QSR1847/3/5/21

Depositions and examination - William Pugh

12 May 1847

From: 1847 To: 1847

John Rogers of Bromham, farmer – from information he heard he had reason to suspect Pugh had robbed him and he applied for a search warrant. He has seen the wheat Mr Jebbett found on Pugh’s premises and has no doubt it is his property. His wheat is mixed white and red, and the red is the Clover’s wheat the white the Chevaliers wheat, and there are both these species mixed in the sample taken from Pugh’s barn and in that found in Pugh’s pocket. The barley found mixed with the wheat is the same as the barley Pugh and his son were thrashing for him last February, some of which was in the barn started thrashing wheat for him. He has no doubt it is his barley. Pugh and his son have been thrashing and doing other work for him all winter. He suspects from its appearance that all the wheat has bee stolen from him within the last fortnight. Pugh should have been working for him until 6pm last evening. Henry Yates Miller, no. 1 of the Bedfordshire police – he went to Mr Rogers’ farm house yesterday to ask where Pugh had worked. He had the barn pointed out to him and saw it was closed. He watched until 6 o’clock but no one came out. He was present when Mr Jebbet searched Pugh’s barn and found the wheat and barley. Henry Ison Jebbett, deputy chief constable of police for Bedfordshire – he went to Pugh’s house at Kempston Moor End and found Pugh in a barn adjoining his house chopping wood. He enquired about a riding came which had been lost and Pugh said he might search his place. He searched Pugh’s house and on looking into Pugh’s wood barn he saw some faggots stacked up in one end and due to Pugh’s confused manner was induced to pull the faggots down. In a tub underneath he found a sack containing more than a bushel of wheat mixed with barley He asked Pugh what the sack contained and he said only some corn he had bought. From James Sugar of Biddenham last bean harvest. Pugh said he had bought 7 bushels. He took a sample and took it to Mr Rogers’ and was shown where Pugh had been thrashing. He compared the wood with the sample taken from Pugh’s barn. On searching Pugh’s pockets he found some wheat. He apprehended Pugh and anquired if he had had any wheat ground recently. Pugh said he had not. After he had been to Mr Rogers Pugh said he had had a bushel of wheat ground, but it had been paid for. Pugh said he bought the wheat last bean harvest. He said he had barley mixed with the wheat because his children had gleaned. William Pugh of Bromham – he bought the wheat and grew part of it himself in his own ground. His daughter and his wife gleaned the barley in harvest time there was about 1 ½ pecks of it. He bought the crop standing when they were bean hoeing. He bought 10 poles of growing wheat last bean hoeing time and gave James Sugars 9s for it.

item

Pugh, William,
Rogers, John,
Miller, Henry Yates,
Jebbett, Henry Ison,
Sugar, James

BROMHAM, BIDDENHAM, stealing, wheat, farmer, police constable, Deputy Chief Constable, farm labourer, threshing