QSR1831/3/5/14

Depositions of John Walker, labourer of Harlington. Richard Parker, farmer of Harlington. William Jeffery, constable of Toddington. In the case of Thomas Hack accused of stealing 2 bushels of wheat.

3 June 1831

From: 1831 To: 1831

John Walker: he worked for Richard Parker. He was thrashing some wheat on Saturday week and dressed it up. He put 5 bushels into a sack and 4 bushels and 3 pecks into another sack. He locked the barn and took the keys into Mr Parker’s house. To his knowledge the barn was not opened on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. He took the key from the hook in the house on Wednesday morning but then found the lock shot back. He opened the door and missed all the wheat except about half a load. It was red wheat. The sample produced by his master was the same as the wheat he had dressed. The sample produced by the constable was the same wheat as he had dressed. He had no doubt. Richard Parker: on 26 May he returned home from a journey and was informed that some of his wheat had been stolen. He suspected Thomas Hack of having some of the wheat in his house. He produced a search warrant and went with the constable, Jeffrey, to the prisoner’s house. In the upstairs bedroom he found a sack containing about 2 ½ bushels of wheat. It looked like the wheat he had lost. They took the wheat away. His servant work had worked for him for many years and always thrashed for him. He thought him a very good judge of the different qualities of wheat. William Jeffrey: he went with Mr Parker to Thomas Hack’s house in Toddington to execute a search warrant. They found 2 ½ bushels of wheat in Hack’s bedroom. The sack was marked “Joshua Janes Wingfield”. There was some barley at the top of the sack. He took a sample from the middle of the sack. Statement of the accused: he had not stolen the wheat nor bought it. He had found the sack between 3am and 4am on Saturday last. He took the sack into his house and up to his bedroom. He put it into his flour bag, which had been given him by Mr Janes. He believed it Charles Athews of Toddington who had bought it as he saw him going away as he came down the stairs to take in the sack. He was called up by Charles Athews. Athews had thrown dirt up at the window.

item

Walker, John,
Parker, Richard,
Jeffrey, William,
Hack, Thomas,
Wingfield, Joshua Janes,
Athews, Charles

HARLINGTON, TODDINGTON, stealing, wheat, farmer