QSR1847/1/5/2

Depositions and examination - George Smith charged wtih stealing onions from Rebecca Clarke.

31 August 1846

From: 1846 To: 1847

Rebecca Clarke, wife of Charles Clarke of Eaton Socon, gardener – yesterday morning 30 August she was woken about 1.30am by her ducks making a noise. He got out of bed and opened the window. She saw Smith open the stable door, which was not locked, only pinned by a piece of wood. She heard footsteps go up the ladder. She heard a rustling as if onions were being moved. About 10 minutes later she saw Smith come out with a sack or bag over his shoulder, containing what she supposed were onions. She watched out of the parlour window and saw him leave the yard and cross the garden towards his house. She looked out of her bedroom again and saw Smith come back about ¼ hour later. She again heard him climb the ladder and heard the rustle of onions, and he again left with a sack on his shoulder. This was repeated a third time. As Smith left the stable door the last time she saw him met by another man in a striped jacket. When Smith got to his own house he went in and shut the door. She did not go out the first and second times Smith came because she was afraid to do so as she was alone in the house with 5 young children. William Nicol No.2 of Beds Rural Police – he went to Smith’s house about 7am yesterday morning. He told Smith that Mrs Clarke had charged him with stealing onions. Smith seemed very much confused and said he dare not go near the dog. He asked Smith if he had any onions. Smith said he had some upstairs. He tool Smith to the cage. He then went back to Smith’s house and found between 2 and 3 bushels of onions under the bed. About 10am he went to Smith and asked how he came by them. Smith said his wife gathered them from his own ground about 1 fortnight ago. He examined the onions in Mr Clarke’s loft and they are of the same kind, with a quantity of rye straw mixed with both those in the loft and those found at Smith’s house. Henry Ison Jebbett, police superintendent – he produced some of the onions taken at Smith’s house. He has examined the loft and saw a quantity of rice [sic] straw mixed with the onions. The same sort of rye straw was with the onions taken from Smith’s house. Rebecca Clarke [further deposition] – she had been in the loft the Saturday evening before the robbery and has been there since. About 13 bushels are gone. The rye straw was placed on the floor of the loft to prevent the onions falling between the slats. George Smith – he did not steal the onions. He was in bed at the time and the onions grew on his own ground.

item

Smith, George,
Clarke, Rebecca,
Clarke, Charles,
Nicol, William,
Jebbett, Henry Ison

EATON SOCON, stealing, onions, ducks, gardeners, police constable, police superintendent