QSR1865/1/5/12-13

Depositions of Thomas Gorge, gardener of Biggleswade. Daniel Geary, police constable to Biggleswade. In the case of William Sanders and Alfred Osborn accused of stealing half a bushel of potatoes.

31 December 1864

From: 1864 To: 1865

Thomas Gorge: a gardener and occupier of a piece of land in Biggleswade. He had a potato pit on it. On the morning of 25 December he went to the pit and found it had been opened during the night. On examination he missed about half a bushel of potatoes. On 26 December he received information that the pit had been disturbed again. He went to the pit and found that about a half bushel had been taken away. On the same night the policeman produced some potatoes which were like the ones taken out of his pit. PC Daniel Geary: on the night of Monday 26 December he went to the Shoulder of Mutton lodging house kept by John Arnold of Biggleswade. In the travellers kitchen he found about half a peck of potatoes and 3 Savoy cabbages. He asked who owned them and was informed they were brought there by a boy named William Sanders who was upstairs. He found Sanders in bed and asked him where he got the potatoes from. Sanders said he had stolen them from Gorge’s pit. On the same evening he found more potatoes and another cabbage in a dish and on enquiring to whom they belong, a lad named Alfred Osborn said he had been given them by a woman at Sandy. Osborn afterwards confessed he had accompanied Sanders to Gorge’s pit and had taken potatoes out. He then took both boys into custody and showed the potatoes to Gorge. He compared them with some taken out of the pit and they corresponded exactly. On Tuesday he compared the cabbages with some stalks on Gorge’s ground and they fitted exactly. Statement of the accused: Sanders – he went to the pit on Saturday night and took about a quartern and half potatoes and on the Monday night he took some more. Osborn – he went along with Sanders to the pit on the Saturday night and again on the Monday. Sanders took the potatoes and he stood by.

item

Sanders, William,
Osborn, Alfred,
Gorge, Thomas,
Geary, Daniel

BIGGLESWADE, stealing, potatoes, cabbages, gardener