QSR1853/1/5/26-28/a

Depositions of Samuel Thrussel, labourer of Luton, Thomas Woolley, a minor and Alfred Atherton Murfin, police constable of Luton. In the case Henry Gray, George Shane & John Farr accused of stealing a live duck and a live fowl.

20 December 1852

From: 1852 To: 1853

Samuel Thrussel: employed by Richard Marks Brown at Luton looking after his fowls and ducks. On 13 December he counted the ducks and missed one. He also counted the fowls and missed one. He could identify the duck by a mark on his bill and the fowl by its size and colour. He had often seen the prisoners about the master’s premises and he ordered them away. Thomas Woolley: worked for Mr Tirebuck. On 12 December he was going into his Masters Garden at dusk and he saw the prisoners standing on the bridge close to Mr Brown's Mill. The biggest one said here's my gardener coming. Farr said to Woolley "your money or your life" and asked him what time Mr Brown's men left. He told them not before 9 or 10 o'clock but Gray said I know better than that, they left at 5 o'clock. Woolley went towards the garden and the men ran down by the mill to Mr Brown's house. Alfred Atherton Murfin: from information received he went to Farr's father’s house and found there a duck and a fowl. He asked the boy Farr where he had got the duck from. He said a boy in the street had given him it about 6 weeks previous. He afterwards said he and Henry Gray had taken it from the river by Mr Brown's house. He asked Farr where the fowl was from and he said that he, Gray and Shane had it from Mr Brown’s at the mill. Gray had picked it up and Farr had brought it home. Murfin took Shane into custody and told him the charge, which he denied. The following morning, at the police station, Shane said "you ought take the other one". Asked who he said Henry Gray and they were all as back as one another. Gray had picked it up and passed it to Shane who passed it to Farr, who took it home. He afterwards took Gray into custody and told him the charge. He said they were all to blame.

item

Farr, John,
Gray, Henry,
Shane, George,
Thrussel, Samuel,
Woolley, Thomas,
Murfin, Alfred Atherton,
Brown, Richard Marks

LUTON, stealing, ducks, fowls