QSR1863/2/5/5

Depositions of William Hills, police constable of Blunham. Thomas Elliott, farmer of Blunham. In the case of James Wheatly accused of stealing half a peck of peas and a peck of barley.

19 March 1863

From: 1863 To: 1863

PC William Hills: he received information from Thomas Elliott of Blunham that he suspected some dishonest conduct among the people employed at his farm. Elliott request he keep an eye on it and he concealed himself in a lane leading from the farm. He saw James Wheatley coming up the lane with 2 baskets across his shoulders. He crossed over and asked what he had in the baskets. Wheatley replied nothing. Hills said eh would see and the prisoner said he would not. He examined one of the baskets and found about half a peck of peas. He asked whose peas they were and Wheatley replied they belonged to a boy but he would not say who. Wheatley said he was taking them to his master, Mr Elliott. He took him into custody and put him in the cage. He went to the prisoner’s house and found a peck of barley in a bag in the barn. In the meantime, the prisoner’s wife had been to the cage to speak to him and on coming back she did not enter the house but went straight to the place where he had found the barley. She then went inside and asked what right he had to search the house. He asked her where she had got the barley from and she replied it was gleaned barley. He asked the prisoner where he had got the barley and he replied it was some he had bought off Mr Elliott. Thomas Elliott: he had employed James Wheatley for some months. The peas taken from the prisoner corresponded with a sample taken from his barn. The barley found at the Wheatley’s did not resemble the tail barley he had sold to Wheatley. It did resemble some seed barley on his premises. Statement of the accused: he would say nothing about the peas but the barley was never Mr Elliott’s. He took the peas for his own eating and was sorry for it.

item

Wheatley, James,
Hills, William,
Elliott, Thomas

BLUNHAM, stealing, peas, barley, farmer