QSR1841/3/5/16

Depositions and examination of William Smith of Linton (Cambs)

3, 14 and 28 April 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

3rd April ------------- Joseph Peters, police constable of Blunham - he was going his rounds that morning and on coming to Mr Tatman's farm at Chalton he heard the pigeons flying about. He went into the yard which looks towards the dovehouse and saw a man standing at the door, who he swears was the prisoner. He went to make an alarm but could not rouse anybody. He returned towards the dovehouse and saw 2 or 3 men. One came out of the dovehouse but he could not see if they had anything with them. They then ran away. He got a horse from Mr Tatman and having heard a cart going towards Blunham he followed it. He traced it through Tempsford turnpike and came up with it beyond Wyboston. There were 4 men in the cart. Three of them got out. He asked them if there was anything wrong. They said no. He went on for assistance but could not find anyone. When he went back the cart had turned back and he overtook it at the Roxton turnpike gate on the Bedford road. The other men were gone and only William Smith was with it. He said he was going to Biggleswade. There were some feathers about the cart, in a bag found in the cart, and about the prisoner's person. 14th April -------------- Further information of Joseph Peters - when he came up with the prisoner at the Roxton Gate he told him to get down and hook his trace which he did. He then observed some feathers hanging about Smith's whiskers. He told Smith they did not grow there. Smith said he knew nothing about them. He told Smith he had been following him some time and had seen him where he ought not to have been. Smith said he had never done anything wrong in his life. Smith said he was going to Biggleswade. He told him he was off his road. Smith said he was the worse for liquor but he appeared quite sober. He went with Smith and the cart to Biggleswade and then observed some more pigeon feathers about his cart and amongst the hair of his head. The horse appeared to have been driven a long way and very sharp. There was no name on the cart. He picked up the broken lock at Mr Tatman's pigeon house door and found in the cart the basket now produced with the bag and piece of an apron now in it. There were also some pigeon feathers in the bag. John Tatman - the pigeons belong to himself and his brother William . The pigeon house was locked and all safe the night before. Some pigeons were taken away that night but he cannot tell how many. William Smith - if they think it proper to commit him, he will say nothing. [Added] He came from Oundle and had no one with him. 28th April -------------- James Thornton of Wyboston - on Saturday 3 April about 4am as he was going to work he found the winch hammer now produced lying on the turnpike road and picked it up. About a chain further along he found an old orange chest lying just over a gate in a field by the road side. There was some pigeon dung at the bottom of it. He went around some nearby stacks and found a heap of pigeon feathers and one dead pigeon. As he was coming out of the field he saw the part of a smock frock and the bit of a sack now produced lying close to the gate. There were some pigeon feathers in the smock frock and it was very dirty - it has since been washed. He took them all home and they remained in his house until the following Monday when Charles Price a policeman came and fetched them away.

item

Smith, William,
Peters, Joseph,
Tatman, John,
Tatman, William,
Thornton, James,
Price, Charles

Linton (Cambridgeshire), BLUNHAM, Chalton, TEMPSFORD, Wyboston, ROXTON, BIGGLESWADE, Oundle, stealing, pigeons