QSR1872/3/5/4-6/b

Depositions and examinations - William Levitt, William Barth and Henry Kitchiner charged with stealing 9 fowls value £1 from John Devereux at Arlesey on 18 June 1872

19 June 1872

From: 1872 To: 1872

John Devereux of Arlesey, farmer – the 2 fowls produced are his. He saw them safe on Monday 17 June. The next morning they were gone. The fowls are worth 2s 6d each. He lost 9 altogether. He knows Henry Kitchiner but not the other two prisoners. Kitchiner works at the brickyard. Peter Kitchiner of Arlesey, labourer – on the morning of June 18th between 1 and 2am he was returning from a walk with George Albone and another. They went down Stanfords close to the railway and down the line to the hut where the platelayers keep their tools. He had been with Levitt, Barth and Kitchiner that night, and with Isaac Rowlett. Rowlett, Bath and Levitt said they were going to sleep in the hut. When they got there they waited about an hour and then Levitt came in with some fowls in his arms. He does not know how many. One was dead and the others were alive. Levitt said “I have brought the B---s in” and chucked them down. Kitchiner and Bath came in and each had fowls. Bath asked if they thought there were enough. Rowlett said he thought so. Bath said if not he would go and fetch some geese. They all said “no”. He and Albone left at once, leaving Rowlett behind. He went home. George Tomlinson of Arlesey, police constable – on Tuesday morning 18 June from information received he went with PC Case to the G.N.R. Bath and Levitt were fixing a signal post. He apprehended them and charged them with stealing fowls from Mr Devereux. He searched a tool box on the Great North Railway about 5 yards from where they were working and found the 2 fowls now produced. Bath said Henry Kitchiner took 2 fowls out of the hut, one dead and one alive, and that Henry Kitchiner had spit of him so he would split of Henry Kitchiner. Levitt did not say anything. He later apprehended Henry Kitchiner on the same charge. Kitchiner said he took 2 fowls out of the hut with him, one dead and one alive. When he was going down the G. N. Railway from the hut he threw the fowls away by the side of the line. William Levitt – when they got to the hut there were 3 in the hut. One of the 3 said Harry never goes out without getting hold of something. He asked Harry where he got them from. Kitchiner answered but he doesn’t remember the name. Kitchiner’s brother said he would sooner he had gone anywhere else than there. Kitchiner’s brother then left the hut with another young man. Henry went away but he does not know how many fowls he took. Henry asked them to take car of the others until tomorrow night for him. There were 2 pigeons which he put in his basket so the fowls would not hurt them. [signed “Samuell Levitt”] William Barth – they were strangers in the place and were too late to get lodgings. They had some beer and got “tight” and thought they would go to the hut. They came down the town 6 or 7 together. All but the three of them left. Henry Kitchiner directed them to the hut. There were some hurdles or a gate in the close. Henry Kitchiner told them to stop a minute and he would not be long. Kitchiner came back with 6 fowls and 2 pigeons. They helped him carry them down the close to the hut. They had very good work and he did not know the place or where any fowls were. “I don’t see why I should be drawn into the affair for nothing”. Henry Kitchiner – he has nothing to say.

item

Levitt, William,
Barth, William,
Kitchiner, Henry,
Devereux, John,
Kitchiner, Peter,
Tomlinson, George,
Albone, George,
Rowlett, Isaac

ARLESEY, stealing animals, fowls, farmer, police constable, brickworks, railway worker, railways