QSR1899/3/5/6

The Examination of William Ellis Watts of Podington in the County of Bedford Labourer and John Godman of Podington aforesaid, Police Constable taken on Oath this 24th day of March in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety nine at the Court House at Sharnbrook in the County aforesaid, before the undersigned, of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the said County in the presence and hearing of; George Scroxton who is charged this day, before for that he the said George Scroxton on the 10th day of March One thousand eight hundred and ninety nine at Podington in the said County did feloniously steal take and carry away a quantity of food and a cloth together of the value of one shilling the property of William Ellis Watts of Podington aforesaid Contrary to the Statute.

24th March 1899

From: 1899 To: 1899

This Deponent William Ellis Watts on his Oath saith as follows: I am a Labourer of the age of 14 years. On Friday the 10th March I was working in the field called [Stumpy] Close Podington for Mr Tye. I had my lunch in a Basket and I set it down near a [Bean] Stack at the top of the field and I then went drag harrowing. About 9 am I went to get my lunch and found the Basket empty. The Lunch was wrapped up in a cloth, the cloth now produced is the one. I value the lunch and cloth at about one shilling. This Deponent of the said John Godman on his Oath saith I am a Police Constable stationed at Podington. On Friday March 10th about 9am the lad William reported to me that some food and a cloth belonging to him had been stolen from a field called [Stumpy] Close in the Parish of Podington. I suspected the Defendant I went in search of him. On searching some Farm Building called Whitlands in the Parish of Podington about 6 am on Saturday morning I found the door of a large Barn fastened on the inside. I looked thro’ the Door and saw Defendant inside. He refused to open it, so went round to a door on the other side, this was fastened but I forced it open. The Def’ got thro’ a hole in the Door on the other side and ran away. I caught him and searched him and found the cloth produced and a quantity of food. I asked where he got it from and he said “I brought it with me from home” I told him the cloth was stolen from Podington and that I’d take him to Podington to get it identified. He replied “you need not do that I admit stealing this lot but not the other” Statement of Accused: Guilty

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Watts, William Ellis,
Godman, John,
Scroxton, George

PODINGTON, Whitlands barn Podington, police constable, labourer, stealing