QSR1834/1/5/12

Robert Furze the younger, corndealer of Ampthill. Joseph Hill, miller of Ampthill. In the case of James Moorhen accused of stealing wheat.

7 November 1833

From: 1833 To: 1834

Robert Furze the younger: on 28 October he met James Moorhen of Ampthill, a labourer who he had occasionally employed, in Dunstable Street wheeling a barrow with a sack. From its appearance he thought it contained grain. Moorhen had been in his employment on the Saturday and Sunday preceding in the granary which was in the Cross Keys yard in Ampthill. Having a suspicion that the sack which Moorhen had contained wheat stolen from him. He went to the granary and saw that the heap of wheat had been disturbed. From the appearance of the heap he thought some was gone. He had not sold any of the wheat since Saturday morning nor given any orders for it to be moved. Directly after this he saw a boy, in the employment of Mr Arnold of Ampthill, a miller, and he asked him if Moorhen had taken any wheat to the mill that morning. The boy said he had and he told him it should not be ground or removed until he could see it. He told the boy to tell his master to send him a sample. Mr Arnold brought a sample to him and he compared it to the wheat in the granary;. It corresponded exactly. On Wednesday he went to the mill to see the wheat which Joseph Hill, Mr Arnold’s miller, said was brought by Moorhen. It corresponded with a sample from the granary. The heap had consisted of 3 or 4 parcels of wheat, on of which contained revits which was seldom mixed with other wheats. The wheat from the mill contained revits. The value of the wheat was about 4 shillings and sixpence. John Baldock was also employed by him in the granary as a sack carrier. Moorhen was employed by him and he paid him himself. Joseph Hill: he was employed by Mr Arnold of Ampthill Mill as his miller. James Moorhen, the prisoner came to the mill with a bag containing about a bushel of wheat, which he brought in a barrow to a stile neat the mill. Moorhen set the bag down and asked him to grind it. He did not say where he bought it from or whose it was. The boy brought him word from Mr Furze not to grind the wheat and to send a sample to him. He took out a sample and gave it to Mr Arnold. Mr Furze came to the mill with a sample of wheat from his granary. They both examined the sample and found they matched. Statement of the accused: John Baldock gave him the wheat. Baldock was employed by Mr Furze. They both worked together on Saturday 26 October. It was the afternoon of that day that he was given the wheat. Baldock said to him "you’ve been helping me all the day and this will make you recompense". Baldock fetched the wheat from another chamber in a settle. There were 2 chambers in the granary. Baldock gave him the wheat in one of Mr Furze’s sacks. He was told he better take it off and empty it ad then bring it back to the stable. He knew it was not right but Baldock said it would not be missed.

item

Moorhen, James,
Furze, Robert,
Hill, Joseph,
Baldock, John

AMPTHILL, stealing, wheat, corndealer, miller, Ampthill Cross Keys