QSR1918/4/5/3a(i) - (xi)

Deposition of Witnesses John Bartholomew, Ann Barthlomew, Fred Bartholomew and Harry William Church for case against Joseph Baker

10th September 1918

From: 1918 To: 1918

QSR1918/4/5/3a(i) (ii) COUNTY OF BEDFORD TO WIT THE EXAMINATION Of John Bartholomew of Bromham in the County of Bedford, Cowman. Ann Bartholomew aforesaid, Wife of the said John Bartholomew. Fred Bartholomew of Bromham aforesaid, Labourer and Harry William Church of Kempston in the said County Police Sergeant. Taken on Oath this 10th day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred and Eighteen at Bedford in the County aforesaid before the undersigned one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the said County in the presence and hearing of Joseph Baker who is charged this day for that he the said Joseph Baker in the night of the 31st day of August 1918 at Bromham in the County of Bedford did feloniously break and enter the dwellinghouse of the John Bartholomew there with intent to steal therein and did steal therein two bags a piece of beef a cake one pound of margarine one pound of lard three quarters of a pound of butter a loaf of bread and a purse of the value together of nine shillings and eleven pence half-penny and five shillings and three pence in money the goods chattels and monies of the said John Bartholomew and a purse of the value of one shilling and two shillings and two pence in money the goods chattels and monies of one Fred Bartholomew. This Deponent John Bartholomew on his Oath said as follows: - I am a cowman in the employ of Mr Benjamin Howkins and live at Bromham. I remember the 31st August. Just after 9pm I locked my back door, I shoved the pantry door close up. The pantry window was not shut within an inch or two. Wire netting was fastened over the pantry window outside. It was nailed in with round headed nails about an inch and a half long. The wire was all over the pantry window. I got up at 5 o’clock the next morning. I did not look round the house then. I returned home about 6 o’clock. I examined the pantry window. The wire netting was undone at the top the bottom and are side of the window. The nails were left in the window frame. An empty Farm bottle lay on the path same apples lay underneath the currant trees. The window is 14 inches wide and about 2 feet high. (signed) John Bartholomew --------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/3a(iii)(iv) This deponent Ann Bartholomew on her oath saith as follows: - I am the wife of the last witness and live at Bromham. I remember August 31st we had supper about 8.30 that night. When we went to bed about 9.30. Their was in the pantry three quarters of a pound of butter, there were 7 loaves of bread in the bread box, a cake, a pound of lard and a pound of margarine, there was a piece of beef on the dresser in the back kitchen. There were 2 bags one was in the pantry and the other in the kitchen, there was a purse on the sideboard in the kitchen. It contained 5s/3d in money. I got up next morning about 5.45. On going to the back kitchen I found the pantry door a little way open. The pantry window was further open than it had been at night and the wire was broken. I missed the butter, one loaf, the cake, the margarine, lard, and piece of beef and the two bags. The bag produced marked “A” is the bag I left in the pantry when I went to bed and bag marked “B” is the one that was in the kitchen. The purse and money was also gone. I value the beef at at 2/- the cake at 1/- the margarine at 1s/-, the lard at 1s/8 the butter 1s/9, the loaf at 4½d the two bags at 1s/- and the purse at 1s/- (signed) Ann Bartholomew ------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/3a(v) This Deponent Fred Bartholomew on his oath saith as follows: - I live with my parents the two last witnesses at Bromham. On Saturday August 31st I put my purse on the shelf in the living room. It was a leather purse. There was 2s/2 in it. I went to look for it next morning at 8.30. It was gone. I value the purse at 1s/- (signed) Fred Bartholomew ----------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/3a(vi)(vii) This deponent Harry William Church on his oath saith as follows: - I am a Police Sergeant stationed at Kempston. On Sunday September 1st I went to Bromham in Company with Police Constable Pegg and made enquires. On Wednesday September 4th I saw the prisoner at Gadsby Street Police Station in custody. I interviewed him and said “I am making enquires respecting a house that was broken into at Bromham on the night of Saturday August 31st and I have reason to believe you know something about it. Can you explain your movements on the night of Saturday last?” I then cautioned him after some hesitation he replied, “I might as well tell you all about it” He then made a statement which I took down and he signed. The same evening I went with the prisoner to Molliver’s Farm Bromham and in the stack yard there at the corner of a Stack, I found the too black bags which have been produced and are marked “A” and “B”. Subsequently I charged the prisoner with burglariously breaking and entering the house of John `Bartholomew between 9.30pm and 6am in the night of Saturday the 31st August and stealing there purse, one piece of beef value 2s/- three quarters of a pound of butter, one loaf, a pound of lard, a pound of margarine, one cake, two black bags, one purse containing 5s/3d in money the property of John Bartholomew and one purse containing 2s/2d in money the property of Fred Bartholomew. I then cautioned him. He replied “That’s about right” I produce the written statement which I took down from the prisoner when I first interviewed him. It is marked “C”. (signed) Harry William Church ----------------------- QSR1918/4/5/3a(viii) The above deposition of John Bartholomew, Ann Bartholomew, Fred Bartholomew and Harry William Church were taken and sworn at Bedford in the County of Bedford this 10th day of September 1918 before me. Signed Edward Creasy A justice of the Peace for the County of Bedford. -------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/3a(ix) County of Bedford to wit Joseph Baker stands charged before the undersigned, one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County of Bedford this 10th day of September in the year of our Lord One thousand nine hundred and eighteen for that he the said Joseph Baker in the night of the 31st day of August 1918 at Bromham in the said County did feloniously break and enter the dwellinghouse of one John Bartholomew there with intent to steal therein and did steal therein two bags, a piece of beef, a cake, one pound of margarine, one pound lard, three-quarters of a pound of butter, a loaf of bread, and a purse of the value together of Nine shilling sand eleven-pence half-penny and five shilling and three pence in money the goods, chattels and monies of the said John Bartholomew and a purse of the value of one shilling and two shillings and two pence in money the goods, chattels and monies of one Fred Bartholomew. And the said charge being read to the said Joseph Baker and the Witnesses for the prosecution, being severally Examined in his presence, the said Joseph Baker is now addressed by me as follows: - “Having heard the Evidence, “do you wish to say anything in answer to the Charge? You are not obliged to say anything unless you desire to do so; but whatever you say will be taken down in writing, and may be given in Evidence against you upon your Trial. Do you desire to call any witness? If you do it must be done after you have made your own statement. QSR1918/4/5/3a(x) Whereupon the said Joseph Baker saith as follows: - “I do not wish to say anything. I do not wish to give evidence or to call witnesses. Signed Joseph Baker Edward Creasy A Justice of the Peace for the County of Bedford ------------------------------- QSR1918/4/5/3a(xi) Criminal Appeal Act 1907 Rex v Baker List of Exhibits Number or Other Identifying mark of Exhibit. Short description of Exhibit. Produced by Prosecution or Defence. Directions of the Judge of the Court of Trial, with name and address of person retaining Exhibit. “A” Hand-bag – Prosecution “B” Ditto Ditto “C” Prisoners Statement Signed [] Williams Clerk to Committing Justices.

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item

Bartholomew, John,
Bartholomew, Ann,
Bartholomew, Fred,
Church, Harry William,
Baker, John,
Howkins, Benjamin

BROMHAM, KEMPSTON, breaking & entering, beef, cake, money, lard