Wilts & Glos Standard 2 February 1901
Cirencester Petty Sessions
Monday – (Before C. Bowley Esq. chairman, J Hyde Esq, The Rev J Priestly Foster, WH Cole Esq, RD Cumberland Jones Esq and FWB Cripps Esq.)
Mary Jane MITCHELL, Elizabeth MILLER and Rachel HARDING, married women of Chedworth, were charged with stealing a quantity of wood chippings, value 9d the property of William keen, on January 15th, - Alice KEEN, wife of William KEEN, labourer of Chedworth Laines, said on January 15th she went to Chittle Grove, where she saw Mitchell and Harding gathering chips from the butts of the trees and putting them into bags. She told them the chips belonged to her husband, who had bought the tops and bottoms of the trees, and at her request they turned out their bags. They said they had not taken any home. William Keen deposed going with P.C. WHITEHEAD to the defendants houses and finding a quantity of ash chips, which he valued at 3d, at each house. The
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defendants said they had fetched them from Chittle Grove – PC Whitehead proved meeting MITCHELL and HARDING coming from the Grove with empty bags and some cords. They said they had been to the Grove to pick up some wood and had been stopped by Mrs. KEEN. Two heaps in the Grove weighed 70lbs and 50lbs respectively, while those at Harding’s house weighted 40lbs, at MITCHELL's 14lbs, Mrs MILLER having burnt hers since his first visit. Defendants pleaded not guilty and said Mrs. KEEN, when they went and asked her if they could buy some of the tops, said they could have some. KEEN, recalled, said he had not sold a stick, though he had promised to sell some if he could pick out a day to look them over. He had lost a quantity of wood during the last fortnight. Mrs. Keen said she said nothing to the women to justify them taking the wood. Mitchell called her husband George MITCHELL, who said KEEN told him on the Friday before the women went to the Grove that he could go and show him (the witness) the tops his wife had bought. The Bench convicted and fined defendants 5s each.
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