QSR1892/4/5/3c,4c

Depositions of George harris, Market Gardener of Southill and George Burgess, Police Constable at Luton In the case against Arthur Panter and Ernest Charles King accused of stealing three sacks of potatoes valued at 9 shillings the property of George Harris

14 September 1892

From: 1892 To: 1892

George Harris said: I am a Market Gardener and live at Southill – I occupy a field adjoining the Highway leading from Caldecote to Stanford in the Parish of Southill. On Friday 2 September 1892 I left 27 sacks of potatoes standing in the field at 12 o’clock at noon I then went to Southill Garden field with a load of potatoes and Samuel Rook and Caleb Woodward who had been helping me dig the potatoes went with me – no one else was left in the field – On our return about 2.30 the same afternoon when about 150 yards from my field gate we met the two prisoners in a pony cart – they were going in the direction of Stanford – I noticed they had three sacks in their cart which appeared full I also noticed James & Reader Covent Garden Market was marked on the sacks – 26 of the sacks in my field were marked James & Reader Covent Garden Market and the remaining one was marked different – When I got to my field I immediately missed 3 sacks of potatoes I then went after them with my cart and overtook them at Broom Cross Roads I said to them “You have got 3 sacks of my potatoes” the elder, Panter, said “You are a b----- liar.” I then saw 3 sacks in the cart and felt of them I knew they were mine and said “Will you give them up.” Panter said, “We have not got your potatoes”. I then came away and left them – the same day I took a sample of potatoes from my field out of the sacks and those now produced are the same and exactly correspond with those in the 3 sacks now produced. The following evening Saturday 3rd Sept. I saw 5 men at the Biggleswade Police Station and picked the two prisoners out as the men whom I saw with the 3 sacks of potatoes on the previous day – and the three sacks and potatoes produced are my property and worth 9 shillings. [King cross-examined] I did not speak to you. Panter did not say he had brought the potatoes from his fathers place. The sacks were laid in a different direction and I was not quite satisfied the potatoes were mine so I left them. I shook hands with Panter. George Burgess said: I am a Police Constable in the Borough of Luton. On the 3rd September 1892 I was on duty at the bottom of the Market Hill in George Street Luton about 8pm when I saw the two prisoners go past me and up the Market Hill with a pony and cart loaded with sacks containing something – I followed them up and saw them go into the Crown Public House yard – I went up the yard in company with P.C. Sharp. I said to Panter “Where have you come from today” he replied “From the other side of Shefford” I said “What have you got in the cart” he replied “Some potatoes and several other sorts of vegetables” I said “How many potatoes have you got” he replied “Three sacks” I went and looked at them – I told them I should take them down to the Police Station and they might consider themselves in custody. I took them down to the Police Station followed by the pony and cart – I there took possession of the three sacks of potatoes and charged the prisoners with stealing three sacks of potatoes from Broom near Biggleswade the property of James & Reader. Panter replied “We can prove we did not steal them” King made no reply. The potatoes and sacks I produce are the same. statements of the accused: King: Mr Panter asked me to come into the country with him. I came with him to his mothers place - we left his mothers place about 1/4 past one coming along the road Mr Panter stopped at a place he stole one sack of beans first - he goes on the road further and he goes into this here field and steals the three sacks of potatoes, just before we gets to Luton Mr Panter goes into the field and steals the tarpaulin cover. I had nothing whatever to do with it myself as I am innocent of the charge. All I done was to sit in the cart and I am not guilty of stealing anything as I can prove by the prisoner - I have never been in prison before. Panter: I have nothing to say.

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Panter, Arthur,
King, Ernest Charles,
Burgess, George,
Harris, George

LUTON, Broom, stealing, larceny, market gardener