QSR1851/1/5/37

Depositions of John Higgins, labourer of Hulcote, Thomas Higgins, farmer of Hulcote and Charles Flint, police constable of Cranfield. In the case of Henry Lucas accused of stealing a doe ferret

21 December 1850

From: 1850 To: 1851

John Higgins: a labourer living in Hulcuote and he occasionally caught rats. He had 3 ferrets which he kept in his father's stable. He would feed them every morning about half past eight. On the morning of 21 December, there were only 2. As they could not get out of the hutch he assumed the third stolen and told the police. He was sure nobody knew he had ferrets except a young rat catcher in Cranfield, Lucas. He went to the house of Lucas and asked about the ferret. Lucas said he did not have it but did have one of his own. Lucas pulled a ferret out of the bag, which Higgins recognized as his own due to certain marks and the fact he had bred it. Thomas Higgins: On the evening of 20 December, he was in his stable where his son kept his ferrets. He saw that there were 3 there. Around 1 o'clock the next morning, he heard a noise in the yard, which he thought was the banging of the stable door. He looked from his window but saw no-one. Charles Flint: went with John Higgins to Henry Lucas's house. Lucas said he had brought his ferret from a man at Newport. When the ferret was produced John Higgins identified it as his.Henry Lucas: he stated that he dealt in ferrets, buying and selling them to different gamekeepers and rat catchers. A few weeks ago at Newport he met a man he would only know by sight. He had 2 dogs and a bag with him. Lucas asked him if it contained ferrets as he wanted to buy some for Mr [?] of Tickford Park. He had 2 ferrets, and black one and a white one, which he brought for 2 shillings and 9 pence. This was the ferret Higgins said was his.

item

Lucas, Henry,
Higgins, Thomas,
Higgins, John,
Flint, Charles

Hulcote, Newport Pagnell, CRANFIELD, stealing, ferrets, ratcatcher