QSR1858/1/5/9

Depositions of John Hart, licensed victualler of Bromham, Thomas Tillyard, police constable of Bedford and Henry Ison Jebbett, superintendent of police of Bedford. In the case of Levi Brooks accused of stealing a bushel of beans.

1 January 1858

From: 1858 To: 1858

John Hart: he was keeper of the Swan public house in Bromham and also farmed some land. The prisoner was in his employment in December 1857. He had grown some beans and at harvest they were put in a barn. The prisoner was engaged in threshing them. On 26 December he saw the prisoner in his yard with a sack on his back. The prisoner said he was going to the mill. Brooks came back and called for a pint. He went out and checked with the miller if Brooks had been down there with anything to grind. The miller said he had not seen Brooks and he did not find any of his beans at the mill. On the way back to his house he saw a sack in Mr Swannells field. He took the sack to his house and called the prisoner there. He asked the prisoner why he had not been to the mill and told him he had found the sack at the back of Swannell’s orchard. The prisoner claimed it was his sack and his beans. Hart kept a sample of the contents and told Brooks he no longer wanted his services. He later met the prisoner and asked him to account for the beans and told him to say who had had bought the beans from to avoid any trouble. Hart said he did not wish to punish him innocently. Brooks would not tell him. The beans were given to Superintendent Jebbett and the sample of beans to PC Hillyard. The sample matched those in Hart’s barn. Pc Thomas Tillyard: he produced the sample given to him by Mr Hart and he took the prisoner into custody. The prisoner said he could account for the beans. He asked the prisoner why the sack had been in the field and the prisoner replied that Tillyard had no business to ask him any questions. Superintendent Henry Ison Jebbett: he produced the sack of beans given to him by the prosecutor. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Brooks, Levi,
Hart, John,
Tillyard, Thomas,
Jebbett, Henry Ison

BEDFORD, BROMHAM, stealing, beans, licensed victualler, Bromham Swan