QSR1868/1/5/15

Depositions of Alfred Ashby, butcher of Toddington. Leonard Young and Robert Joshua Young, sons of an innkeeper at Maulden. William Hillyard, police sergeant stationed at Ampthill. In the case of Abraham Carter accused of stealing a leg of mutton.

23 December 1867

From: 1867 To: 1868

Alfred Ashby: he was a butcher and lived at Toddington. On Friday 20 December he was at the George public house in Maulden with a horse and cart. He had a leg of mutton in the cart wrapped in a cloth which he had placed it in a few minutes before leaving the house. He told Leonard Young, a son of the landlord, to mind the horse whilst he went to light his pipe. When he came out of the house he looked in the cart and found the leg of mutton gone. Leonard Young said the prisoner had got it and he went into the house to tell the landlady. He saw the prisoner in the house with others and charged him with having taken the mutton. The prisoner said “you did not see me take the mutton out of the cart” but Leonard Young said he had. The prisoner said he did not have it. He told the prisoner that if he brought the mutton to him he would give him a shilling and if he did not he would go to the police. The prisoner said he could do what he liked. He went to the police. PC Hillyard showed him the mutton the same night. He knew it to be his. It was valued at 10 shillings. Leonard Young: he was the son of the landlord of the George public house in Maulden. He remembered the prosecutor being at his father’s house about 11pm on 20 December. Just before he left he saw a leg of mutton wrapped in a cloth being put in the cart which stood in the yard. He and his brother were told by the prosecutor to mind the horse and cart. When the prosecutor came into the yard he asked if it was all right. He told him the mutton was gone. He had just seen the prisoner go to the cart and take something from it. The cloth was left behind. He was certain noone else went near the cart. He told the prosecutor that Abraham Carter had taken the mutton. He saw the prisoner after he had been to the cart go towards the garden gate with something in his hand He afterwards told Carter that he had the mutton but he denied it. He told him he thought he knew where the mutton was and that he would fetch it. He went indoors for a lantern and returned to the yard and Carter had gone. He went into the garden hate and looked about. There was no mutton there. He inquired for the prisoner but no one could tell him where he was. He afterwards saw the prisoner go into the yard. Robert Joshua Young: he lived with his father at the George public house at Maulden and was a baker. On the night of Friday 20 December he was in his father’s yard, with the last witness, minding the prosecutor’s horse and cart. He was stood with his back towards the cart. The prosecutor came out of the house and asked if the mutton was all right. The prosecutor was up in the cart and the last witness was feeling for something in the back of the cart. When he stood with his back towards the cart he saw the prisoner go past him towards the back of the cart. The prosecutor got out of the cart and went into the house. He heard the prosecutor offer a shilling for anyone who would produce the mutton and if it was not forthcoming he would put the matter in the hands of the police. When the prosecutor was leaving he opened the gates and let him out. They were locked. He saw the prisoner outside the gates and then they were opened he came into the yard and onto the house. He heard the prisoner say several times that he had not been outside the gates at all. When the prosecutor had gone he got a light and searched about the premises. He found the leg of mutton by the side of the hedge adjoining the yard. He afterwards pointed out to the police sergeant where he had found it. There were footmarks where the mutton was found round to his father’s garden from the yard. He traced them with the sergeant and saw the sergeant compared them with the prisoner’s shoe. They corresponded. Sergeant William Hillyard: he was informed by the prosecutor of his loss and went to Maulden with him. He heard Abraham Carter was suspected and the last witness told him he had found the mutton and pointed out where. He found footmarks leading from the place where it was found to the back garden and to the yard. He compared the marks with the shoe of the prisoner and it corresponded. There was half a tip off the heel. He took the prisoner into custody and charged him. The prisoner said nobody had seen him take the mutton and it could not be proved. When speaking about the mutton the prisoner said it had been at the back of the cart. Statement of the accused: he did not wish to say anything.

item

Carter, Abraham,
Ashby, Alfred,
Young, Leonard,
Young, Robert Joshua,
Hillyard, William

TODDINGTON, MAULDEN, Maulden George, butcher, stealing, mutton