QSR1840/4/5/7-8

Depositions and examinations - Thomas Martin and William Cook charged with stealing four hens from Edward Rawlins

30 July and 3 August 1840

From: 1840 To: 1840

DEPOSITIONS ON 30TH JULY William Coombs, chief constable of Borough of Bedford ... On Tuesday morning 28 July from information received he went to a beer house in All Hallows Lane kept by John Harrington. He saw Thomas Martin sitting on the settle asleep. The basket now produced was standing under his legs. He woke Martin and asked him where he got the fowls in the basket - Martin said he had them "from home". He went with Martin to his father's house - his father was not at home, but his sister who keeps the house was there. He asked Martin's sister if she knew anything about the fowls in the basket - she said she did not. He said Martin must come along with him - Martin's sister said "Ah Tom you are done this time". Martin said he had bought the fowls from some man from Thurleigh whose name he did not know. He took Martin into custody. Martin repeatedly said he had bought the fowls. He sent for another constable, Powers, and left Martin in his charge. About 3 hours later Henry Harris came to him and gave him information. He went again to Martin's house with Powers. Martin's sister then said she went into a barn and saw another basket - now produced, with some feathers and chicken dirt in it. There were three full grown fowls in the basket. He sent Powers to Biddenham and Bromham to inquire if anyone had lost any fowls. Next morning he received information that the fowls came from Mr Rawlins' farm. From what he heard he went in search of William Cook and asked if he was in Biddenham Field on Sunday with Martin. Cook denied it. He told Cook Mr Rawlins had lost 10 fowls - Cook said they were burnt at Stanley's fire. When asked why he did not inform his master Cook said his master was not at home but he told Mr Henry. He [Coombs] said "it is very strange you lost your master's keys and your master was very much surprised to find the doors unlocked". Cook said he told his master and searched for the keys last Thursday. He reported this conversation to Mr Rawlins and took Cook into custody. Mary Martin of St Paul Bedford, spinster - Thomas Martin is her brother and lives with her. The small reticule basket (in which the fowls were) is hers. About 11am on Tuesday morning her brother borrowed it. She did not see her basket again until Mr Coombs brought it, and she did not see her brother go to the barn that morning. When he left he went out of the back door, which is the way to the barn, and 2 or 3 minutes later passed the front door. Before Mr Coombs went to the barn she said to him "There is nothing in the barn that is not ours except a flat basket". She never saw her brother pass the window with the flat basket before he borrowed hers. People can get to the barn by the back way without coming in the house. There is no lock to the barn. Henry Harris of St Paul Bedford, labourer - he was with Thomas Martin on Tuesday morning. He called a man by the name of Cockney Bill to him and told him he had something he could sell him. The man said he would be back in half an hour. Martin would not tell him at first what he had to sell, then said he had some pullets. Martin insisted they were his own. He went with Martin to within 20 yards of his father's house, where Martin told him to stop and said he would bring them. Martin brought them to him in the large basket and said there were four fowls. There were full grown and looked all "mullucked" about. He told Martin he knew they weren't right. Martin said they came from 20 miles off. He said Allen would buy them and Martin told him to take them to Allen's but not to say they came from him as he had asked him the price of fowls that morning. He told Martin the fowls should be picked and put into a reticule basket. Martin went home to fetch the basket and he ran away - Martin had told him previously the fowls were stolen but that he did not steal them. Martin said he had bought them for 3s 6d. About 3/4 hour later he saw Martin again and Martin wanted thim to take the fowls but he would not. When he heard Martin had been taken he went and gave information to Mr Coombs. He saw both prisoners on the bridge on Tuesday morning - Martin said "if we sell them it will raise a pot or two of beer". William Francis of St Paul Bedford, labourer - he lives in Wells Street. On Tuesday morning he was going over the bridge. When he was near the Cross Keys Thomas Martin called to him that he had four pullets to sell. He said he would be back in half an hour and would buy one then. Martin came to Mr[s?] Walker's where he lodges about half an hour later. Martin pulled 4 fowls out of the small basket, and said he had bought them and did not mind who saw them as they were his own. When he heard Martin was in custody he went and told Mr Coombs he had bought one of the fowls. Henry Rawlins of St Paul Bedford, wine merchant - William Cook was in Mr Edward Rawlins employ until the previous Saturday night. Cook never told him of any fowls being burnt at Stanleys fire, which happened a fortnight ago last Saturday. Cook was in charge of the poultry and it would have been his duty to have informed him. It would also have been his duty to have informed him if he had lost the keys. Hensman Wootton of St Paul Bedford, beer house keeper - the two prisoners were drinking together in his beer house in the High Street on Tuesday morning between 7 and 8am. They left together with 2 men - they all seemed one party. They had 4 half pints and one person (he thinks Martin) paid. EXAMINATIONS ON 30TH JULY Thomas Martin of St Paul Bedford, labourer - on Monday night he had been working for Mr Francis at the Fleur de Lis. He left about 8.30pm. He went to Thomas Bennett's beer house and Cook was there. He had a pint of beer and they had a game of cards. About 9.45 they came away and went to the Ship on Bromham Road. They were gone to bed then and he told Cook he would go home. Cook told him he could get him 4 fat hens if he could sell them for him. Cook said they were his own and anything he made over 3 shillings he could keep. Cook fetched them and put them into the big basket. He took them home and the next morning tried to sell them. He sold one to Mr Francis, then went to Harrington's where he was taken into custody. He stayed in the close while cook fetched the basket. The fowls were just dead when Cook gave them to him. William Cook of St Paul Bedford, labourer - when they came out of Bennett's he told Martin he was going home. Martin said he must have something before he went home - fowls, ducks, hares or rabbits. Martin went with him they they took four old hens. Martin took them in his company and did not stay behind in the close. They both went into Mr Rawlins hen house. DEPOSITIONS ON 3RD AUGUST Edward Rawlins of St Paul Bedford, wine merchant - he had employed William Cooke for about 6 months. Cook managed his poultry at his farm on the road to Bromham. He kept the keys of the hen roost and other premises. On Wednesday 29 July he counted his fowls and there were 51 or 52. He knows there were 67 when Cooke entered his employ and after that he bought 10 more. He had not authorised Cooke or any other person to sell any, and Cooke never informed him that any were missing. If the fowls had been burnt it would have been Cooke's duty to inform him. When he went to count the fowls on Monday he found the premises unlocked, but was told the keys were lost. There should have been an increase in fowls - Cooke told him from time to time there were fowls sitting. Cross examined by Cooke: he had had at least four fowls taken down for the supply of the house. EXAMINATIONS ON 3RD AUGUST William Cook - the hens that were sitting had been destroyed and the eggs and chickens as well. He had taken 10 fowls down to Mr Rawlins' house twice since he had been in his service. Thomas Martin - nothing further to say.

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Martin, Thomas,
Cook, William,
Rawlins, Edward,
Coombs, William,
Martin, Mary,
Harris, Henry,
Francis, William,
Rawlins, Henry,
Wootton, Hensman,
Harrington, John,
Powers,
Bennett, Thomas

Bedford St.Paul, BIDDENHAM, BROMHAM, Bedford All Hallows Lane, Bedford Wells Street, stealing animals, hens, wine merchant, beerhouse keeper, Bedford Cross Keys, Bedford Fleur de Lis