QSR1831/3/5/21

Depositions of John Bilson, carpenter of Puddington. John Draper, blacksmith of Puddington. Amos Cox, shoemaker of Puddington. In the case of Thomas Brown accused of stealing a scythe, a snaith and 2 nibs.

21 June 1831

From: 1831 To: 1831

John Bilson: he had working during the last harvest at Puddington Lodge for Mr Boddington who then lived there. At the end of the harvest he left his scythe, snaith and nibs there because he had no convenient place to leave it at home. He hung it under an open hovel near Boddington’s house. On the day before Odell fair he went to work at Puddington Lodge for Mr Boddington and saw the scythe under the hovel as he had left it. He saw nothing more of it until yesterday morning when, on going into the shop of John Draper, he saw the snaith with its nibs on. He knew it to part of the property he had left under Boddington’s hovel. Draper told him Thomas Brown had taken the scythe and nibs to him to have a new scythe put on it. John Draper: Thomas Brown brought him a snaith with 2 nibs on it and requested he pit a new scythe in it. Soon afterwards John Bilson came to the shop, saw the snaith and nibs and said it was his property. He told Bilson how he came by it and immediately locked it up in his barn for him. Thomas Brown called for it and he would not let him have it. Amos Cox: he had worked during the last harvest with John Bilson and knew his scythe. Yesterday morning he had called at John Draper’s shop and was asked if he knew a snaith with nibs on it that was there. He knew it to be John Bilson’s and said so. Statement of the accused: he had not stolen it. He had found it under a hedge at the bottom of Mr Boddington’s close.

item

Bilson, John,
Draper, John,
Cox, Amos,
Brown, Thomas,
Boddington

Puddington, stealing, agricultural implements, carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, Podington Lodge