QSR1857/1/5/13b

Depositions of Charles Dale, police sergeant of Houghton Regis, John Lambert, police constable of Dunstable, William Pratt, farmer of Totternhoe and Thomas Pratt, farmer of Totternhoe. In the case of Henry Bliss accused of stealing a quantity of barley.

5 January 1857

From: 1857 To: 1857

Sergeant Charles Dale: on 3 January he took a sample of barley from a beehive at the prisoner’s house. There was about half a bushel in the beehive. He also took a sample from a heap at Thomas Pratt’s barn and compared them. In each sample he found a few kernels of wheat. It had the appearance of having being gleaned barley. There was also some wild oats, barn wheat and [?] seed in each sample. PC John Lambert: on 14 December he searched the prisoner’s house and there was no barley in the house at the time. He searched the house again on 29 and saw a quantity of barley in a beehive. Thomas Pratt: the prisoner lived near him in Totternhoe. Sergeant Dale brought a sample of the barley to his house and compared it with some in a heap in the barn. It looked very much like it and he could see no difference. Anyone could get into his barn without much difficulty. Statement of the accused: he reserved his defence.

item

Dale, Charles,
Bliss, Henry,
Lambert, John,
Pratt, William,
Pratt, Thomas

DUNSTABLE, HOUGHTON REGIS, TOTTERNHOE, stealing, barley, farmer