QSR1862/1/5/15

Depositions of James Pike, farmer of Eversholt. Samuel Musgrove, police constable stationed at Eversholt. In the case of Thomas Keech accused of stealing a leather harness called a housen.

20 December 1861

From: 1861 To: 1862

James Pike: the prisoner was in his employ on 12 December and had been for over 10 months. He had in his possession for between 6 and 8 months, 8 pieces of harness called ‘housen’. On 12 December he went to where the prisoner was at work and he was sitting with his feet in a ditch. He was close to the prisoner before he saw him. He said “Keech I have lost a piece of leather from under the cart hovel no one had been there but you and you must have got it”. He saw the leather by the prisoner in the ditch. He told the prisoner he had lost many things and was determined that someone who suffer for it. The prisoner said he was going to make a Treddle of it to put on his shoe and that he hoped he would not suffer for what he had lost. When he went back he made a search for the 8 housen and could not find 5 of them. The piece of leather he took from the prisoner was only about half a housen. It appeared freshly cut. The value of one whole housen would be about 4 shillings. PC Samuel Musgrove: he received information from Mr Pike on 12 December and took the prisoner into custody at his house at Ridgmont. He told the prisoner the charge against him and the prisoner said he took it and was sorry for it and supposed he should suffer for it. Statement of the accused: “He came and seed me with it and I was going to make a Treddle of it. I was going to put it on my shoe to prevent the nails coming out”.

item

Keech, Thomas,
Pike, James,
Musgrove, Samuel

EVERSHOLT, RIDGMONT, stealing, harness, farmers