QSR1865/1/5/15

Depositions of Sarah Strapp, wife of Jesse, dealer in hay of Leighton Buzzard. David Strapp, haberdasher of Leighton Buzzard. David Carver, police constable stationed at Leighton Buzzard. Richard Harris and William Harris, tanners of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Jacob Smith accused of obtaining a truss of hay by false pretences.

31 December 1864

From: 1864 To: 1865

Sarah Strapp: the prisoner, Jacob Smith, lived in Leighton Buzzard. On 27 December the prisoner came to her husbands shop and said he wanted a truss of hay from Mr Richard Harris, a tanner. Mr Harris was a customer of theirs and she told the prisoner if there was nobody in the yard to wait on him he might take a truss out of the loft there. She had been told the previous morning that the prisoner worked for Mr Harris. The prisoner had been to her for a Christmas box that morning and it was then she had enquired as to who he was. The prisoner left the shop and she saw no more of him. The value of the truss of hay was 3 shillings. She debited Mr Harris in the books for the hay. Between 7pm and 8pm the prisoner came into the shop again and said that the hay was too dark for Mr Harris. Her husband told him he would find another truss for Mr Harris but the prisoner said he didn’t want one. The prisoner was detained in the shop and Mr Harris sent for. PC Carver came into the shop and a truss of hay was brought soon after. David Strapp: on 27 December he was in his father’s shop and a PC came in bringing with him the prisoner and a truss of hay. The policeman enquired if they had supplied a truss of hay to anyone for Mr Harris. His mother said she had supplied one to the prisoner. The truss was brought by the policeman was his fathers property. It was a particular kind of hay and done up in a peculiar manner. He asked the prisoner what he was going to do with the hay. The prisoner said he had taken it to Mr Harris but Mr William requested him to bring it back as it was too brown. PC David Carver: on 27 December he was on duty in Leighton when he heard a person had a truss of hay to sell and had offered it to several people. He went and took possession of the truss. He went to the prisoner at the Black Horse and asked if it was his truss of hay. The prisoner said it was and he was asked where he bought it. The prisoner said that was his business and was told that unless he gave a better account for it he would be taken into custody. The prisoner said he would take him to where he had the hay from and took the PC to Mr Strapps. They went in together and Mrs Strapp said the prisoner had the hay for Mr Richard Harris. He asked the prisoner if he would go to Mr Harris with him and he replied no. He went to Mr Harris and left the prisoner at the shop. He ascertained Harris had not sent the prisoner and the prisoner was taken into custody. Richard Harris: he knew the prisoner and he had worked for him from August to November. He saw the prisoner on the morning of 27 December but did not speak to him. He did not deal at Strapps for hay but had occasionally dealt with him for straw. He did not authorise the prisoner to go to Strapps for the hay. He went up to Strapps house with PC Carver and saw the prisoner there. William Harris: he was in partnership with his cousin, Richard Harris, as a tanner at Leighton. He knew the prisoner as he had been employed by them but not for the past month. He had not spoken to him on 27 December and to his best knowledge, he had not spoken to him since he left their employment. He had not authorised him to get any hay from Strapps. He had not spoken to the prisoner about a truss of hay being too dark. Statement of the accused: he did not wish to say anything.

item

Smith, Jacob,
Strapp, Sarah,
Strapp, Jesse,
Strapp, David,
Carver, David,
Harris, Richard,
Harris, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, false pretences, dealer, haberdasher, tanner