QSR1855/3/5/17c,19b

Depositions of Joseph Mann, labourer of Luton, Samuel Pope, superintendent of police of Luton, Thomas Worsley, labourer of Luton, William Allen of Luton and Josiah Bliss, shepherd of Luton. In the case of Jeremiah Allen and James Gibbs, accused of stealing a quantity of beans, peas, barley and oats.

14 May 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Samuel Pope: on 12 May he searched the house and premises of James Gibbs. He found in a room, concealed under some straw, a sack containing 2 bushels of a mixture of beans, peas and crushed barley, with a few oats. He also found about 20 bushels of clover chaff. Joseph Mann was with him and identified it as the property of his mistress Mrs Butlin. He had since compared the mixture found with that of Mrs Butlin and found that they compare. Joseph Mann: he went to Gibbs house with Superintendent Pope. He saw Pope find the mixture of corn and compare it with the corn at Mrs Butlins. The mixture was the same sort as was given to the prisoner Jeremiah Allen to feed the sheep each morning. Allen was the shepherd of Mrs Butlin’s flock up to 9 May. Thomas Worsley: a servant to Mrs Butlin. He examined the mixture of corn and chaff. He generally prepared the mixture and cut the chaff. He knew the mixture to be the same sort and had no doubt it was Mrs Butlin’s property. He was in the habit of giving it out to William Allen to give to Jeremiah Allen for the purpose of giving it to the sheep. William Allen: a nephew of Mrs Butlin. He would assist in taking food from the house to the field for the sheep. He examined the mixture of corn and chaff and had no doubt it was the same mixture he would take to Jeremiah Allen to give to the sheep. He went to Gibbs house with Superintendent Pope but was not present when the mixture was found. He saw it afterwards and knew it to be the property of Mrs Butlin. Josiah Bliss: a shepherd to Mr Sworder. He assisted in removing the corn and chaff from Gibbs’s house and knew the place it was taken from to be in the occupation of Gibbs. He lived 4 doors from Gibbs. Statement of the accused: Jeremiah Allen – nothing to say but he always emptied the bag and William Allen would take it back. James Gibbs – he reserved his defence.

item

Wiseman, Robert,
Gibbs, James,
Mann, Joseph,
Bliss, Josiah,
Pope, Samuel,
Allen, William,
Worsley, Thomas

LUTON, stealing, beans, peas, oats, barley, shepherd