QSR1882/2/5/10c

Depositions of John Smith, gardener of Leighton Buzzard, John Weston, labourer of Leighton Buzzard, George Stears, innkeeper of Leighton Buzzard, Dan Stears, cooper of Leighton Buzzard and William Shepherd, superintendent of police of Leighton Buzzard. In the case of Alfred White accused of stealing 4 live fowls.

1 April 1882

From: 1882 To: 1882

John Smith: a gardener employed by William Woolston of Leighton. His master kept fowls. On 6 March he had counted them; there were 34. On 9 March he discovered 4 were missing. George Stears: landlord of the Coach and Horses in Leighton Buzzard. On 6 March, White came to the house between 8 and 9pm. Weston was with him. White had worked there and knew the premises well. White went into the yard by the side door and he followed him to see what he was doing. He found the gate undone. He fastened it and returned to the house. In the pigsty there had been a hamper. White would have had time to get the hamper and leave before he had gone out there. Dan Stears: a cooper working for his father. His premises adjoin those of the last witness. On 7 March, between 7 and 8am he went up the yard and saw a hamper in the stable with 9 fowls in it. They stayed there until between 11 and 12. Weston and White came to the stable and he asked them who owned the fowls. They said they belonged to Mrs Abrahams and she wanted them to sell them as she was going to leave Leighton. After that the prisoner went away and came back with a man named Crawley. Crawley bought them. He told Crawley he would give him 15 shillings for them but he would not sell them. He later saw Crawley sell them to Robinson of Totternhoe, who took them away. John Weston: he had been at the Coach and Horse with White and head seen him go out into the yard. Stears followed him. White returned and they left the house together. They parted at Hull Street. Next day White came to him at his mistress, Mrs Abrahams house, and asked him to sell some fowls for him as he and his mistress were better know. They went to a stable at Stears yard and White showed him 9 fowls in a hamper. He sold them to a dealer for 15 shillings less 6 pence. He had tired to sell them to Stears for 15 shillings. He gave the money to White and was given 4 shillings for selling them. On the following Friday he walked with White down Sandy Lane and White showed him how he got over a wall. White said he had 9 fowls all together and had some from Dr Bodger. The wall was that of William Woolston’s garden. William Shepherd: on 9 March he was advised by John Smith that 4 fowls were missing from Woolston’s fowl house. He examined the premises and saw someone had got over the wall out of Sandy Lane. He traced the footprints, which were made by only one person. He measured the footprints and compared it with the prisoner’s boots. They agreed. On 27 March John Weston showed him the spot where the prisoner said he had got over. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

9 pages

item

White, Alfred,
Smith, John,
Weston, John,
Stears, George,
Stears, Dan,
Shepherd, William

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, stealing, fowls, innkeeper, cooper, gardener