QSR1831/4/5/5

Deposition of James Denton, labourer of Houghton Conquest. In the case of Robert Simpkins, accused of stealing a quantity of wood.

15 August 1831

From: 1831 To: 1831

James Denton: Labourer of Houghton Conquest. At about 4.30 on Sunday morning on the 10th July, he was standing behind a hedge adjoining Mr. Smith’s premises. He saw the prisoner coming from Mr. Smith’s rickyard, across a close between the rickyard and where he stood. The prisoner had some wood in his possession which he bought to the hedge and then threw it over. The prisoner then turned back to Mr. Smith’s gate that leads to his orchard, ran up the orchard and a few minutes later returned with more wood. The prisoner threw the wood over the hedge and then jumper over to begin gathering it together to carry away. The prisoner picked up the wood and was carrying it towards his own house when he went and stopped him. He made the prisoner lay the wood down and asked him why his was stealing wood from his master. The prisoner did not reply. He was in no doubt that the wood was stolen from Mr. Smith’s premises and was his property also. Robert Simpkins: Nothing to say.

item

Denton, James,
Simpkins, Robert,
Smith

HOUGHTON CONQUEST, hedging, stealing, wood, orchard, rickyard