QSR1846/1/5/8-9

Depositions and examinations - Charles Smith and William Millard charged with stealing part of an elm tree, value 1s, from the Honorable George Henley Ongley, the Honorable Frederick Henley Ongley and John Green at Eversholt on 25 November 1845

25 November 1845

From: 1845 To: 1846

John Fuller of Eversholt, gardener – he is gardener on the estate of Linden in Eversholt. It is the property of Hon. George Henley Ongley, Hon. Frederick Henley Ongley and John Green, the trustess of the estates of the late Miss Monoux. On Saturday 22 November part of an elm tree (the stem) was lying in the pleasure ground. Yesterday he noticed it had been chopped and part taken away and the rest moved behind a building in the grounds. He gave information to PC Taylor and asked him to watch that night. About 6am that morning Taylor informed him it was still there. He went to the place at 7am and it was gone. Soon after 8am Taylor showed him the tree in his [Taylor’s] own yard which he knows to be the same one. Taylor also showed him two pieces of wood which he knows to have been cut off the tree between Saturday and Monday. Robert Henry Taylor, police constable stationed at Eversholt – he watched the tree all last night but no one came. When he was informed at about 8am that it was gone he went to a house (part of the old workhouse) in Eversholt which was occupied by Smith and Millard. He went first to an adjoining barn where Smith sleeps and saw the tree. Smith said that Millard occupied that part of the barn. Millard came in and he charged them both with stealing the tree from Mr Smart’s grounds. They denied it. At his instruction they carried the tree to his premises. He examined the pales between the pleasure ground and the churchyard and saw the marks of at least two men. The pales were freshly broken and there was some elm tree bark on some poles in the churchyard. The old workhouse is exactly opposite the churchyard. He took them into custody and went back to the room Smith and Millard occupy and where Millard sleeps. There he saw the two pieces of wood by the fire place. Charles Smith – he was in his own room in bed and knows nothing about the wood or who brought it there. William Millard – “They can’t swear as us two took it. They found it in the barn and nobody occupies that barn.”

item

Smith, Charles,
Millard, William,
Ongley, George Henley,
Ongley, Frederick Henley,
Green, John,
Fuller, John,
Taylor, Robert Henry,
Monoux

EVERSHOLT, stealing, wood, elm, gardener, police constable, Eversholt Linden Farm