Saturday 1 December 2012

1st December 1812: Lieutenant Cooper informs General Acland of suspects wanted for Robberies near Huddersfield

Elland 1st December 1812.

Sir.

I have the Honor to transmit to you what particulars I have been able to acquire concerning the Robberies committed on the night of the 29th ult.

I sent my Piquet to Patrole the neighbourhood last night, giving orders to the Serjeant, a very active and intelligent man, to make particular enquiries, of the persons robbed, of the circumstances attending the Depredations. He has given me a very satisfactory Report of the proceedings, & it appears to me that there are grounds sufficiently strong for apprehending Samuel Robinson and Joshua Fielding, both of Elland, the first escaped my clutches the other day before Mr Radcliffe by proving an alibi, but I have a strong suspicion that his evidence is perjured. I have the Honor to enclose you Sergeant Clark’s Report and I make him the Bearer of it lest you should think it necessary to question him further. I have often employ’d him to obtain the information by Sending him about the Country in plain clothes and I have much reason to commend his assiduity and activity and should you approve of it I should like to employ him continually in the same Service.

I intended to have been the Bearer of the enclosed intelligence myself but am unable to procure a Horse, and the time I have lost in trying to borrow one has prevented your receiving this earlier.

If it meets your approbation I should like the Serjeant to proceed from Huddersfield to Milnsbridge to procure Warrants & Summons to the parties concern’d, as I think we cannot proceed with too much alacrity.

I have [etc]
Alf. Cooper Lieut
West Suffolk Militia

[To] Major General Acland
&c. &c. &c.
Huddersfield.

This letter can be found at HO 40/2/3.

No comments:

Post a Comment