QSR1855/4/5/17

Depositions of Edward Campion, bailiff of Melchbourne, Joseph Swift, labourer of Melchbourne and John King, police constable of Riseley. In the case of John Johnson, labourer of Poddington, accused of stealing 5 iron vermin traps.

14 August 1855

From: 1855 To: 1855

Edward Campion: he purchased some small iron vermin traps for Lord St John. They were set about the grounds. Some were near his house. 5 were set by the side of the bank, 35 yards apart. Each trap was set about 3 yards from a road by which the bank ran. He saw the traps frequently and he saw them they day before they were stolen. He saw them on 21 April and missed them on 22 April. The following Friday he was shown traps by the police constable. They were like those he lost. The prisoner had formerly been in the service of Lord St John. Joseph Swift: he was employed by Lord St John. He used to set the small vermin traps. He set 5 of them near Mr Campion’s house by the side of the road on 22 April. He fastened each with a wooden peg and baited them with beans. He missed them on 23 April. The following Friday he saw them in the possession of PC King. He knew them to be the missing ones. PC John King: on 23 April he heard 5 traps had been lost and he had reason to suspect John Johnson. On the following Friday he went to Poddington where Johnson lived and saw him. He charged him with the theft and Johnson said he knew nothing of it. King said he would search the house and Johnson said he had kicked one of the traps and picked it up and then afterwards picked up the others. 4 traps were found in a drawer in the house and his father had set the other in the garden. Johnson said he was sorry. King showed the traps to Campion and Swift who identified them as those of Lord St John. The prisoner then absconded. Statement of the accused: he acknowledged that he took the traps on 22 April. He was under the influence of tobacco when he took them. He did not know what he was about. He told his father the next day that he did not know where he had got the traps.

item

Johnson, John,
Campion, Edward,
Swift, Joseph,
King, John

MELCHBOURNE, RISELEY, PODINGTON, stealing, agricultural implements