QSR1870/1/5/8-9

Depositions and examinations – Thomas Spacey and John Slough, charged with stealing 3 fowls value 7s 6d from Ernest Dixon

6 December 1869

From: 1869 To: 1870

Arthur John Dixon of Wheathampstead (Herts), miller – he lives with his brother Ernest Dixon the younger of Batford Mills, Wheathampstead. They have a large number of fowls about their premises, which come up to the road. They had 8 or 9 young fowls that had been in the habit of rooting on an alder tree in the stack yard. They were all black and white chickens from one brood, exactly like the 2 skins produced. They were barn door fowls. He last saw them all safe about a fortnight ago. On or about 24 November he missed 2 or 3 or 5 of them. He produces one of the chickens which were not taken which is exactly similar to the skins produced. They are worth 2s 6d each. Thomas Groom of Wheathampstead (Herts), labourer – he lives at the Folly at Wheathampstead , Herts. He works for Mr Dixon of Batford Mills, attending to his fowls. He has had to fetch some fowls from an alder tree and put them in the roost several times. The skins produced belong to 2 of those fowls. He has known them since they were quite small chickens. One of the skins belongs to a cock of the chickens. Frederick Burton of Wheathampstead (Herts), labourer – he works for Mr Ames and lives at Batford Mills. About 3.45pm on Tuesday 23 November he was working on the side of the road between the Hyde Mill and Cold Harbour when he saw Slough and another man going down the meadow belonging to Cooper’s End Farm in Harpenden towards Cold Harbour in a footpath. About 5.30pm on the same day he saw Slough again. Slough overtook him on the road and walked with him about 150 yards until he got to Pickford Mill. He has known him for 20 years. He spoke to him. William Leslie of Luton, harness maker – he lives on the London Road in the parish of Luton near to the Gibralter Toll bar. On Wednesday 24 November about 8.15am he was at home and saw the 2 prisoners go along the road by his house towards Luton. Slough appeared to have his pockets loaded on his right hand side. Frederick Nicholls of Repperstock (Herts), labourer – he lives at Repperstock in the parish of Flamstead. On Wednesday 24 November between 8 and 9am his master sent him to Luton and about 8.30 he saw Spacey and Slough on the London Road by the side of Mr Clarke’s meadow. When they were against the new road called Trap’s Lane he saw Spacey drop 3 fowls out of his right hand pockets. He dropped them against the milestone on the road. The skins produced are the skins of the fowls he dropped. He saw PC Luniss come out of Mr Clarke’s field after the fowls were dropped. Arthur Boxford of Luton, labourer – he lives at New Town, Luton, and works for Mr Clarke of the Brache Farm. On Wednesday 24 November between 8 and 9am he was at the top of the new road near to Mr Clarke’s farm with the sheep. The prisoners were coming along the road towards Luton from the direction of Harpenden. When they got within 20 yards of him PC Lummiss came over the hedge and Spacey dropped 3 fowls out of his right side pocket onto the road. Alfred Lunniss of Slip End, Caddington, police constable – on Wednesday 24 November between 8 and 9am he was on duty in Bailey Field adjoining the London Road, Luton when he saw the 2 prisoners coming along the road from the Harpenden direction. When they got within 40 yards of him he got out of the field over the hedge into Traps Lane, when Spacey took something from his pocket and dropped it on the side of the road. He later met the prisoners at the top of the lane asked Spacey what had got. Spacey said “nothing” and denied dropping anything. He went to the spot and found 3 fowls. The place where the fowls were dropped was in the parish of Luton. He went after the prisoners and took them into custody. They both denied knowing anything about the fowls. On Sunday 5 December he charged them with stealing 3 fowls from Mr Dixon of Wheathampstead. They still denied any knowledge of them. The skins produced are the skins of the 3 fowls. John Allen of Chiltern Green, Luton, police constable – on Thursday 2 December he received the 3 fowls skins produced from PC Lunniss and on Friday he showed them to Mr Arthur John Dixon. He returned the skins produced to PC Lunniss this morning. Thomas Spacey – nothing to say. John Slough – he knows nothing about the fowls. He never saw them until the policeman had them in his hand.

item

Spacey, Thomas,
Slough, John,
Dixon, Ernest,
Dixon, Arthur John,
Groom, Thomas,
Burton, Frederick,
Leslie, William,
Nicholls, Frederick,
Boxford, Arthur,
Lunniss, Alfred,
Allen, John

LUTON, SLIP END, CADDINGTON, Wheathampstead, Wheathampstead Batford Mill, Cold Harbour, Harpenden, Luton Trapps Lane, Luton London Road, Luton Brache Farm, Hyde Mill Farm, stealing animals, fowls, miller, harness maker, police constable