QSR1847/4/5/27-28

Depositions - James Smith and Daniel Tofield charged with stealing walnuts severed from the tree belonging to Charles Tompkins

18 October 1847

From: 1847 To: 1847

Charles Tompkins of Houghton Regis – on Saturday 9 October he was knocking the walnuts off 2 trees in Mr Scroggs orchard from which he had bought the fruit. James Smith, Daniel Tofield and Stephen Carter came and picked up the walnuts. He told them they belonged to him. They said they did not care. He never employed Smith to bash the walnuts for him. He told Smith to let them alone. Tofield got up into the tree but he never gave him permission and he had no business there. James Groom of Houghton Regis – on 0 October Tomkins was bashing walnuts in Mr Scroggs orchard. He saw Smith, Tofield and Carter there. He saw Smith and Tofield pick up the walnuts. They ate some and put some in their pockets, but he did not see Carter pick any up. He heard Tomkins tell them to go away. He saw them there the best part of the day. He was employed by Tomkins to bash the walnuts. They picked up the walnuts several times in the course of the day. William King was employed to bash them and he picked them up. William King of Houghton Regis – on Saturday 9 October he saw Smith and Tofield pick some walnuts in Mr Scroggs orchard. He heard Tomkins tell them to let the walnuts alone. He went to bash the tree at Tomkins request. Smith and Tofield were there at times all day. They picked up the walnuts several times as he bashed them off. He does not know that he saw Stephen Carter there.

item

Smith, James,
Tofield, Daniel,
Tompkins, Charles,
Foster, Stephen,
Groom, James,
King, William

HOUGHTON REGIS, stealing, walnuts, orchards