QSR1845/3/5/11

Depositions - Elijah Prentice charged with stealing 2 bushels of wheat from Benjamin Browne at Blunham

27 May 1845

From: 1845 To: 1845

Benjamin Browne of Willow Hill, Blunham, farmer – Prentice was employed in his service as a horse keeper but was dressing wheat last Saturday and Monday (24 and 26 May). He had information that morning from James Browne that 2 bushels of wheat had been delivered to him by Prentice for a debt. He took a sample from the 2 bushels and compared it with the wheat in his barn which Prentice had been dressing and found they were alike, with a few grains of barley mixed in. The wheat had been thrashed in the barley barn. When he put the wheat up on Monday morning he said there did not appear to be as much as there ought to be. James Browne – he is servant to Benjamin Browne. Last night Prentice brought him 2 bushels of wheat in part payment of a great coat. He had received a watch from him before. Prentice told him he and his mother were going to buy a load of wheat and that he should have part of this instead of the balance he was owed for the coat. He informed Mr Brown. That morning he went to Prentice’s mother to find out if he had bought any wheat with her. She said they had not bought any. He then went to Mr Brown and told him. The wheat was delivered to him in a sack with Mr Brown’s name on it. Benjamin Browne [further statement] – he missed one of his sacks on Monday morning and found it that morning in his chaff house covered up with chaff. The sack had a piece of blue cloth in it. James Browne [further statement] – the piece of blue cloth produced with the sack was sold to Prentice by him when the wheat was brought. The sack and the piece of cloth were taken away by Prentice. Joseph Peters, police constable – Benjamin Brown came to him that morning and told him he had found 2 bushels of wheat at James Browne’s which he believed had been stolen from him. He heard B Browne ask Prentice’s mother if she had bought any wheat. She said she had had no wheat in her house since Michaelmas. He called at J Browne’s and took a sample of the wheat. It appears to correspond with a sample taken from B Brown’s barn. He apprehended Prentice. He said he hoped Prentice had enjoyed himself at Northill Feast. Prentice said “yes, but it will be the last time I suppose. I cannot keep well off when I am so”.

item

Prentice, Elijah,
Brown, Benjamin,
Browne, James,
Peters, Joseph

BLUNHAM, NORTHILL, Blunham Willow Hill Farm, stealing, wheat, farmer, horsekeeper, farm labourer, threshing, feasts