QSR1842/1/5/41

Depositions - John Field charged with stealing ducks

15 December 1841

From: 1841 To: 1842

Ann Bell of Luton - on 10 December Field came and asked her if she would buy a couple of ducks from his grandfather. She asked him the price and he said 4s and that was the lowest his grandfather would go. He claimed his grandfather brought them the previous Monday, gave 1s 10d each and kept them all week on barley meal. She said that was not much profit and agreed to give 4s for them. She told him to take them to his grandfather and kill them. Field took them into Taylor's cellar which is opposite her house and brought them back killed. This made her suspect they did not belong to his grandfather so she would not pay him but told him to ask his grandfather to come and get the money. About an hour later his brother Matthew Field came and said his grandfather had sent him for the money for the ducks. She gave it to him but gave directions to her boy James Burgess to see if he went to his grandfather with the money. The boy came back and said John Field was at the top of the yard waiting to receive the money from his brother. She sent Burgess to get the money back and sent it to Field's grandfather John Field. He sent the money back saying he knew nothing about it, that John Field was a very bad boy and he might do what he liked with him. She sent for John Field (the prisoner) and asked where he got the ducks. He said he found them in a field near Eaton Green, and that Luke Betts was with him. She sent for the policeman Chapman and gave Field into custody. John Chapman of Luton, police constable - on 10 December he was standing near the Black Swan public house, Luton, when he saw John Field come round the corner by Mr Wingrave's with something in his smock frock. Field went into Mr Taylor's. He looked into the cellar and saw Field with a couple of ducks. He asked where Field got them. Field said they were his grandfather's and he had sold them to Mrs Bell. He went to Mrs Bell and asked if she had bought any ducks from Field's grandfather and she said she had. The next day he was called into Mrs Bells and Field was given into custody. Field then said he got the ducks from Eaton Green and that Luke Betts was with him. He went to look for Betts. On his return he and Field had been taken to the cage by Smalley. Henry Smalley of Luton, police constable - on 11 December he went to Mrs Bell's and found John Field and Luke Betts there. He aksed where they got the ducks. Betts said from Mr Bates rick yard at Biscott. He took them into custody. He asked Field, who said he had them from the back of Mr Bates rick yard. James Coupees of Luton - on 11 December he was at his sister's Mrs Bell's when John Field was there. He asked where Field got the ducks. Field said from a field near Eaton Green. Supposing they were Mrs Woods he asked Field to go with him to Mrs Woods. They went and found the ducks did not belong to her. Field said there was a boy named Luke Betts with him. Betts was brought in and said he got the ducks from Mr Bates' rick yard and that Field was with him. Field acknowledge he got them from Mr Bates. Charles Cain of Luton - on 10 December he went to mr Bates of Biscott to fetch some straw for Mrs Waters. While he was there he saw John Field and Luke Betts in the farm yard. They asked Mr Thomas Bates if he wanted to buy any horse dung. John Bates of Biscott in the parish of Luton - he has a great many ducks so can't swear those produced are his property, though he has no doubt they are. He doesn't know that he has lost any. Luke Betts - last Friday he was with John Field at Mr Bates at Biscott. They went into the farm yard and asked young Mr Bates if he wanted any horse dung. They were going up the field just beyond the rick yard and John Field had a stick in his hand. They saw some ducks - Field threw the stick at them and knocked 2 down. They took them down into the new road. When Field went to Mrs Bell's he stood outside talking with James Draper. He saw Field go down Mrs Bell's yard with the ducks. Before that Field went home and fetched a bag to put them in. They never went near Mrs Woods of Eaton Green.

item

Field, John,
Bell, Ann,
Betts, Luke,
Chapman, John,
Smalley, Henry,
Bates, John,
Cain, Charles,
Bates, Thomas,
Wingrave,
Taylor,
Woods

LUTON, stealing animals, ducks, police constable, Luton Black Swan, Biscott Manor