QSR1898/3/5/5

Depositions of Henry Charles Banks, Farmer of Little Staughton; James Wagstaff, Laborer of Little Staughton; John Hilson, Laborer of Little Staughton; Ebenezer Matthews, Police Constable of Keysoe and Samuel Holmes the Younger, son of Samuel Holmes. in the case against Samuel Holmes of Little Staughton accused of stealing a quantity of peas and beans together of the value of sixteen shillings, the property of Henry Charles Banks of Little Staughton.

03 June 1898

From: 1898 To: 1898

I am a Farmer and live at Hill Farm Little Staughton. I also occupy West End Farm Little Staughton. I made the acquaintance of the Defendant towards the end of last year he then resided at Tilwick Farm Ravensden. Shortly before Christmas the Defendant came to see me to know if I had got a place where he could go for a few weeks as he had to leave his farm. I said he might go to Garden House which is a little homestead on my farm and use the buildings but I told him the barn had some beans and peas in it which I offered to move – he said I need not trouble as there would be plenty of room without it. Defendant went into possession on Dec 24 last and he was to pay me 6shillings a month until he left. On the 2nd May I sent two men named James Wagstaff and Thomas Green to thrash the peas and beans. ( I looked into the barn before Dec 24 and I saw the Beans and Peas were all right then). About 9am on May 2 I went to the barn and from what they told me I examined the beans and peas and saw that part of them in one straw had been already thrashed and the straw trod back again in the same place. I found that 3 or 4 quarters were missing. I then sent one of the men to ask Defendant to come at once as I wanted to see him. He did not come and in about a quarter of an hour I asked one of his sons to go and tell him to come. About half an hour later the Defendant came I said “Holmes there are some peas and beans missing they were all right before you came can you give me any idea where they have gone to as there has been no one else on the premises besides you” He replied “I know nothing at all about them whatever” I then sent for Police Constable Matthews who came in about half an hour – He looked round with me and we found a little handful of beans and peas that had not been thrashed in one of the buildings he occupied. I now produce them – Defendant had no right to go into the barn – I value the missing peas and beans at sixteen shillings – I identify the handful of beans and peas produced as belonging to me. They were similar in every way – The doors of the barn were not locked but fastened with a chain which could be unfastened. The barn is about 50 yards from Holmes house. [cross examined by Defendant] You did not ask me to shift the peas and beans from the barn. I did not let the barn to you you said you did not require it. James Wagstaff said: I am a labourer and live at Little Staughton and work for the Prosecutor. On Monday the 2 May last Mr Banks sent me to his barn at the Garden Lodge to help thrash some peas and beans. We began to thrash and we found that some of these had been thrashed and the straw twined back as it was before. I then told Mr Banks when he came to see us. I found an iron rod in the bens – the bar of iron produced is the one – I handed it to PC Matthews John Hilson said: I am a Labourer and live at Little Staughton and work for Squire Gery. I was working for Mr Banks for 3 weeks during last harvest. I helped to get in some peas and beans and put them in the barn at the Garden Farm. On the 2nd May at Mr Banks request I went to the barn to see if the peas and beans were then as they were when we put them and I found that some of them had been thrashed over. Ebenezer Matthews said: I am a Police Constable stationed at Keysoe. On May 2 last about 11am from information received I went to some farm buildings at Garden House Little Staughton where I saw Prosecutor who told me someone had been thrashing his peas and beans and taking them away – shortly afterwards the Defendant came up and I said to him “Mr Banks says someone has been thrashing his peas and beans do you know anything about it”. He said “No I have not thrashed any or set anyone else to.” I then asked if I might look round his buildings and he said yes and he and I then went into several places occupied by him and in one place behind a part in some straw I found the handful of beans and peas (produced) I showed them to Defendant who said “I suppose the boy picked them out of the yard there” meaning the same as the straw the men were throwing out of the barn. I pointed out to him the bundle produced had not been thrashed and showed him several stalks with peas on. Defendant asserted they were the same as the straw being turned out of the barn – Mr Banks identified the bundle as being the same to the un-thrashed peas and beans – the straw being thrown into the yard had been thrashed. Defendant afterwards went away. I went the same day to Toseland in Huntingdonshire where I saw Ebenezer Jakins a young man who at one time worked for Defendant and in consequence of what he told me I brought him back with me to Keysoe to my house. About 9pm the same day Defendant was passing my house and I asked him to come in – he did so and Jakins said in his presence “I used to work for Mr Holmes. Soon after we got to Garden House Mr Holmes used to give the hens and geese some of the beans out of Mr Banks barn. Holmes said “Ah I did shake two or three out to the hens, but what is that, that is nothing” Jakins then said “A week or two afterwards Mr Holmes set me to knock some of the beans out when he was going out with Mr Banks one day, I did this several times usually when Mr Holmes was out with Mr Banks but on one occasion Mr Holmes himself was there when I thrashed them, Mr Holmes used to eat them.” Holmes repeatedly interrupted Jakins and said “You are a liar” but Jakins said “You know we did have them master.” Two days later on 4th May the witness Wagstaff handed me the iron bar (produced). [cross examined] I did not say to Jakins that you said he (Jakins) had been thrashing the beans. statement of the accused: I am not guilty Deposition of witness called by the accused; Samuel Holmes the Younger said: I am the son of the Defendant and am thirteen years of age. I lived with my father when he resided in Mr Banks house – I never saw my father take any beans or peas form the barn. The small bundle of beans and peas produced I picked up from what the men were throwing out of the barn and put them in the building where the cart was – I took them to feed 8 of Mr Banks pigeons which he brought on Saturday morning and took away on Tuesday – He did not ask me to feed them but they were starving – they were in a sack and I put them in a big cage. [cross examined] I did not take the peas and beans to the house where the pigeons were because I was cleaning.

8 pages

item

Holmes, Samuel,
Banks, Henry Charles,
Wagstaff, James,
Hilson, John,
Matthews, Ebenezer,
Jakins, Ebenezer

KEYSOE, Little Staughton, Toseland, farmer, laborer, stealing, peas, beans