QSR1832/3/5/23

Depositions of James Liles, farmer of Wilshamstead. Henry Franklin, gamekeeper of Hawnes. In the case of William Litchfield and Daniel Daniels accused of stealing a quantity of eggs.

5 May 1832

From: 1832 To: 1832

James Liles: he had missed a great number of eggs from his premises in the past. On 22 April he was in Park Close and saw William Litchfield there. Litchfield had no business there and was coming from behind a hay rick. Litchfield was a labourer in his employ at the time. Daniel Daniels was a sawyer and had been sawing just by his farm through the winter. When Litchfield came from behind the rick and saw him e drew back and he saw no more of Litchfield until the evening. He had missed eggs daily all the week before. He could not say he missed any on that Sunday. He missed eggs from many places and he placed eggs about the premises to try to find out who was taking them. He missed those eggs. On Sunday evening he went to Litchfield, who was milking in the yard and said to him “Litchfield I am sorry for what you have been doing”. He had heard Litchfield had been found with a quantity of eggs. Litchfield said “ I am sorry too”. Next morning Litchfield came to work as normal and remained until breakfast and then went away. He saw no more of Litchfield that day. He went to Litchfield’s house on Tuesday and Litchfield said “now the mercy all belongs to you and I am in your hands and I hope you’ll have mercy on me”. He asked him who the beginner was and Litchfield said it was not him. He knew Mr Franklin to have bought all the eggs. He had not seen Daniel Daniels for a fortnight since he had finished his job. Litchfield and Daniels knew each other very well. He had frequently seen them together but had not seen them together for a fortnight before the eggs were found. It was Litchfield’s business to fodder his cows in Park Close but they had not been foddered and had eaten the hay. Henry Franklin: on Easter Sunday 22 April he was doing his rounds and saw 2 men under a hedge in Mr Cockrell’s field at Hawnes. They were stooping down. He went up to them and saw they were the prisoners. As soon as they saw him the prisoners got up and Litchfield took a basket and went into the spinney with it. Daniels went further along the hedge out of sight. He followed him and found him lying in a ditch. He asked Daniels who he was with. Then said to Daniels there was something wrong and Daniels said he was not after game. He said to Daniels he had been to get something and he went about 50 yards down the spinney and found Litchfield in the spinney. As soon as Litchfield saw him he went away. He went into the place where Litchfield had been standing and saw the basket on the ground. He took possession of the basket and saw it was full of hen’s eggs. He was sure there were upwards of 70 in there. He told Litchfield he had no doubt they were Mr Liles’s eggs and he should go with him. Litchfield said he knew nothing about the eggs and would not go with him but he took him by the collar and then Litchfield said he would go willingly. He went to William King’s on his way to Mr Liles and whilst he went in to speak King he saw Litchfield kick the basket over and break the eggs. Then I took him with the basket to Mr Liles. Liles said they were his missed eggs. Litchfield denied he had taken any. In the evening he went to the ditch where he found Daniels lying. It was a ditch 5 or 6 feet deep. He then saw 9 eggs in the ditch where Daniels had lay. They eggs were cracked and looked as if the had been thrown down in a hurry. Statement of the accused – William Litchfield: he did not have the basket of eggs I his hand. He did kick the basket down at Mr Kings. Statement of the accused – Daniel Daniels: when Franklin found me he was not 5 yards out of his footpath and had been to Mr Young’s for work. He was returning. He had been culling a stick and set it in the ditch.

item

Daniels, Daniel,
Litchfield, William,
Liles, James,
Franklin, Henry,
Cockrell,
King, William

Hawnes, WILSHAMSTEAD, stealing, eggs, farmer, gamekeeper