QSR1866/1/5/20a,21a

Depositions of William Fuller, labourer of Hockcliffe. Joseph Whiting, labourer of Sheep Lane, Potsgrove. William Francis, labourer of Hockcliffe. George Edmunds, police constable stationed at Potsgrove. In the case of Patrick Duffey and Edward Carney, late of Heath and Reach, accused of stealing a cord jacket and a pair of gloves.

22 December 1865

From: 1865 To: 1866

William Fuller: he lived at Hockcliffe and on 20 December he was at work in a field at Heath and Reach with Joseph Whiting. He left his jacket with Whiting’s in the field about 10 yards from the road. There was a pair of gloves in the jacket. About 2pm, in consequence of what a man name Francis said, he went to look for his jacket and found it gone. The value of the jacket was 7s and the gloves were valued at 1s. He saw 2 men running along the road 200 or 300 yards away. They were looking back. He ran after them and they both made for Kings Wood. He lost sight of them in the wood. He heard Whiting call out that he was holding the prisoner Duffey and he had his jacket in his possession and the gloves were in the pocket. Duffey was one of the men he had seen running along the road. The other prisoner was about the size and height of the man who was with Duffey. Joseph Whiting: he was a labourer and lived at Potsgrove. On 20 December he was at work with William Fuller in a field in Heath and Reach, by the side of the Turnpike Road. They had left their jackets in the field near the road. About 2pm he heard Francis call out and they looked for their jackets. They had gone. He and Fuller ran into the road and saw 2 men running and looking back. They had the size and appearance of the prisoners. Both men ran across the field into Kings Wood. The men parted in the wood and he overtook Duffey. He lost sight of Duffey for a few minutes and he found the jacket belonging to Fuller on Duffey. Duffey told him “I don’t want your jacket my fellow”. He went after the other man leaving Duffey in the charge of some men. William Francis: he lived at Hockcliffe and was a labourer on the Turnpike Road. He was at worked there about 2pm on 20 December. He knew the field where Fuller and Whiting were at work. He saw 2 men, the size and appearance of the prisoners, come along the road. He missed them from the road and they went through a gate to a field for a minute. He saw them return to the road from the field. They ran off in the direction of Kings Wood. He called to Fuller and Whiting. PC George Edwards: on 20 December he went into the Turnpike Road, between Sheep Lance and Little Brickhill, near to Kings Wood. He found Duffey with 5 or 6 men round him and Francis pointed to a jacket. He took hold of Duffey and charged him with stealing the coat. Duffey replied he did take it. He afterwards took Carney into custody at Fenny Stratford and found the jacket which had been stolen at the same time and from the same place. Statements of the accused: Patrick Duffey – he did not wish to say anything. Edward Carney – he had bought the coat off a man along the road. They could not charge him with stealing it.

item

Duffey, Patrick,
Carney, Edward,
Fuller, William,
Whiting, Joseph,
Francis, William,
Edmunds, George

HEATH & REACH, Hockcliffe, POTSGROVE, Heath & Reach Kings Wood, stealing, coat, gloves