Reference
QSR1819/318-319
Title
Examinations and depositions: Information of Charles Cole, Sundon, farmer; dined at the Red Lion, Sundon on the rent day of Sir Gregory Page Turner, Bart. Saw Jesse Washington in the tap room who left just before him at 7pm. Charles Cole went straight home to bed but in the morning missed two of thirteen geese. He enquired of the neighbouring villages 'if any loose characters had been seen' but could hear of none. Two days later he went to Ampthill Fair where he heard that Neal who kept the White Horse, Deadman's Cross, Haynes had been offered two geese. Neal's wife said she had seen the men but refused to buy the geese thinking they might have been stolen. Charles Cole then went on to Mr Pickford who kept the Hare and Hounds at Warden; on hearing that Washington lived there he applied for a search warrant and searched their house but found nothing. Mr Pickford's wife told him that James Washington and his son Jesse had been there and that they had a sack with two geese which they said they had been to fetch for their master. He then heard that they had gone towards Bedford. He followed but stopped at the Hon. William Waldegrave's house and obtained a search warrant for the house of William Hind and John Gilbert, higlers of Wilstead. He found nothing there so went on to Silsoe, to his father in law's house and slep the night. Two mornings later Thomas Croseley, constable of Wilstead came to him and told him he had found the geese. Charles Cole then went to Mr Nethersole JP to tell him the geese had been found and then went on to 'Elstow where I met Croseley and James and Jesse Washington and the constable of Sundon and Joseph Ford of Bedford with the two geese and we all proceeded to the magistrate.
Evidence of Joseph Ford, Bedford St John, publican; James and Jesse Washington came to his house and the father offered him 'a bargain ... 2 geese of his own breed'. Joseph Ford doubted them being their own but Jesse Washington said they were bred this year' and offered them to him for 12/- but accepted 10/-. Next day he sold them to Mr Harvey who kept the Red Lion at Elstow for 10/6 'as I found they would not feed with me'.
Evidence of Thomas Croseley, constable of Wilstead; Charles Cole told him of his loss, they searched two houses at Wilstead, then went to the Red Lion at Wilstead where Charles Cole asked him to do all he could to find 'the Robbers'. He then went to the Carpenters Arms at Wilstead where he heard from Mr Peacock, a farmer that two geese were offered to him by Joseph Ford. On hearing this he went to Joseph Ford who told him he had sold them to Mr Harvey. He eventually found them in a stable and put them in the charge of Mr Cole of Elstow, constable who kept them all night. Next morning he went to the George, Silsoe and told Charles Cole of his find. James and Jesse Washington were then taken before the magistrate.
Date free text
1819
Production date
From: 1819 To: 1819
Reference
Level of description
item