Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1873/1/5/3
  • Title
    Depositions and examination - Jesse Bierton of Eaton Bray, labourer, charged with stealing one fowl from Caleb Smith value 3s 6d on 25 December 1872 at Eaton Bray
  • Date free text
    30 December 1872
  • Production date
    From: 1872 To: 1873
  • Scope and Content
    Caroline Smith, wife of Caleb Smith of Eaton Bray, farmer and plait dealer - they keep fowls on their premises. On Monday 23 December she noticed the fowl produced under a cart hovel in heir yard. They keep another fowl very much like it. She believes the fowl produced to be her hen. She had not missed the fowl but on Thursday morning PC Fowler showed it to her and the recognised it. She then found that 7 fowls were missing from their premises. The value of the fowl produced is 3s 6d. William Fowler of Eaton Bray, police constable - on Xmas morning between 1 and 2am he met Bierton in the highway of Eaton Bray. Bierton's pocket appeared bulky. Bierton denied having anything in it. Bierton then said he had a swede and hoped he would not say anything about it. He told Bierton to pull it out. Bierton refused. He put his hand in Bierton's pocket. Bierton said he only had a little flour for his mother to make a pudding. He took the fowl out of Bierton's pocket and took him into custody. Bierton said he did not steal it and could get another or two in trouble about it as well as himself. Bierton said he had it of George Fountaine. When he first saw Bierton he was about 500 yards from the Smiths' premises. He made inquiries and found the fowl belonged to Smith. The fowl he took from Bierton was quite warm at the time. John Olden, police sergeant stationed at Leighton Buzzard - on 27 December he was at the police station at Leighton. Bierton said he wished to make a statement. Bierton said he was coming up the road at Eaton Bray a little after 12 and met a man who gave him the fowl and told him to take it home and cook it for his dinner. Bierton said he did not know who the man was but could give a description. Jesse Bierton - "I am not guilty of stealing the fowl. It was given to me."
  • Reference
  • Level of description
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