QSR1847/3/5/26

Depositions and examination - Henry Hull charged with stealing a quantity of beech wood belonging to Thomas Langton, Daniel Langton and Walter Langton

24 May 1847

From: 1847 To: 1847

Thomas Miles of Flamstead (Herts), woodman – he is a foreman employed by Messrs Langton who are timber merchants in London and who have purchased the fall of timber in Luton Park from Charles Thomas Warde Esq. None of the woodmen are allowed to sell any wood exceeding 2 feet in length. If the pieces are under 2 feet in length and they do not charge for the crop cutting they are allowed to have them. The wood which is to be split up for sale he marks with the letter H to show it is Messrs Langton’s property. On 15 April he went to Thomas and William Hunt who were sawing the wood and they had no chips. There was a quantity of wood lying round the pit which belonged to Messrs Langton. He ordered Bent and Hale, 2 of the woodmen, to go and split it up. They were to split all the wood marked with an H. He left that afternoon and did not come back until 23 April. John Bent of Harpenden (Herts), woodman – on 15 April he was at work in Luton Park. Thomas and William Hunt were at work sawing close by him. He saw Hull come over the palings to the Hunts. Hull then went back and brought his cart up to the side of the palings and the Hunts took some beech wood from the saw pit and put it into Hull’s cart. Hunt took away 2 cart loads that day. Thomas Miles had told himself and Hale to cleave up the wood round the pits. It was marked with an H indicating it was Messrs Langton’s. Some of the wood which the Hunts put into Hull’s cart was marked with an H. He saw them cleave it up. He and Hale went up to the pit before it was cleaved and said it was marked. The Hunts said they were not to have it. There was a little boy with the cart who kicked out the marks of the cart wheel. Joseph Hale of Harpenden (Herts), woodman – he was at work in Luton Park with John Bent and confirms Bent’s evidence.

item

Hull, Henry,
Langton, Thomas,
Langton, Daniel,
Langton, Walter,
Warde, Charles Thomas,
Hunt, Thomas,
Hunt, William,
Miles, Thomas,
Bent, John

Flamstead, LUTON, Harpenden, stealing, wood, beech, woodman, timber merchant