QSR1855/3/5/29

Depositions of William Rollings, farmer of Eaton Bray, Matthew Rollings. Thomas Henry Low of Hampstead, Middlesex and John Cleft, police constable of Eaton Bray. In the case of William Brandham, labourer of Eaton Bray, accused of embezzling money to the sum of £2 11s 6d.

5 June 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

William Rollings: the prisoner had worked for him at times over the past 12 years. He would hire him by the week and usually paid him 5 shillings and his expenses on the road. He was in the habit of sending him to different parts of the country with hay and straw for sale, which if he sold he would purchased soot and brought it home with him. It was the prisoners business to settle on his return. On 21 May he entrusted him with 14 cwt of clover hay and 56 trusses of straw to sell. The hay and straw were loaded into 2 carts. The prisoner had charge of one cart and his son of the other. He expected the prisoner to return on 23 May but he did not. His son returned on 23 May. On the evening of the 24 May he went to the prisoner’s house in Dunstable. He saw him there and asked him to settle. Branham said he had had a bad job and had laid down to sleep and was robbed of his money. On 27 April the prisoner had robbed him of £3 5s 0d and he pretended he had lost the money and now told him a similar tale. The prisoner had about £2 18s 4d of hay and £1 8s 0d of straw. He considered the prisoner to have defrauded him of £2 11s 6d. Matthew Rollings: son of William Rollings and was 17 years old. On 21 May he went with the prisoner, with a load of hay and another of straw, to Hampstead in Middlesex. Brandham sold the hay and straw and told him he had received £1 8s 0d a load for the straw and £4 12s for a load of hay. The prisoner received all the money except £1 9s which he gave to Matthew Rollings to purchase a load of soot. He left Brandham at Hampstead and went to London. He saw the prisoner at Whetstone the next day. Brandham was drunk and in a wagon and another man was driving the cart which was full of soot. He came to Mimms [?] with the prisoner that night and remained there until 23 May. He accompanied Brandham to St Albans and asked him to settle with him for the hay and straw as he was accustomed to do. Brandham said he would settle when they got to the other side of St Albans. Brandham left him there with the carts which he ought not to have done. The prisoner should have brought his cart home. He looked for him for 5 hours but saw no more of him. The prisoner had sold the hay and straw in 2 lots to Mr Low and another person. Mr Low told him he had paid the prisoner £4 5s 6d and the prisoner informed him that he received £1 2s 6d from the other person. The prisoner had given him £1 9s 0d and bought a load of soot for £1 7s 6d. The prisoner had £2 11s 6d to account for. Thomas Henry Low: an omnibus proprietor and veterinary surgeon of Hampstead in Middlesex. He knew the prisoner well and had often bought clover and straw from him. On 22 May he purchased ¾ a load of clover and a half load and 7 trusses of straw. The last witness was present at the time and he paid the prisoner £4 5s 6d. PC John Cleft: on 30 May he apprehended the prisoner at Dunstable and charged him with embezzling money from his master William Rollings. The prisoner said he had 2 sovereigns wrapped in paper in his pocket and some loose silver. He lay down and fell asleep and on waking found the money had been taken from his pocket. The prisoner was asked if he had advised the police and he said he had not. Statement of the accused: he was asleep and he was not drunk. He had 2 sovereigns wrapped in a piece of paper and a little loose silver. When he woke he found the sovereigns were gone. He told Mr Rollings he would try and make it good but he said he should have it all or none.

item

Brandham, William,
Rollings, William,
Rollings, Matthew,
Low, Thomas Henry,
Cleft, John

EATON BRAY, St Albans, embezzlement, money, Hampstead, farmer, straw, hay, omnibus proprietor, veterinary surgeon