QSR1831/3/5/4-6

Depositions of King Baker of Cranfield. John Beard, labourer of Cranfield. Thomas Harbin, watchman constable of Cranfield. In the case of Jonathan Halsworth, John Gillet and Joseph Minards accused of stealing 2 hens.

25 April 1831

From: 1831 To: 1831

King Baker: he had a farm house in Cranfield and had placed in it John Beard, labourer, to take care of it and the premises belonging to it. There was a hen house attached to the barns and there were 5 hens which were his and 2 or 3 belonging to John Beard. On the morning of Sunday 24 April 2 of the hen were gone. He believed them stolen by Jonathan Halsworth, J Gillet and Joseph Minards. The hen house had been locked and on Sunday morning some of the boards had been removed so a man might fit in the hen house. John Beard: he was employed to take care of the hen house and premises of Mr King Baker. On the Sunday morning he heard a noise in the farm yard about 4am. It was like a rattling of a door as if someone was trying to break in some of the buildings. He looked out of the window and saw a man run away from one of the barn doors. He got up and ran down to the yard and saw no one in the yard. He saw 2 men by the hen house. One of the boards was on the ground and another man was watching a little distance away by the yard gate. The hole in the boards was about 6 foot from the ground. Jonathan Halsworth was one of the men hanging to the boards and John Gillet was behind him. Joseph Minards was by the gate. Minards saw him and ran away and so did the others. He could not catch them and ran some distance after them. He went to his master who called the watchman. The 3 men were taken by the constable. 2 of his master’s hens had gone. Thomas Harbin: Mr King Baker told him that his hen house had been broken and robbed. He saw Jonathan Halsworth, John Gillett and John Minards coming together over the fields. He sent Beard to tell his master. He followed the men at some distance and they did not go the direct way to town but broke over Mr Falder’s hedge and went round as if they wished to conceal the way they had come from. They went into the house of widow Coles and it was there he took them. Statements of the accused: they all said they were not there but in bed at the time stated by John Beard and brought no evidence to prove the fact.

item

Halsworth, Jonathan,
Gillet, John,
Minards, Joseph,
Baker, King,
Beard, John,
Harbin, Thomas

CRANFIELD, stealing, hens, watchman