QSR1848/3/5/11-12

Depositions and examinations - John Peck charged with stealing 1 1/2 bushels of oats and 30 lbs of hay from John Hobson, and John Faulkner charged wtih having received stolen goods.

4 May 1848

From: 1848 To: 1848

Charles Flint of Cranfield, police constable – on Saturday April 29 he watched the house of Faulkner, who is a retail beer shop keeper in the parish of Marston Moretaine. About 8.30am he saw a wagon drawn by 4 horses and driven by Peck stop at the door. The name on the wagon was Hobson of Eaton Socon. Peck took a bulky sack from the wagon into the house. It appeared to contain about a bushel and a half of something. Peck returned with the sack empty, then stayed near the door feeding his horses. Faulkner’s daughter came to the door, looked about her, then took up nearly a truss of hay which came off the wagon and carried it into Faulkner’s yard. The wagon was going in a homewards direction and was not loaded. When Peck started off he followed, overtook him and accused him of robbing his master. Peck said all he had left behind was a small piece of hay. When told he had been seen taking something into the house Peck said he had never received money from Faulkner, only beer. George Cheney of Kempston, police constable – he was watching Faulkner’s house with Flint. When Flint went after Peck he went into the house. He saw Faulkner’s daughter, who appeared to be about 16 or 17 years of age, but nobody else. He asked what had been in the sack the waggoner brought in. She denied that he had brought anything. He searched and found a sack containing about a bushel and a half of split oats in a back room. He later took the empty sack from the tail of the wagon and it had contained the same kind of split oats. William Hillyard of Ampthill, police constable – he was watching with the others and saw the sack taken into the house and the hay into the yard. He went into the yard and found the truss of hay in a wood barn. He is sure it was the hay he saw carried into the yard. It was partly hidden by some planks. John Hobson of Eaton Socon, miller – his son William Hobson is in partnership with him. Peck was employed by them as a wagoner. On Friday morning he was sent to deliver a load of flour at Woburn. He had 2 ½ bushels of ground oats in a bag, which he believes to be the bag produced. He also had as much hay and chaff as he chose to take for two days consumption. He should have gone to Woburn and returned as far as Lidlington on the first day, leaving Lidlington early the next morning. The distance from the Green Man public house at Lidlington to Faulkner’s house is only 2 miles or so. He should not have stopped until he reached Bedford. They usually send the corn whole but on this occasion because of information he had the corn was ground and weighed. There were 120 lbs and he took out 20 lbs which he kept in a sealed bag (now produced). The samples from his sealed back and from that produced by the officer are the same. He gave the sack and the 100 lbs of ground oats to Henry Robinson with directions to give it to Peck with his flour in the morning. The hay produced is the same character as his. He has employed Peck for 3 or 4 years. Peck has been the same road 3 weeks in a succession. On April 11 he returned the next day. On April 19 he returned the next day. On April 28 he should have returned next day. Peck was allowed 8s 4d for expenses exclusive of his regular pay and all food for his horses. Peck pays the tolls. Peck is not permitted to carry anything for other people, had no orders to leave anything at Faulkner’s, and had no right to stop there at all. Catherine Hardwick – she is a widow and lives in a cottage near Faulkner’s house, on the opposite side of the way. She knows Peck by sight and saw him go towards Woburn on Wednesday 19 April. Peck stopped at Faulkner’s and went into the house. She saw him stop at Faulkner’s again the next day. Peck too a sack with something in it off the shafts and took it into the house. Faulkner took some of the hay put down to feed the horses into his yard. On the previous week she saw the same thing, with the hay carried into the yard by Faulkner’s son. She has seen a sack or hay taken into the house from Mr Hobson’s wagon several times. She noticed Peck drew his wagon up in a particular way, very close to the house. She thought there was something wrong. William Prior of Marston Moretaine, labourer – during the last ¾ of a year he has been in Faulkner’s house 10 times or more when Hobson’s wagon has stopped there on the way to Bedford. He knew Peck by the name of John. He has seen him bring a sack into the house 3 or 4 times. On one occasion he heard Faulkner’s wife ask Peck what she was to give him. Peck said eighteen pence. Peck had a quart of beer at the time and he was helping him drink it. He did not see Peck pay for the beer. This was more than 6 months ago. John Peck – he admits he has left some several times and has had money from Faulkner but never charged him. He is very sorry it happened so. It is the first time he has been in such a case as this. He has lived with his master 9 years and has been head waggoner for 3 years. He can’t say exactly how he began to do it. Mr Faulkner told him if he had any little stuff left to bring it back. He knew he meant the corn and hay and anything of that. John Faulkner – “by the advice of my attorney I reserve my defence”.

item

Peck, John,
Faulkner, John,
Hobson, John,
Flint, Charles,
Cheney, George,
Hardwick, Catherine,
Prior, William,
Hillyard, William

MARSTON MORETAINE, EATON SOCON, CRANFIELD, KEMPSTON, AMPTHILL, stealing, receiving stolen goods, oats, hay, miller, beer retailer, police constable, wagon, waggoner