QSR1842/1/5/17

Depositions and examination - Thomas Eddy

8 November 1841

From: 1841 To: 1842

John Wheeler, employed by Richard Eve of Silsoe - on Sunday 7 November at 7am he went into his master's yard and saw some feathers lying about where the fowls usually sleep. He told his father, and also told him he had seen Eddy on the 6 November viewing the place where the fowls usually set. He missed 10 fowls. Richard Eve - on 7 November he was informed by Joseph Wheeler father of the previous witness that his son had missed the fowls and that there were feathers laying under the hovel. He went to the cow house where he saw some feathers. He opened the window of the cow house which looks into the hay yard and saw footmarks. He told Edward Brown of this. The shoes produced belonging to the prisoner correspond with the marks. Edward Brown - Richard Eve informed him he had lost some fowls and that Thomas Eddy had been seen by Thomas Eddy looking over the yard where the fowls usually set. Richard Eve told him to take what steps he chose. He told Mr Bates the superintendent of police of the circumstance, then went with Mr Bates to Gravenhurst in search of the prisoner. Eddy was brought to him by police constable Young. Eddy at first said he slept at home, but then said he slept at Mr Howes under the hovel. Mr Bates asked if anyone slept with him. At first he said no, but then he said Henry Tailor. After Mr Bates left the room Eddy admitted being at Mr Eve's premises on Saturday at dinner time. He said he went to get some hay to put into his shoe. Eddy said he dropped the hay in the yard as he saw George [Palmer?] coming across the field, who he thought would tell Mr Eve he had been stealing hay. James Bates, superintendent of police - he went to Gravenhurst with Edward Brown. Eddy was brought to him by police constable Young to Mr Howes house. He cautioned the prisoner. He asked where Eddy slept the night before - he at first said at home, then that he slept under a hovel at Mr Howes. He asked Eddy if he had been home to change himself - he said he had. He asked if Eddy had changed his shoes - he said yes, and that the pair he left at home were very bad and his toes were hanging out. He sent Eddy home with police constable Young to get the shoes now produced. They correspond exactly with the foot marks close to the window where the fowls usually slept. Robert Young, police constable No.10 - on Sunday 7 November he apprehended Eddy and took him to Mr Howes. He then took Eddy to his own house and asked his father for his shoes, which are those now produced. He saw the shoes compared with the foot marks. They exactly correspond. Thomas Eddy - "I am quite innocent of the job"

item

Eddy, Thomas,
Eve, Richard,
Wheeler, John,
Wheeler, Joseph,
Brown, Edward,
Bates, James,
Young, Robert,
Palmer, George,
Taylor, Henry

SILSOE, GRAVENHURST, stealing animals, fowls, shoes