QSR1843/4/5/9-11

Depositions and examinations - John Chapman, William Bailey and John Tompkins

7 August 1843

From: 1843 To: 1843

beerCharles Hallworth - he is a farmer and miller at Maulden. On Wednesday night 2 August he locked up his 15 ducks in the cowhouse. They were let out by the cow boy the following morning and he saw them in the mill head. On returning from Ampthill market he was told his ducks were gone. He told the police. On the following Saturday PC Hazard came over to him and said he had found the ducks at Mr Kempston's at Shillington. He went there on Sunday and picked out 15 from 43 others which he can positively swear to as being his. Daniel Hazard, police constable - on Friday evening he was told Mr Hallworth had lost 15 ducks. The next day he went to Shillington and heard that 3 strange men were selling ducks three two days earlier. He went to Waller's beer shop and asked if he had bought any ducks. He said he had bought 13 from 3 men and had sold them to Mr Kempston. He and Waller went to Kempston's and saw the ducks in his yard, which Waller identified as those he had bought from the men. He went to Silsoe on Saturday evening and apprehended Bailey and Chapman in bed. Waller identified them as being 2 of the men who sold the ducks. He went to Thomas Cox who keeps a beer shop at Shillington and found he had bought 2 ducks of the same men and had also sold them to Mr Kempston. James Waller - he keeps a beer shop at Shillington and is a poulterer. On Thursday he was at the Royal Oak beer shop at Shillington. John Chapman came in with some ducks. He asked whether Chapman had bought them in their parish - he said not, but that he bought them just by, by which he assumed he meant Hexton or Pegsdon. Chapman then took 5 black ducks out of his pocket and put them into the coop with the 8 white ones. He bought the ducks for 12s. He later sold them to Mr Kempston with some others. He can swear to Tompkins being with Chapman when the deal was made. Thomas Cox - he is a labourer living at Shillington. On Thursday August 3 John Chapman and William Bailey came to his house and called for some beer and bread and cheese. They said they had no money and if they did not meet a man to whom they were to sell their ducks they could not pay. Nobody bought the ducks so he took a couple at 1s a piece and gave them 8d. They went away together. Chapman and Bailey came first and Tompkins joined them. Robert Young, police constable - yesterday morning Sunday August 6 he apprehended Tompkins as Waller had told him Tompkins was one of the 3 men who were at Shillington with some ducks. Tompkins told him he saw the ducks sold and that they made 12s. William Bailey - has nothing to say John Tompkins - has nothing to say John Chapman - on Thursday morning John Tompkins came to him and asked him whether he was ready to go. They took a walk and as soon as they started Tompkins said "there is something in the brook will pay us if we can catch them". They went down to the brook and caught the 15 ducks.

item

Chapman, John,
Bailey, William,
Tompkins,
Hallworth, Charles,
Hazard, Daniel,
Waller, James,
Cox, Thomas,
Young, Robert,
Kempston

MAULDEN, SHILLINGTON, SILSOE, stealing animals, ducks, miller, beer retailer, police constable, poulterer, Shillington Royal Oak