henry Ison,
Weed, James,
Weed, John

TURVEY, Olney, stealing, walnuts, fruiterer