QSR1859/1/5/1x

Depositions of Thomas Higgins, farmer and innkeeper of Wavendon. John Chance, labourer of Northampton and employed by William Johnson a builder. William Clay, police constable stationed at Aspley Guise. In the case of Joseph Butcher accused of stealing a sack.

3 November 1858

From: 1858 To: 1859

Thomas Higgins: the prisoner was in his employment at the latter end of the previous year. The prisoner lived in Aspley. The sack produced was his property and marked with his name and valued at 1s 10d. The prisoner had no business with any of his sacks and was employed only as a day labourer. John Ambridge: he was employed by the prosecutor, Thomas Higgins, as a horse keeper. He had been employed for about 2 years. He knew the prisoner well and had not given him one of his masters sacks or lent him one. In January a sack containing potatoes was brought to his house by the prisoner. The sack bore the name of Mr Thomas Higgins. He asked the prisoner where he had got the sack and the prisoner said he had it from Robert Bailey. The prisoner was working for Mr Bailey and shortly before that some oats had been delivered to Mr Bailey by his master in 6 sacks. He told him to take sack to where it came from. John Chance: he was at Mr Brandon’s at Aspley on the evening of 16 January. The prisoner came there and said he had got a bushel of potatoes for man at Crawley who had not come. He went with the prisoner to the stable and saw a sack of potatoes which he bought from the prisoner for 1s 8d. The prisoner told him to take the sack and to leave it at Nathan Cohen’s at Wavendon. He took the sack and potatoes home. His sister took the sack to Nathan Cohen on 18 January and it was sent back to their house on 24 January. PC William Clay: in January he accused the prisoner of stealing some potatoes from Mr Adkins and asked him where he had got the sack from, which was marked with Mr Higgins name. The prisoner said he had the sack from Jack Ambridge, Mr Higgin’s horse keeper. In the month of October, when the prisoner was in the custody for stealing the potatoes, he again asked the prisoner where he had the sack from. The prisoner said he did not know. The Swan Inn, where the prosecutor lived, was a few yards within the county of Bedford. Robert Bailey’s premises were in the parish of Aspley Guise in Bedfordshire. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Butcher, Joseph,
Higgins, Thomas,
Chance, John,
Johnson, William,
Clay, William

Wavendon, stealing, sack, ASPLEY GUISE, farmer, innkeeper, builder's labourer