QSR1868/1/5/12-13

Depositions of William Brimley, police constable of Houghton Regis. David Tearle, grocer of Houghton Regis. In the case of Joseph Horwood and William Harris accused of stealing 3 spades, the value of 6 shillings 4 pence.

16 December 1867

From: 1867 To: 1868

PC William Brimley: on the night of 10 December 1867 about 9.45p he found a spade behind gate post on Houghton Regis green. He watched it until about 10pm and saw the 2 prisoners come to the gate post. Horwood took hold of the spade and took it out from behind the gate post. There were 2 people coining past and Horwood put it back again. Harris said they must not go up town with it and he took the spade and the prisoner walked down the park wall toward Luton. He ran after them and overtook them. Harris threw down the spade and said it was not his but Horwood’s. Horwood said it was not his it was Harris’s. He took Horwood into custody on suspicion of stealing the spade. Horwood replied that he had to find that out. Harris walked behind them to the King’s Arms and he took him into custody too. Harris said he thought it queer he should be taken for just taking a spade. The same night he showed the spade to David Tearle and he identified it as his property. It was a new spade. He produced 2 more new spades he found on the morning of 11 December in the yard adjoining Mr Tearle’s premises. He had seen the prisoner’s together about 7pm and Harris had then gone to chapel. He saw Harris rejoin Horwood when he came out. He found the first spade about 200 yards from Mr Tearle’s. David Tearle: he was a grocer at Houghton Regis and dealt in ironmongery. On the night of 10 December, a little after 10pm PC Brimley showed him a spade. He knew it was his by his private mark of “2/2” on it in his own handwriting. The spades were safe at 3pm. He was with Brimley when he found the other 2 spades in the yard adjoining his premises. The 3 spades had been kept in a building in the yard. Statement of the accused: Horwood – William Harris knew nothing at all about it. Harris – he knew nothing about the spade other than “I see’d him with it”.

item

Brimley, William,
Tearle, David,
Horwood, Joseph,
Harris, William

HOUGHTON REGIS, stealing, shovel, grocer