QSR1848/4/5/35-36

Depositions and examinations - William Janes and David Tilley (alias Tilcock), charged with breaking and entering the house of John Cook the elder and stealing 2 wooden bottles and 7 quarts of beer

24 July 1848

From: 1848 To: 1848

Cornelius Sharp of Houghton Regis, police constable - on Saturday night due to information he received he went to the house of John Cook the elder. On Sunday morning he went into the small beer cellar and marked the 2 wooden botles now produced with the initial letters of his Christian name and surname at full length. Mr Cook junior was present when he marked them. At 10.30 Mr Cook, the last member of the family to leave the house, went away leaving him there alone. He examined all the fastenings of the doors and windows to check they were secure. He then went into a small room over the cellar from the window of which he had a view of the farm yard. he lifted part of a board over the cellar about 9 inches square and placed a piece of oaken chip between it and the other part of the flooring by which he had a view of the cellar and the tap. About 2 minutes past 11 he saw Janes come through the gate into the farm yard. He loosened the fastening of the kitchen window. He heard Janes’ footsteps in the house going towards the small beer cellar. he then saw Tilley standing outside the kitchen window. He saw Janes pass along the passage from the kitchen towards the strong beer cellar with 2 bottles in his hands. The small beer cellar is on the ground floor and 2 bottles he had marked were in that cellar. After Janes passed the door through which he saw him he stooped down over the plank he had rased up. He saw Janes come up to the tap and fill the 2 bottles. He heard Janes come up the steps from the cellar. He went again to the front window and saw him hand the 2 bottles through the kitchen window to Tilley. He heard Janes tell Tilley to take care and not to let anyone see him. Tilley went into the cow house. Janes followed him and went into the same place and shut the door. He then went to the house door, took off the fastening, and ran across the yard to the cowhouse. Janes and Tilley stood close together with the two bottles near Tilley’s feet. He took them both into custody. Tilley said he would not be taken and knew nothing about it. He got them both down into the yard and took up the bottles. Mr Cook’s horsekeeper was in the rick yard. He called to him for assistance but he refused. Only one of the two bottles was one of the marked ones. Both bottles were nearly full of beer. There were about 7 quarts in the two bottles. Daniel Duncomb of Houghton Regis, constable - yesterday he saw one of the bottles now produced in the cage. It was marked with Sharpe’s name. Sharpe sent him to find another bottle marked in the same way in Mr Cook’s small beer cellar, which he did. He also saw the raised plank over the cellar. He stooped down and could see the tap through it. He also saw the beer in the 2 bottles measured. Thomas Daniel Cook of Houghton Regis, farmer - from information he received that his father’s house was likely to be broken into he sent for PC Sharp. He saw Sharp mark the bottles with his initials. The bottles were empty and were left in the small beer cellar. He was the last member of the family to leave the house. Before he left he saw Sharp take up the piece of board. He looked through and saw the tap. Both Janes and Tilley have been working for his father. Janes has worked for him for 16 years and knew the house well. Tilley has worked for his father for about 4 years. William Janes - nothing to say David Tilley - “I have not been here before. I hope you won’t hurt me.”

item

Janes, William,
Tilley, David,
Tilcock, David,
Cook, John,
Sharpe, Cornelius,
Duncomb, Daniel,
Cook, Thomas Daniel

HOUGHTON REGIS, breaking & entering, stealing, beer, police constable, horsekeeper, parish cages, farmer