Somerset Heritage Centre Archives Documents
Depositions and Witness Statements for Trial
23rd Mar 1840 - Wells, Somerset, England
Transcribed by Veanne Treasure ? 22 April 2012
(John TREASURE b. 1815 d. 1891)

Calendar or Prisoners Spring Sessions, held at the City of Wells, on Monday, the 23rd day of March 1840. No. 112 John TREASURE Age 22. Read ? N. Write ? N. Trade Labourer. By Whom Committed. J. Wickham, Esq. Date of Warrant March 16. From what Division Shepton Mallet. Offence charged with. Stealing two sacks of Potatoes, the property of John LEWIS.

Q/SR 507/ 32-35

Document No. 32

The Voluntary Examination of John TREASURE of the Parish of Shepton Mallet in the said County Labourer taken before me the undersigned one of Her Majesty?s Justices of the Peace acting in and for the said County this sixteenth day of March 1840.

Who voluntarily saith as follows ?

I know nothing at all about the Job. I never sold COOK a Potatoe in my life. I never carried a Potatoe to his House. I have nothing else to say.

Taken before me the day )
and year first above written )
and I hereby certify that the )
above examination was read ) The Mark of John TREASURE
over to the above named )
John TREASURE before he signed )
the same and that he appeared )
perfectly to understand the same )


Signed J. WICKHAM

Document No. 33

The information of Joseph PORTER of the Parish of Shepton Mallet in the said County, Labourer taken on his Oath before me the undersigned one of her Majesty?s Justices of the Peace in and for the said County of Somerset, this sixteenth day of March 1840.

Who saith as follows ?

On Tuesday Evening the tenth of March instant about Eight o?clock my Brother in Law James COOK came to my House at Board Cross. I cannot recollect whether he came with my wife or whether she was at home when he came. My wife said she knew some Person who had got half a sack of Potatoes to sell. COOK said he would have them. My wife said that the Potatoes were in at TREASURE?s whose house is about ten yards from mine. My wife was to go out to see whether they had got them or not and James would have them if they had got them. My wife went out and she came back in a few minutes. When she came back she said that he was to have the Potatoes and they would come along in a little bit with them and there was to be a rap at the Door when they came along. When they came along my wife said ?Here they be coming.? Then James got up and went out. My wife went to the Door with him.

Taken and sworn before )
Me the day and year ) The Mark of Joseph PORTER
First above written )

Signed J. WICKHAM

Document No. 34

The information of James COOK of the Parish of Shepton Mallet in the said County, Labourer taken on his Oath before me the undersigned one of her Majesty?s Justices of the Peace in and for the said County of Somerset, this sixteenth day of March 1840.

Who saith as follows ?

I am a Dealer in Potatoes and Cheese in Shepton Mallet. On Tuesday evening last, the tenth Day of March instant, my Sister Nancy PORTER came to my House for some Potatoes. I told her I had not got many but she was just come in time until I had got some more. She said there were some Potatoes for sale up in Board Cross and she asked me if I would have half a sack. She said that TREASURE?s people had some to sell. I said they did bear such a character I did not like to have any hands with them. She made answer there they be for sale and if you don?t have them another will. I then went up with my Sister to her House which is at Board Cross. Her Husband and her little boy were there. The agreement was that she was to go in to TREASURE?s and agree for the Potatoes. TREASURE?s House is only about Ten yards from my Sister?s. My Sister went out and in a few minutes returned. She told me I was to have the Potatoes and they would bring them along presently and as soon as they did come along they would hit the Door. After a few minutes we heard some Persons come along and my Sister said ?Here they be coming along.? I went and opened the Door and I saw the Person now present, namely, John TREASURE, with a sack on his shoulder and his little Brother with him. I stepped on and overtook him and I said to him. ?There you have got them?. He said ?Yes?. We then went to my House. He took the sack into my House. The Potatoes were measured and accounted to Five Pecks, for which I paid him Three shillings and four pence. The Potatoes were red rough Potatoes and I now produce some of the Potatoes which I purchased of John TREASURE.

Taken and sworn before )
me the day and year first ) The Mark of James COOK
above written )

Signed J. WICKHAM

Document No. 35

The information of John LEWIS of East Compton within the Parish of Pilton in the said County, Yeoman taken on his Oath before me the undersigned one of her Majesty?s Justices of the Peace in and for the said County of Somerset, this sixteenth day of March 1840.

Who saith as follows ?

I am a Farmer and live at East Compton in the Parish of Pilton. Late in the night of Monday the ninth of March instant or early in the Morning of Tuesday the tenth of March instant a Quantity of Red Rough Potatoes, consisting of about two Sacks, were stolen from a Potatoe Pit in my Garden at East Compton. I had seen the Potatoe Pit between four and five o?clock on the Monday afternoon and it was then unbroken in that part from whence the Potatoes were stolen. The Potatoes which are now produced by James COOK of Shepton Mallet Labourer are some of the Potatoes that were taken from my Pit. I produced a sample of Potatoes which I myself took from the Pit and they correspond with the Potatoes produced by COOK. The Potatoes were grown in a Field that was limed last year. The earth on the Potatoes is precisely the same and mixed with lime. The Potatoes were covered with Barley Straw.

Taken and sworn before me )
the day and year first above ) Signed John LEWIS
written )


Signed J. WICKHAM


Q/SR 507/271


These are to Certify that at the General Quarter Session of the Peace of our Lady the Queen, holden by adjournment at the City of Wells in and for the County of Somerset, on Monday the ninth day of July in the second year of her said Majesty?s Reign John TREASURE late of the Parish of Stoke Lane otherwise called Stoke Saint Michael in the said County labourer was in due form of Law indicted tried and convicted For that he the said John TREASURE (with another) on the ninth day of June in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty eight with force and arms at the Parish aforesaid in the County aforesaid together with ten other persons unknown in and upon one John VESEY in the Peace of God and our said Lady the Queen then and there being feloniously did make an assault and one shirt of the value of twelve pence two quarts of brandy of the value of eight shillings and one piece of the current silver coin of this Realm to wit an half Crown of the value of two shillings and six pence of the Goods Chattels and monies of the said John VESEY from the person and against the will of the said John VESEY then and there by feloniously putting him the said John VESEY in corporal fear and danger of his life violently and feloniously did steal take and carry away against the Queen?s Peace.

And the said John TREASURE was thereupon ordered and adjudged by the Court to be imprisoned and kept to hard labour in the House of Correction at Wilton for nine calendar months, three separate weeks thereof in solitary confinement.

Given under my hands this twenty first day of March in the year of our Lord 1840.

Signed Edward COLES (Clerk of the Peace).