QSR1842/1/5/31-33/a

Depositions - James Cook, William Deacon and Joseph Burt, charged with stealing a sheep from William Eames

13 December 1841

From: 1841 To: 1842

William Eames of Houghton Regis, farmer - on Friday night 10 December he was told by his shepherd Richard Janes he had lost a ewe sheep from a field called Hale Close in Houghton Regis. The skin now produced is the skin of the sheep stolen. The brand appears to have been obliterated. When he had Joseph Burt in his custody Burt told him he had offered Cook and Deacon 2s to go and procure a sheep, and that Cook brought it home to his [Cook's] house, Burt took it from Cook's house to his own and Cook slaughtered it there. Burt keeps a beer shop in Houghton Regis. Deacon's shoe corresponded with marks in the field. John Tutte, police constable - from information received that Mr Eames and Mr William Scroggs had lost a sheep each he procured a search warrant and searched James Cook's and Joseph Burt's houses at Houghton Regis. In a dung heap in Burt's yard he found the 2 feet bones and a piece of the skin of a sheep's face (both produced) which appeared recently killed and exactly fits the skin of Mr Eames sheep which John Chapman produced. He took Burt into custody and asked him where the skin of the mutton was that he had been selling on the Saturday. Burt said he had sold it on the road between Luton and Dunstable to a man he did not know with a horse and cart. He later said he had not sold it but that William Deacon had taken the skin in a bag down to a field belonging to Mr Barnard called Tree Piece, where Deacon was at work. Burt said he had given Cook 2s to give to Deacon to fetch a sheep out of Mr Eames Close. Cook said that Deacon, Burt and himself went to Deacon's house where they discussed when they wanted Deacon to fetch the sheep and that they would give him 2s, and 5s more if he fetched a good one. Cook said he borrowed the money to give to Deacon from Burt. Cook and Deacon took the sheep, took it to Cook's house and left it there about 2 hours, then went to Burt's house to tell him what they had done. Burt fetched the sheep in his cart. Cook killed the sheep the next morning in Burt's yard in the presence of Deacon and Burt. He took Deacon's half boot and it exactly fitted the marks in the field. John Chapman, police constable - yesterday he had Burt in his custody. Burt said he would show him the place where Deacon had buried the skin. William Scroggs, himself and Burt went to Tree Piece field where they found the skin now produced in a drain. He was present when the feet produced by Tutte were fitted to the skin. Ann Timms of Houghton Regis, married woman - last Friday she was doing for Cook's wife who is very ill and between 8 and 9pm she saw James Cook drive a sheep into his house. Some time afterwards 2 men took the sheep out of the house. She was upstairs with the woman and when she came down with a light the sheep was gone. She hollowed after them not to be long and Cook answered her.

item

Cook, James,
Deacon, William,
Burt, Joseph,
Eames, William,
Janes, Richard,
Tutte, John,
Chapman, John,
Scroggs, William,
Timms, Ann,
Barnard

stealing animals, sheep, shepherd, beerhouse keeper, HOUGHTON REGIS, Houghton Regis fields