QSR1836/3/5/28/a

Depositions and examination - James Dover charged with receiving stolen goods

26 May 1836

From: 1836 To: 1836

William Riseley of Great Barford, farmer – last Saturday night (May 21) his horsekeeper John Cutler produced to him an iron scuffler foot-team which he had missed about a fortnight or 3 weeks previously from his scuffler which he had left in his turnip field in Great Barford. The field is about a furlong from his house. When he first missed the foot-team he inquired about it but heard nothing. He only asked John Purser the blacksmith, not James Dover who is also a blacksmith at Great Barford. The foot-team now produced is his property and is worth about 10d. He knows Stephen Cousins. Cousins worked with him at the time he missed the foot-team. He never had authority to dispose of any iron for him. It is not usual for any farmer at Barford to permit his servants to sell his old iron. James Dover has resided in the parish of Great Barford for over a year and a half. He thinks Stephen Cousins is about 14 years old. The foot-team weighs 3 ½ lbs. He accused Cousins of stealing the foot-team. Cousins at first denied it, but he told Cousins that if he would tell him the truth he would forgive him. Cousins then admitted he had stolen the foot-team and told him where he had stolen it. John Cutler of Great Barford, horsekeeper – about 2 or 3 weeks ago he missed an iron foot-team from his master’s scuffler which had been left in his turnip field. He mentioned the loss to all the men who worked on the farm. He did not mention it to anyone else. Last Saturday afternoon about 2pm he heard the foot-team was at James Dover’s shop. He went there and Dover told him he had bought the foot-team but did not know what he gave for it. He saw the item hanging in Dover’s shop so that anyone who went in might see it. He asked Dover for it and Dover delivered it to him. It is the item now produced, which he is sure is the one that was lost. He had heard that Cousins had carried it to Dover’s. He asked Dover what boy he bought it from. Dover said it was Cousins, and that he should want what he gave for it. He told Dover Cousins’ father would pay him. When he gave him the foot-team Dover said “don’t say nothing to your master about it, tell him you have found it and that’s all”. Dover never refused to tell him the name of the boy from whom he bought it. His master never employ’s Dover. Cousins left his master’s service on Saturday night after the foot-team was missed. [James Dover – declined to put any questions to Cutler and said “what he has said is true enough”] Stephen Cousins – he is 14 years old and was plough boy to Mr William Riseley until about a month ago when he left. He took a foot team from his scuffler and took it to James Dover’s about a fortnight after he took it from the scuffler. In the mean time he hid it in his father’s barn. When he carried it to James Dover’s he said to him “I have brought some iron to sell”. Dover said very well. He gave Dover the foot-team, 2 plough shares and a bit of one, and four horse shoes. Dover weighed them and gave him 3d for the lot. Dover never asked how he came by the iron. He had sold iron to him once before. This morning about 8am he went to Dover at his shop. Dover had sent for him. Dover asked whether he knew when he brought the foot-team. He told him he did not know. His father was with him. His father left, and as he was going away Dover asked him to stop. After his father had gone Dover asked him “Do you say that I did ask you where you had them from?” He said “No, Sir, I shall say the truth”. He heard his father ask Dover whether the foot-team was not worth more than he gave him [Cousins] for it. Dover answered that he gave a penny a pound for old iron, which was what the blacksmith’s at Bedford give. James Dover of Great Barford – about a fortnight ago the lad brought him some old iron to sell. He asked where the boy came by the foot-team and he said he found it. He weighed it and gave the price he gave to other people. He thinks the boy said “be quick because I have got to go to Wilden”. He believes that was all that passed between them at the time. He thinks it was some days later – last Saturday at dinner time – that a young lad of the name of Chapman came into his shop and saw the foot-team hanging up and said “that is my master’s foot team”. Chapman works for Mr Riseley. He told Chapman he bought it from Stephen Cousins and that if it was his master’s he should have it. Chapman said Cousins had stolen it from his master’s scuffler. He said he would not have bought it upon no consideration and would encourage no such thing. He bought 2 or 3 bits of iron of Chapman and told him he would not buy his if he was afraid he had stolen it, but Chapman said he came honestly by it. He never bought a piece of iron in his life which he knew to be stolen. He does not know that he asked Cousins where he found the foot-team.

item

Dover, James,
Riseley, William,
Cutler, John,
Cousins, Stephen,
Purser, James

Great Barford, receiving stolen goods, stealing, iron, ploughs, farmer, horsekeeper, blacksmith, farm labourer