QSR1855/3/5/44-47

Depositions of Frederick Schrader, labourer of Houghton Regis, Henry Shrader, labourer of Houghton Regis, John White, butcher of Houghton Regis and Jeremiah Cultriss, police constable of Dunstable. In the case of John McVae, John Burke, George Taylor and John Riddlesworth, accused of stealing a loaf of bread and a piece of salt pork.

25 June 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Frederick Schrader: a labourer at Chalk Hill in the parish of Houghton Regis. On 24 June about 7am he discovered someone had been in his house and he missed a loaf and a piece of salt pork. PC Cutliss afterwards showed him a piece of pork and a loaf which he took out of a bundle. He knew the items to be his property. Henry Schrader: brother to Frederick. He lodged at the Green Man at Chalk Hill, which was near his brother’s house. He saw the 4 prisoners as he was undoing his shutters. 2 lads went down the hill towards his brother’s house and came back a few minutes later. George Taylor had something shaped like a loaf of bread under is coat. He could not see what it was. About 10 minutes later he heard his brother’s house had been robbed. He went after the prisoners and helped taken them into custody. They took 3 prisoners to Dunstable but McVae got away. John Burke had got a bundle and he was present when the bundle was opened and the bread and pork found. John White: between 7 and 8am he saw 2 boys running past his house. Taylor had something under his coat and the other boy was peeping at it. It looked something like a loaf of bread. He suspected something to be wrong and found Frederick Schrader’s house had been robbed. He went after the prisoners and took both the Schrader’s with him in his cart. They caught the prisoners at Dunstable but the little one ran away. The big one had nothing and so he let him passed on. The next biggest had a bundle. Henry Schrader fetched back the little one that ran away. He took the bundle from Burke and charged him with stealing bread and meat. At first Burke said he had not but that the big one had given it to him. Burke also said it was not his handkerchief that it was tied up in. The policeman came and the bundle was opened. It contained the bread and meat. PC Jeremiah Cutliss: he found Burke, Taylor and Riddlesworth in the custody of White and Schrader. White gave him a bundle in which was a loaf and some meat. He went in search of the tall prisoner and took him into custody near Dunstable. They were all charged with stealing. McVae said he did not know anything about it. Burke said the bundle belonged to McVae and he had been given it to carry. The 2 boys said they were sent by the other 2 prisoners to go and beg or steal anything they could get their hands on. They said they would not have done it if it had not been for being sent. Taylor said he went into the house with the other boy and took bread and meat and gave the bread to McVae and the meat to Burke. Taylor said McVae and Burke said if anyone interfered with them they would knock their heads. Statements of the accused: John McVae - he never mentioned such a thing and did not know the chaps were stealing. He had not told them to steal anything. He picked up with them on the road and they asked him where he was going. He told them to the hay country to make hay and they said they had been with another man that had gone from them. They asked to go with him. John Burke: he had started from Birmingham. On Thursday he had come within 6 miles of Coventry and was turning back when he met McVae and the 2 lads. He went along with them and Taylor asked him for a handkerchief and he lent it to him. It was the handkerchief on the outside of the bundle. Coming up Chalk Hill the 2 boys turned away and came back with bread and meat tied in a bundle. McVae took the bundle. He had the bundle when the men stepped out the cart. He and McVae both lived in the same street and he lived at 67 Union Street, Birmingham. George Taylor: they had all been going over Chalk Hill and had nothing for breakfast. The men told them to go and beg or take from a house without folks seeing them. McVae said he would be the same as a father to them. McVae said when he got work he would buy him a shirt and a pair of shoes. Riddleworth went into the house with him and took the meat. He took the bread John Riddlesworth: McVae said he would help Taylor all harvest as he had been so good to him and could get things where he could not. He said he was the best little boy in the world. Taylor went away from them and when he came again he asked what Taylor had. Taylor replied it was something he could not get. He was not there when the meat was taken. He did not know what Taylor had got.

item

McVae, John,
Taylor, George,
Riddlesworth, John,
Burke, John,
Schrader, Frederick,
Schrader, Henry,
White, John,
Cultriss, Jeremiah

HOUGHTON REGIS, stealing, bread, pork, butcher