QSR1850/3/5/20/a

Depositions of William Woodham, farmer, Thomas Wells, Edward Harris, labourers of Streatley and William Keating, police constable of Barton. In the case of James Mayles, accused of killing a sheep with intent to steal the carcase

24 June 1850

From: 1850 To: 1850

Edward Harris: on going to Woodham's fold about 4 o'clock on 16 June, he saw a sheep carcase lying there. The skin was off. Mayles was there. He said a sheep had dropped with water. Harris did not believe this. He returned about 7 o'clock and Mayles had returned and collect the skin from the field. Mayles put it into a bag which he threw into a hedge. There was mark on the skin which matched the way Woodham marked his sheep. Thomas Wells: on 18 June he found a bag containing sheep skin. He went to Mr Woodham and asked if he had lost any sheep. William Woodham: James Mayles was his shepherd. The skin of the sheep produced had his mark on it, and the prisoner said nothing about it until the skin had been found. William Keating: asked the prisoner if he had a sheep drop in his fold. He said he had not. Mayles shoe had some fresh blood on it. Mayles then said he had one drop on Saturday and the skin was in his master barn. The barn was searched and no skin found. Mayles then said there was no use telling lies and the skin produced by Keating was the skin. On 19 June, Keating went with constable Millard to Streatley and found a carcase in 3 pieces buried in a field. This was close to the spot the skin was found.

item

Mayles, Joseph,
Woodham, William,
Harris, Edward,
Wells, Thomas,
Keating, William

STREATLEY, stealing, sheep, shepherd