QSR1855/4/5/9a

Depositions of Thomas Low, labourer of Wootton, John Allen, labourer of Wootton and Alfred Allen, labourer of Wootton. In the case of David Beard, labourer of Wootton, accused of stealing a bag, 2 ounces of pork and 2 ounces of bread.

15 August 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Thomas Low: on the morning of 15 August he lost his victuals. He had out his bag wrapped up in his smock frock on a head land in a field at Wootton where he was working. He last saw his bag about 6am. It had about 2 ounces of pork and about 2 ounces of bread. That morning about 8.30am Alfred Allen showed him his bag wrapped with other bags. The bag was empty when Allen showed it to him. Alfred Allen: about 8am he saw the prisoner creeping in a wheat field. He brought him out of the wheat field and asked him what he had done there. The prisoner said he had come to lie down. The prisoner had a handkerchief. He went with Beard to the road and the handkerchief was untied. He saw in the handkerchief a bag, some bread, some pork and some pudding. John Allen: on 15 August he saw Beard in a wheat field at Wootton. Beard was creeping along and he went to him and saw a handkerchief with some provisions and a victual bag or two in it. The handkerchief was tied up. The handkerchief was on the ground when he first saw it. Alfred Allen was with Beard when he got up. Alfred Allen took the handkerchief and undid the handkerchief on to the road. The handkerchief was stuffed with meat, some pudding, some bits of bread and a bag. He did not know what was in the bag. Thomas Low came to road. Alfred Allen and the prisoner were there when Low came up. When Low came up he owned a bit of bread that was in the handkerchief. After he found the handkerchief he went in the wheat field to where the prisoner had been. He found some bags. He took the bags to the road and put them against the others. Low came to us almost directly. In the handkerchief they found 2 bags. Thomas Low: he saw his bag on the road on top of the handkerchief. Alfred Allen, John Allen and the prisoner were there.

item

Beard, David,
Low, Thomas,
Allen, Alfred

WOOTTON, stealing, bread, pork