QSR1834/1/5/24

Depositions of Joseph Allison, carrier of St. Neots. James Wilkerson, farmer of Roxton. Mary Randall, serveant of Mr James Wilkerson of Roxton. In the case of William Cook accused of stealing 8 turkeys.

20 December 1833

From: 1833 To: 1834

Joseph Allison: William Cook drove a wagon to London every Thursday and would return on Monday morning. Cook would go through Tempsford toll bar about 6am on Monday morning and would go through Eaton turnip field about ¾ of a mile from Mr Wilkerson’s house. Wilkerson sent Cook to Roxton to get some parcels. William Cook took empty pods and flats to fetch the meat and Thomas Cook would pack the wagon, keep the books and enter all the parcels. Thomas Cook came to him and told him there was a flat of his in the yard with no directions on it. He then went to the yard and spoke to William Cook about it. William said it was a going from Mr Hall’s to Davis’s. He showed William Cook the flat. It was a 2 bushel flat. There was a 5 bushel flat going from Mr Hall to Davis in the yard going by wagon. Mr Hall always packed in cloth. He saw one of the turkey’s feet hanging out and Thomas Cook, by his order, took the flat to the warehouse. William Cook came to the door of the warehouse. He and Thomas Cook undid them. Thomas Cook soon after came to the house and said the flat had gone. They found it in an empty wagon in the lane, covered with wagon cloth. Thomas went and asked William why he moved the flat and William replied the thought it was best moved. James Wilkerson: on 15 December he saw the turkeys safe in the turkey house and the door was locked. In consequence of his boy, John Fellows, telling him that the turkey house had been broken open, he came back from the field and found the lock broken off and 8 turkeys stolen. Mr Allison came to him and inquired whether he had lost 8 turkeys. He told him he had and Allison said he had 8 turkeys in his house as he had stopped William Cook, the wagoner, from going to London because he had some distrust on him. He went to Allison’s house and identified the turkeys as those he had lost. The value of the turkeys was upwards of 10 shillings. Mary Randall: on the Sunday evening about 8pm, she went checked the lock to the turkey house. She found it locked and the door secure. The place was where Mr Wilkerson kept the turkeys when they were fattening.

item

Cook, William,
Allison, Joseph,
Wilkerson, James,
Randall, Mary,
Fellows, John

ROXTON, St Neots, stealing, turkeys, carriers, farmers, servants