QSR1869/1/5/6-7

Depositions of Wesley Whinnett, farmer of Bedford. Henry Hull, labourer of Sundon. James Hull, labourer of Sundon. John Pedder, labourer of Sundon. John Olden, police constable of Toddington. Charles Sturgess, police constable of Chalton. In the case of William Mayles and Israel Mayles accused of a bushel of wheat.

23 November 1868

From: 1868 To: 1869

Wesley Whinnett: he was a farmer at Sundon. On 7 November the 2 prisoners were dressing wheat in his barn at Sundon. The barn opened into the farm yard and there were no other doors. The door was in view of the windows of the house. There were 7 quarters to dress. Park was undressed and part ready to put up. When dressed they were to put it up in 4 bushel sacks and leave it in the barn. About 5.30pm he went to the barn and 7 sacks were filled. The men went on with their dressing. He saw no corn in a single bushel. The men asked for some more sacks and he took them 5. He had no other threshed wheat on his premises. He went home a little after 6pm and saw no one about except the prisoners. He sent Henry Hull for the cows about 5.30pm. In consequence of what Hull told him he went to Meadow Gate and saw a sack against the gate. He took it home and found a bushel of wheat in it. The sack bore his father’s name and was plugged with straw. It contained mixed wheat. The gate was 35 yards from the barn. After he examined the wheat he went to the barn and told the prisoners a bushel of wheat had been found in the meadow and they had better stopped cleaning and go into his kitchen. He put the wheat out of the sack and it did not quite fill the measure. He did not recall what was said. He paid William Mayles and gave the men some beer and they left. Before they left William Mayles said he recalled putting a bushel of wheat into the sack and stopping the holes. No other sack had holes in it. He informed the police on Monday and gave him the wheat and sack. The gate was not on the prisoner’s way home. He saw William Mayles that morning and he told him to set his son to help him clean. His man went at 3pm and there was no wheat put up then. William Mayles had not said the sack was stuffed some 3 weeks before. The men had to pass his house to go home form the barn. Israel said he had been to Randall’s for beer and William said he had been to the privy during that time. This was after the prisoners had said they had not left the barn. Henry Hull: he was in the employment of Mr Whinnett and it was his place to fetch the cows up. On the day the prisoners were dressing the wheat he fetched up the cow whilst it was getting dark. He did not to see a sack. James Hull: he was a labourer at Sundon. He remembered on 7 November he was on Mr Whinnett’s premises at 6.45pm. He found the sack and wheat against a tree just round form the gate post. He found it was wheat and told Mr Whinnett. John Pedder: he worked for Mr Whinnett and remembered a sack being found. He was helping Mr Mayles dress wheat until 4.30pm and when he left none had been put into sacks. He then went to move some clay at the backside of the farm near the closet. He worked there till a little after 5pm. About 5.45pm he saw William Mayles with a can in his hand in the barn. The son was with him. PC John Olden: on 9 November he received information about a robbery at Mr Whinnett’s and apprehended the prisoners the same day. Israel said that the sack found near the gate had been in the barn when he went for beer and he did not notice it when he came back. The other Mayles said he left the barn when his son went for beer and did not return for 10 or 12 minutes. PC Charles Sturgess: he was in the company of Olden when the prisoners were apprehended. He was alone with them afterwards and William Mayles said to him that he remembered his master bringing a sack to the barn and he had put an odd bushel of wheat in the sack. Mayles said they had run the wheat down 2 or 3 times as they had not enough room in the barn. William Mayles said that his son had left to fetch some beer and victuals and he had left the barn to go to the privy. If the wheat had been taken away it must have been whilst he was gone that 10 or 15 minutes. Mayles said he did not miss the wheat when he got back. Statements of the accused: not guilty [both]

item

Mayles, William,
Mayles, Israel,
Whinnett, William,
Hull, Henry,
Hull, James,
Pedder, John,
Olden, John,
Sturgess, Charles

SUNDON, BEDFORD, TODDINGTON, stealing, wheat, farmer