QSR1859/1/5/1c

Depositions of William Perry, farmer of Aspley Health. Elizabeth Perry, wife of John Perry. John Perry, labourer of Aspley Heath and Joseph Giles, labourer of Aspley Heath. In the case of Joseph Butcher accused of stealing a spade, a white linen slop and a sack.

15 November 1858

From: 1858 To: 1859

William Perry: he knew the prisoner well and the prisoner had once lived near his house. In the month of September 1857, his daughter Elizabeth missed a spade and a white linen slop from a barn adjoining his dwelling house. Elizabeth Perry: wife of John Perry who lived on Aspley Heath with his father, the prosecutor. On 26 September there was a spade and a white linen slop belonging to his father in law in his barn. He missed them on the following Monday morning. He knew the prisoner but had not seen him for some time. Next day he informed the police and said he suspected the prisoner as he had been seen by Joseph Giles on the Heath. Joseph Giles: he knew the prisoner well. On the morning of 27 September he saw the prisoner coming from the direction of William Perry’s house. The prisoner had a sack with him and a spade in it. He had on a white slop. The prisoner said he had borrowed the spade from a man in Bow Brickhill. He examined the spade and there was some dark mould sticking to it. The mould was of a similar colour to that in Perry’s garden, which to his knowledge had been dressed with Fuller’s earth, which was a light colour. He suspected the prisoner had Perry’s spade. He said nothing about it. He had looked at the spade as he and his father had lost several tools and suspected the prisoner. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Butcher, Joseph,
Perry, William,
Perry, Elizabeth,
Perry, John,
Giles, Joseph

ASPLEY HEATH, stealing, spade, clothing, sack, farmer