QSR1851/2/5/9-10/a

Depositions of Rebecca Smith of Luton, John Millard, police constable of Luton, Obadiah Folds, victualler of Lilley, James Smith, labourer of Luton. In the case of David Durrant & James Dimmock accused of stealing 21 tame rabbits and a drake

5 April 1851

From: 1851 To: 1851

James Smith: lived at Ramridge End, Luton and was employed as a watcher for Samuel Crawley esquire. On 2 April he went home about 12 o'clock at night, at which point he saw his rabbits all safe in his barn. On checking at half past 4, they were all gone. There had been3 does and 18 young ones. A drake was also missing. He was able to identify all the rabbits when shown them at the police station. John Millard: was advised of the theft by James Smith. Following on from information Millard went to the house of James Dimmock's mother, where Dimmock lodges. he found him in bed. Dimmock said he had been out in Luton the previous night and was in bed about 11 o'clock. On searching the room, he found a box at the bottom of the bed, and side were rabbits and a drake. Dimmock said he knew nothing of them and that Millard must have brought them. Dimmock was taken into custody. The cap and coat Dimmock put on when getting up contained some rabbit flecks. Millard then took Durrant into custody. he said that he had been in bed before 10 o'clock and Mrs Coleman, where he lodged, could prove it. On asking Mrs Coleman, Millard was told that Durrant was not in bed by 10 o'clock. On examining Durrants coat, Millard found more flecks of rabbit. Durrent told him he had not been with Dimmock the previous night, they were heading towards Mangrove. Rebecca Smith: daughter of James Smith. She had seen the prisoners in a land about a quarter of a mile from her father's house on 2 April around half past 6 in the evening. Odadiah Folds: kept a public house in Mangrove, in the parish of Lilley. Durrant came to his house about half past 7 on 2 April. he called for a pint of beer and a pennyworth of tobacco. About an hour later, Dimmock came in and they took 2 pints of beer. Durrant paid and they left about half past 9.

item

Durrant, David,
Dimmock, James,
Smith, Rebecca,
Smith, James,
Millard, John,
Folds, Obadiah,
Coleman

LUTON, Mangrove, stealing, rabbits, ducks