QSR1870/3/5/5-6

Depositions and examinations - John White the elder and John White the younger, both of Swineshead (Hunts), labourers, charged with breaking and entering a dovecote and stealing 23 pigeons value 23s.

24 May 1870

From: 1870 To: 1870

James Lewin the younger of Swineshead, farmer (Swineshead included within the Bletsoe division for police purposes) - he lives with his father James Lewin the elder and assists him with his farming business. His father used to keep a stock of pigeons. On Friday 13 May he saw the pigeons were in the dovecote and saw the door was locked. The next morning he was told that the dovecote had been broken open. About 6am he found it had been entered through the window. He found 19 pigeons in the dovecote, all dead. Some of them had their legs tied. He traced some blood and feathers on the road as far as the garden of William Lewis. In that garden he found 3 more dead pigeons and saw where another had been eaten. He then sent for the police. The pigeons were old pigeons and worth 1s each. The younger prisoner was working for his father at the time. William Lewis of Swineshead, labourer - about 5am on Saturday 14 May he saw that the window was open in the dovehouse. When he went through his garden he saw dead pigeons lying there. He went to Mr Lewin’s (his master’s) and told him. George Purser of Dean, police constable - on Saturday 14 May he went to make inquiries at Swineshead and went to the house of Luke White a labourer there and found the younger prisoner John White. He observed blood and down on his trousers. After a few questions he took him into custody. He soon afterwards admitted breaking into the dovehouse and stealing the pigeons. He said he and his cousin had gone to Mr Lewin’s in the night, had climbed six trees there for rooks, and then broke into the dovehouse where they killed all the pigeons and took them away on the road. Afterwards from fear of being detected they took the pigeons back, throwing 19 of them into the dovehouse and the rest of the pigeons and the rooks they had stolen into William Lewis’s garden. Thomas Sturgess of Keysoe, police constable - he apprehended the elder prisoner at Keysoe on a charge of stealing pigeons. White asked if he meant Mr Lewin’s. he said he did. White said "I should never have done it if I had not had too much beer!" White told him the name of the other fellow was John White, the same as his. On the way to Mr St John’s White told him how they had contrived the robbery. John White the elder - has nothing to say John White the younger - has nothing to say

item

White, John,
Lewin, James,
Lewis, William,
Purser, George,
Sturgess, Thomas,
White, Luke

SWINESHEAD, DEAN, KEYSOE, breaking & entering, stealing animals, pigeons, dovecotes, farmer, police constable