QSR1868/1/5/1a,2

Depositions of Samuel Virgin, labourer of Ampthill in the employment of Edward Coleman, farmer and grocer. William Whinnett, police constable stationed at Woburn. James Smith, higler of Aspley Guise. William Hillyard, police sergeant of Ampthill. In the case of Isaac Smith and John Creamer accused of stealing a sack of peas and 2 sacks of peas and oats.

25 October 1867

From: 1867 To: 1868

Samuel Virgin: he lived at Ampthill and was employed by Edward Coleman. The prisoner, Isaac Smith, was a labourer and also employed by Coleman and had charge of the horses at Ampthill. He served out the corn and food for the horses to the prisoner. On 17 October he served the prisoner with 4 bushels of oats and peas mixed and that was the quantity he was allowed every other day. On 18 October he was shown a sample of oats and peas mixed by Sergeant Hillyard and a sample of peas only. He had no hesitation in saying they were his masters. The value of the 3 sacks of peas and oats was about 45 shillings. The sample of peas and oats and peas produced by PC Whinnett was the same sort as those produced by Sergeant Hillyard. He had no hesitation saying they were his master’s property. PC William Whinnett: on the evening of 17 October he met a pony and cart, in which was the prisoner, John Creamer and a boy named William Smith. The cart was crossing the road by the town hall in Woburn and going in the direction of Leighton Street. He stopped the cart and asked the prisoner, Creamer, what he had. The prisoner replied “that makes no odds to you”. He told the prisoner he would see and got up into the cart. There were 3sacks full of peas and oats and part of a nose bag full. He asked the prisoner where they were from and he replied he knew nothing about it. He asked the boy where the sacks were from and Creamer said “Don’t you say a word about it”. He told Creamer he would take him into custody. He took Creamer, the sacks and the cart to the station at Woburn and locked Creamer up. He found one of the sacks in the cart found peas alone and the others contained peas and beans mixed. He produced samples he took from the sacks. James Smith: he lived on the Heath ay Aspley Guise. He was a higler. The prisoner John Creamer lived at Leighton Hollow on the Heath in the parish of Wavendon and was a labourer. On the afternoon 17 October Creamer came to his house and asked to be lent the pony and cart. Creamer said he would have no load to signify and was either going to Steppingley or Ampthill, and would be home by daylight. He let the prisoner have the pony and cart and told him his son, aged about 11 years, must go with him and he was to be home by daylight. His son did go with him and returned home about 11pm with the pony but without the cart and said that the police had stopped Creamer and the cart and that it was at the station in Woburn. Sergeant William Hillyard: on the morning 18 October he received information that 3 sacks of peas and oats had been stopped at Woburn having been supposed to have been stolen from Ampthill. He received samples of the oats and peas mixed and the separate peas which he showed to the witness, Virgin, who identified them as his master’s property. He had suspicions of Isaac Smith, who he knew to be in Mr Coleman’s employ and in consequence went to the house of Smith and took him into custody. Smith said he knew nothing of the charge. Shortly afterwards whilst carrying Smith from Ampthill to Woburn Smith said “This is a bad job I was tempted to do it by Creamer he had been over to my place two or three times and said he should like to have some of this stiff and he had 2 sacks of peas and oats from my house about 6 o’clock last night he bought his own sacks”. Smith also said he had known him many years and hoped that he would speak for him and do the best he could as it was a vey bad job and he was very sorry it had happened. Statement of the accused: nothing to say [both]

item

Smith, Isaac,
Virgin, Samuel,
Coleman, Edward,
Hillyard, William,
Whinnett, William,
Smith, James

AMPTHILL, WOBURN, ASPLEY GUISE, stealing, oats, peas, higler, farmers, grocers