QSR1872/4/5/13-14

Depositions and examinations - John Mariner and Augustus Streeton, charged with stealing 4 fowls value 10s from Robert Osborn at Luton on 3 October 1872

7 October 1872

From: 1872 To: 1872

Thomas Spacey of Luton, labourer – he resies at 4 Chase Street Luton and is employed by Mr Robert Osborn, farmer of Copt Hall, Luton. On Thursday 3 October about 2pm he was at work in a field adjoining the meadow of Copt Hall. He saw the 2 prisoners run after the fowls and catch one of them. Both prisoners fell together when they caught the fowl so he could not say which of them caught it. They went behind some bushes and returned in about ¼ hour. Mariner threw something from his pocket. Several fowls got round them and he saw them catch another. They both fell together as before. They took the second fowl away and came back in about 10 minutes. He saw them run after the fowls again. They left the meadow and he went after them. He said to Mariner “Jack how many have you catched”. Mariner said they had not caught any. He asked Mariner what he had in his shirt front. Mariner said nothing. He told Mariner he had seen him catch two fowls, though Mariner still denied it. He went up to Mariner and took a fowl from his shirt front. He asked what they had in the basket Streeton had on his shoulder. They said nothing. He took the basket from Streeton and found it contained 3 fowls. One was badly hurt but they were all alive. He took the fowls and Mariner said “you don’t mean to say anything about it”. He said “of course I do, look behind you”. Streeton asked for the basket back. He took possession of both basket and fowls, and later gave the fowls to PC Allen. [Cross-examined] He never offered to buy the fowls from Mariner. James Parkins of Luton, labourer – he is employed by Robert Osborn and lived in one of the cottages at Copt Hall. About 2.30pm on 3 October he was directed to look after some men who were after some chickens. He went into Green Meadow and saw the prisoners going out of the meadow. One of them had a basket. He met Spacey coming from the prisoners. It is his [Parkins] duty to look after the fowls. He counted them last Wednesday night 2 October. There were then 58 fowls. After the prisoners went he found only 46 – 12 were missing. The fowls produced are like those of his master’s. Robert Osborn of Luton, farmer – he lives at Copt Hall Farm. The fowls produced are the same sort as his and are worth 2/6 each. He believes the dead fowl was in his hand last Tuesday night. John Allen of Chiltern Green in Luton, police constable – from information received he went to Copt Hall Farm on Thursday 3 October about 4pm. He received the 4 fowls and basket now produced from Spacey. About 7pm he apprehended Streeton and charged him. Streeton said he knew nothing about it, had not been to Copt Hall, but had lent John Mariner his basket. About 9pm Mariner was apprehended by another constable. He charged Mariner at the police station with stealing four fowls from Copt Hall. Mariner replied “all right”. John Mariner – has nothing to say. Augustus Streeton – has nothing to say.

item

Mariner, John,
Streeton, Augustus,
Osborn, Robert,
Spacey, Thomas,
Parkins, James,
Allen, John

LUTON, Chiltern Green, Hyde Copt Hall, stealing animals, fowls, farmer, agricultural labourer, police constable, Hyde Copt Hall Farm