QSR1856/1/5/7

Depositions of George Crounch, labourer of Shefford, Reuben Pepper, police constable of Shefford, Charles Bushby, constable of Shefford and William Stanbridge, labourer of Shefford. In the case of William Inskip, accused of stealing a sack and 3 bushels of potatoes.

10 December 1855

From: 1855 To: 1856

George Crouch: the prisoner lodged at his house. On 7 December he came home with a sack which he told his children contained potatoes. There appeared to be about a bushel and he told his children to take them to his brothers in the morning. PC Charles Bushby: a constable at Shefford. On 8 December he found a sack containing potatoes in a wheelbarrow close to the prisoner’s brother’s house. He took possession of them. Squires identified them as his. The prisoner was given into his custody to be locked up and as he was conveying him through the streets they saw Mr Squires. The prisoner went to Squires and begged his pardon and offered to pay for the potatoes. PC Reuben Pepper: he searched the prisoner’s lodgings on 8 December and found about half a peck of potatoes. He took some as a sample and compared them with Mr Squires. He had no doubt they were all from the same lot. He afterwards met the prisoner in the street and apprehended him. William Stanbridge: an ostler at the Kings Arms at Shefford. On 7 December he had been up the Kings Arms yard and William Inskip came up the yard with a horse and cart. He saw Inskip go under shed where there were quantities of potatoes in sacks belonging to Mr John Squires. He went towards the shed and met Inskip and asked him what he wanted. Inskip said he wanted to empty the Pollard out of the cart and he then went away. There were 7 sacks of potatoes belonging to Mr Squires under the shed and he had seen them all safe in that afternoon. The following morning he examined the shed and missed a sack with about 3 bushels of potatoes. The potatoes were Jersey Blues. The sack produced by Charles Bushby belonged to Mr Squires and was under the shed on Friday. The Kings Arms yard was a closed yard. He did not lock it before 11pm. 4 of the sacks were new and 3 were old. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Inskip, William,
Crouch, George,
Pepper, Reuben,
Bushby, Charles,
Stanbridge, William,
Squires, John

SHEFFORD, Shefford Kings Arms, stealing, potatoes, sack, ostler