Huntingdon Bedford and Peterborough Gazette 8 Jul 1837: Frederick Rowley hay theft
WILLIAM RANDALL and THOMAS PETTIT were charged with having, on the 23rd May, stolen 65 pounds of hay, the property of Frederick Wm. Rowley.Frederick Wm. Rowley examined by Mr. BYLES. — I live at Trumpington; on the 23rd May I commissioned William Todd to buy a load of hay for me in Cambridge market — Between twelve and one, on the same day, I was in Mill-road, Trumpington; I saw a horse and cart coming from my house; Thomas Pettit was driving; I asked Pettit what right he had to that piece of hay on the cope; he said it was for the horse; I looked into the cart, and saw some more — nearly two half trusses; I asked who the horse and cart belonged to; he said Randall; I asked him what right he had to that hay; Randall came up at the time; Randall said he knew nothing about it; Randall said to Pettit, “Tom, how came you to do so?” Pettit said, “Don’t lay it on my shoulders, you know all about it;” Randall said there was not above two shillings worth; I had it weighed; it weighed 65 pounds; the value was about 2s. 10˝d. This was Tuesday: on the Friday in the following week, both of them came and asked me to forgive them; I know of no custom for carter’s hay on delivery. Cross examined — Pettit said the hay was of no use to him; it belonged to Randall.
Robert Money — I am servant to Mr. Rowley; Pettit came with the load of hay in his cart; I got into the hay house; I could not see the cart when I was in the hay house; Randall brought in the hay, and said “This is the last truss;” and when I came out the cart was gone.
The statement made by the accused before the magistrate was then put in. Randall said it was always customary to have a bit of hay for the horse; and Pettit said that he had acted only as the servant of Randall. — Mr. BYLES then contended that the hay, under these circumstances, had been sufficiently and constructively in the possession of the prosecutor to support the charge; but the learned CHAIRMAN thought the cases did not exactly bear out the argument. [This case is alluded to in the learned Chairman’s address to the Grand Jury.] — The Court was of opinion that the hay had never been in the legal possession of the prosecutor. — Verdict, Not Guilty.