QSR1855/3/5/14-15

Depositions of Edward Kidman, farmer of Streatley, Thomas Ansell, a minor, Edward Dear, labourer of Streatley and Patrick Carroll, police constable of Barton. In the case of Joseph Harris and William Randall, accused of stealing 14 hen eggs.

7 May 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Edward Kidman: a farmer at Sharpenhoe. The prisoner, Joseph Harris was in his employment as a horse keeper and William Randall was a stable boy. In consequence of information received, on 3 May he directed Thomas Ansell to watch some eggs which were hidden in the chaff house. On 4 May there were an additional 3 and on 5 May he ordered Ansell to mark 3 of them. He saw them all safe that day between 10 and 11am. That evening Ansell told him they had all been taken away. Later that evening, the prisoners were brought to him by PC Carroll who also produced 14 eggs. He identified 3 of them from being marked. Thomas Ansell: he worked from Mr Kidman. On 2 May he found 10 eggs in the chaff house. They were covered over with chaff. He told his master and was told to keep a look out on them. On Friday he found another 3 eggs there. His masters ordered him to marked 3 of them and he did so with red oil. In the afternoon, about 5.30pm he looked again and they had gone. 3 eggs produced were ones he had marked. Edward Dear: he worked for Mr Kidman and he advised him to watch the eggs in the chaff house. On 5 May about 4.45pm he saw the prisoner Harris coming from the stable near the chaff house with Randall’s coat on his arm. He took the coat to the kitchen where Randall was and they both went off together. He told his master, who sent him to Barton to tell the police. He was present when they were both taken into custody. He heard Harris tell the constable that Randall had the eggs in his pocket. There were 14. Randall was not present when Harris said so. He had suspicion the eggs were in the coat from the way Harris carried it. PC Patrick Carroll: from information received he went to the house of Joseph Harris and told him of the charge. Harris denied the charge at first and afterwards said he had not got the eggs but the boy Randall had. Randall had got them in his coat. Asked how he knew, Harris said he was sure Randall had but did not know if he had bought the eggs or not. He accompanied Harris to Randall’s mother house. Randall was home and asked his mother whether he had bought home any eggs that evening. She said he had given her 14 eggs. She said she did not know what he had bought them with as he had stopped a shilling out of his wages which he was in the habit of paying her weekly and that he had previous bought her 10 eggs which made a shillings worth. Randall was asked if he bought the eggs and at first he said he had. Randall later said he had found them in a hedge in the yard. His mother then asked him where the shilling was and Randall produced it. He then took him down to Mr Kidman’s to show the eggs to Ansell. In his presence Randall told Kidman that he had 10 on a previous occasion and had taken them from the chaff house in his coat pocket. Harris then came to Kidman’s and Randall said the eggs had been in his coat when Harris had brought the coat from the stable to the kitchen. Randall said Harris knew about the eggs and had stood by the door when he had taken them. Statement of the accused: Joseph Harris – he was not guilty of stealing eggs and had nothing more to say. William Randall – nothing to say.

item

Harris, Joseph,
Randall, William,
Kidman, Edward,
Ansell, Thomas,
Dear, Edward,
Carroll, Patrick

STREATLEY, Barton, stealing, eggs, farmer