Shingleton

STEALING HAY AT GREENHAM.

JAMES BIRD, 32, carter, and JOSEPH SHINGLETON, 52, coal hawker, were charged with stealing a truss of hay, three bushels of oats, and a sack, value 14s. 6d., the property of Edward Fidler, at Greenham.

Mr. Harrington prosecuted.

William Copas said—I live at Stroud-green, Greenham, and work for my father, who is a coal dealer. I know the Newbury Station. Mr. Banks has some premises there. On the 1st of April, at seven o'clock at night, I saw a truss of hay on Mr. Banks' premises under a hedge. The prisoner Shingleton works in that neighbourhood. Next morning I saw Shingleton take a handful of the hay and give it to his horse. On Saturday the truss was gone. The hay had some yellow flowers in it.

Richard Geater said—At the end of last month I was employed by the prosecutor to truss some clover hay. The hay produced is part of the hay I trussed. I am confident it is the same.

Sarah Copas said—I received instructions to watch the hay from my father's office, and I did so. I saw Shingleton take the hay and cover it up with some straw.

Edward Fidler said—I am a brickmaker, and live at Thatcham. Bird was in my service. He had authority to take the hay for the use of the horses. On the 1st of April Bird took a truss of hay from my house, and I set the last witness to watch. He had no business to leave the hay at the Railway Station. The hay produced is mine. I saw some oats in a sack at the Police Station with the hay. Bird had a quantity of oats every Wednesday, which was an allowance for a week. Yesterday I looked at the bin, and it was nearly empty. There ought to have been enough to last till to-morrow night. The oats produced are mine. The sack produced is also mine.

Supt. Harfield said—I went to the premises of the prisoner Shingleton on Saturday. I said I should like to look into his stable to see what sort of hay he had got. He said "What kind of hay?" I replied "Clover hay." He said "I havn't got any clover hay there at all." In the stable I found the clover hay which I now produce. I said to Shingleton "But here is some clover hay!" He replied "That is some that I bought two or three weeks ago." After that he said he had had it two or three months, and also that it was a little bit that he had of Ben Smith. I found the sack produced in the stable, and some oats in a bag—about three bushels.

Police-constable Annette said that he apprehended the prisoner Bird on Sunday, and in answer to the charge he said that he was very sorry that he had done it.

Both prisoners were found guilty and were each sentenced to four months' hard labour.

PROTECTION ORDER.—Elizabeth Shingleton, wife of Joseph Shingleton, coal salesman, said her husband had deserted her, and she applied for a protection order. The Bench having heard the woman's statement, granted the application.

John Hall was indicted for burglariously breaking into the house of Richard Shingleton, of Moulsford, on Friday evening, the 16th inst. and stealing two gallon loaves and a piece of cheese his property.

The Prosecutor proved being up last in his house on the 16th, when he left the pantry window fastened; he was called up about one o'clock by Richard Allum, and found his pantry window had been broken open.

Hester Shingleton, the wife of prosecutor, was also up last, on the night of the 16th, when the pantry window was safe; there were four gallon loaves and a piece of cheese in the pantry; in the morning, after the window had been broken open, she missed two of the loaves and the piece of cheese.

Richard Allum is a labouring man living at Moulsford. He called up the prosecutor at one o'clock on the morning of the 16th, in consequence of observing that the house had been broken open. The next morning he saw the prisoner about half a mile from Shingleton's house, under a hay rick; witness disturbed him, and he got up; witness observed a piece of cheese under his smock, and in consequence took him into custody.—The prosecutor's wife identified the cheese, and, indeed, produced a smaller piece that had not been taken away by the prisoner, which fitted exactly at the line of division to the stolen piece.

The prisoner made no defence, and the jury found him guilty.—Death recorded.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Samuell Shingleton of Moulsford in the County of Berks Victualler which which I make publish and declare as follows I direct all my just debts funeral and Testamentary expenses to be paid and discharged as soon as may be after my decease by me executor hereinafter named that is to say I give and devise unto my wife Mary Shingleton all my ready money securities for money households goods and furniture plate linen china chattels and all other my personal ware and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what kind soever which shall be of or belonging to me either in my possession or lawfully coming to me at the time of my decease to be by her enjoyed during the term of her natural life without the let or hindrance of any person or persons claiming the same or any part thereof And after the death of her my said wife it is my Will that all the personal property above mentioned then remaining shall be equally divided between my three children named Richard Mary and Sarah or the survivors of them then living and if it should so happen that they or either of them should die before my said Wife and leave issue then I give his or her share to the child or children of the deceased to be equally divided amongst them and that each of them then living do chuse a person to value and adjust the value thereof to be so divided at any time not exceeding one month after he decease and that the persons so chosen be requested to see that all the just debts funeral and testamentary expenses be paid which shall have occurd at the death of my said Wife out of the said property so valued And lastly I do hereby nominated constitute and appoint her my said Wife Mary Shingleton my full and sole Executor of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making void all former wills by me at any time heretofore made and hereby declare this to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I have set my hand and seal this twenty seventh day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty four—The Mark of × Samuel Shingleton [seal] Signed sealed published and declared by the said Samuel Shingleton the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us as Witnesses thereto——

Edward Goodchild—Bernard Smith