QSR1861/1/5/15b-16b

Depositions of William Kefford, butcher of Sutton. Alfred Mayes, police constable of Potton. Daniel Geary, police constable for Bedfordshire. In the case of James Salt and David Newell accused of stealing 4 pounds wieght of beef and part of a breast of mutton.

5 December 1860

From: 1860 To: 1861

William Kefford: on 1 December he had part of a breast of mutton and a four pound thick flank of beef safe in his shop, which was part of his dwelling house. When he went to bed he fastened the door and windows, except for the shop window that was set open for the meat. There were some upright iron bars in the window. Around 1am he heard a noise and on coming down about 7am he found the meat gone. There was also a piece of cooked meat gone. The bars were bent back and one of them broken from its fastening. He informed the police and that evening he saw he meat produced by PC Mayes at the house of Sir John Burgoyne the magistrate. Alfred Mayes: he was induced to go to the house of James Salt at Wrestlingworth. At the time there was nobody home except the children. He looked in the cupboard and saw a piece of beef. Salt came home and he asked him if he had heard of Kefford’s robbery. Salt replied no. He asked to search the house and Salt agreed. As he searched the house he saw Salt got to the cupboard and saw Salt put the piece of beef in his pocket. He told Salt he must search his pockets and Salt said he could not. He told Salt he must consider himself taken into custody and Salt said he would not be taken and he resisted. Salt got to the coal hole and threw the beef in it. Salt’s wife came and he passed a bit of beef to her and she put it on the fire. He managed to snatch a small piece out of the fire. He took the piece of beef to Kefford who identified it. On 3 December he went to the house of Newell in Wrestlingworth and saw his wife. He asked her permission to search the house for beef and mutton. She agreed to the search and he found a piece of beef weighing about half a pound which had been cooked. He also found a quantity of vegetable. He later apprehended Newell and asked him where he had the beef from. Newell said it was part of a cheek Mr Bodolph had got him. Daniel Geary: on 8 December David Newell was on remanded on the charge of stealing beef from Kefford’s shop. Newell had been confined in the lock-up at Biggleswade. On 11 December he asked how it had happened. Newell said he and Salt had seen the window open and they both went in the window. Salt pulled the beef one way and he the other. They got several pieces. He had thrown his piece away after Salt had gone. Statement of the accused: James Salt – he and Newell were going home from Potton and saw the window open so they went in. Newell pulled the bars back and he reached his arm in. He got the meat and put it in David’s basket and took it to Newell’s house and then they parted it. He took his share home. David Newell – he had nothing more to say.

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Salt, James,
Newell, David,
Kefford, William,
Mayes, Alfred,
Geary, Daniel

SUTTON, POTTON, WRESTLINGWORTH, stealing, mutton, beef, butcher