QSR1837/1/5/10-11

Depositions and examination - Joseph Marsden and Robert Pateman

14 November 1836

From: 1836 To: 1837

Thomas Smith of Toddington, labourer - he works for William Fowler of Toddington, farmer. More than a fortnight ago he prepared some wheat for sowing for his Master. On Wednesday 2nd Nov he locked up the barn and left about 7 bushels fo limed and brined wheat in a heap. The next morning about 2 bushels had been taken. He traced the footsteps of 2 persons through a gateway and saw some limed wheat scattered there. The footsteps of one person were smaller than the other and appeared to be the footsteps of a young person. He then went to plough. About 8am he saw two persons in a double hedge in the next field and suspected they had taken the wheat. He saw the biggest stoop and they went through the hedge into the road. He went up to the hedge and looked over the stile into the road. He saw a barrow with a sack in it containing something. Robert Pateman, Joseph Marsden and John West were standing by the barrow. West stood between the handles and Pateman and Marsden on each side of it. When they saw him Pateman and Marsden ran away. He then sent to the place where he had seen Pateman and Marsden in the hedge and saw the mark of a sack in the ditch and also of a sack being dragged through the hedge to the road where he saw there barrow. There was an armful of old thatch in the ditch. He passed West on the road wheeling the sack and saw him go into his own house. He informed his master and they searched West’s house and found the wheat. He has compared it with the wheat left in the barn and they are alike. He heard West say it was Mr Fowler’s wheat. The larges of the footmarks in the gateway had the mark fo a tip. William Fowler of Toddington, farmer - he found about 2 bushels of wheat in West’s house which he considers to be his. He compared some with that left in the barn and they are alike. West confessed the wheat was his and asked his pardon. West told him Pateman and Marsden stole the wheat. Joseph Marsden - he knows nothing about the wheat. He has the same shoes on now, which are tipped. Robert Pateman - he also knows nothing about the wheat.

item

Marsden, Joseph,
Pateman, Robert,
Fowler, William,
Smith, Thomas

TODDINGTON, stealing, wheat, farm labourer, farmer, ploughing, crops, pesticides