QSR1895/3/5/3d,4c

Depositions of Henry Tompkins, labourer of Bozeat, William Harry Woodward of Bedford and Joseph Hebbes, police constable of Pavenham. In the case of Henry Price and John Woodward, accused of stealing 3 bushels of oats, a sack, a peck and a half of peas, a pair of leather reins, a whip and a dandy brush.

7 June 1895

From: 1895 To: 1895

Henry Tompkins: a labourer of Bozeat. On 3rd June at about 5.30pm he went into the yard of Manor farm to see that all was safe. On returning he saw a brown pony, and a truck with a man and two boys. The next morning he went to the farm again and found a quantity of black oats had been taken from the bin in the stable. He went to the barn and found that a sack containing 2 ½ bushels of oats had been taken. He went into the stable and found a pair of reins, a whip and a brush were missing. They were the property of the Royal Exchange Company of whom Tompkins’ employer, Mr. Maxwell is the agent. William Harry Woodward: a boy of 13 years living with his father in Bedford. On Monday 3rd June he was with his brother, the prisoner John Woodward, in the Crescent at 12 noon. The prisoner, Henry Price, came in and asked them if they would go for a drive with him and to go to the stables in about half an hour. The brothers did and the prisoner, Price, drove them through Clapham, Milton Ernest, Radwell, Felmersham and Odell. The prisoner, Price, stopped by a farm on the Bozeat Road and watched a men shearing sheep. The prisoner, Price, waited until the man had left and then told him to hold the pony while the prisoner, Price, went into the farm. Price returned with a sack and called his brother, John Woodward, to go and fetch a sack of peas while he took the oats. Hi brother fetched the peas and the prisoner, Price, put them on the van. Joseph Hebbes: police constable of Pavenham. On Monday 3rd June at about 10 pm he was on duty in Milton Ernest. He received information and went towards Mr. Andrew’s farm in Milton Ernest. About 40 yards from the farm he saw the prisoner, Price, coming from it in a van. He stopped the prisoner and searched his van. he found a sack of peas and a sack of oats. The prisoner, Price, said that he had bought them from a man some 3-4 miles from Felmersham. He also found a whip, a pair of reins and a brush, which the prisoner claimed he had also bought. Henry Price: greengrocer of Bedford. Not Guilty. He wishes to withdraw the statement about buying the stolen items and that the Woodward brothers brought them. John Woodward: Guilty

item

Tompkins, Henry,
Woodward, William Harry,
Hebbes, Joseph,
Price, Henry,
Woodward, John

FELMERSHAM, BEDFORD, PAVENHAM, MILTON ERNEST, Bozeat, greengrocer, labourer, police constable, stealing, reins, peas, oats, whip