QSR1876/4/5/14/b

Depositions and examination - William Hudson charged with stealing three fowls from John Gray at Marston Moretaine on 14 October 1876

16 October 1876

From: 1876 To: 1876

Isaac Nelson, police constable stationed at Marston Moretaine – William Hudson lodges at Millbrook with Charles Gardner. On Saturday 14 October between 4 and 5am he was on the highway in Marston Moretaine leading to the Moretaine Arms. He suspected Hudson of stealing fowls and potatoes. He saw Hudson go into a field and across to the back of the Moretaine Arms kept by John Gray. He lost sight of Hudson at the back of the premises for about 10 minutes. He saw Hudson come out of Mr Grey’s back yard and go back into Mr Brown’s field and then to the highway where he stopped him. Hudson was carrying a basket. He asked what was in it and Hudson replied “nothing what’s that to do with you”. He asked to look and Hudson said “I’ll see you b… first”. Hudson then ran away towards Millbrook. He ran after him, overtook and stopped him. Hudson held up a hook he had on his left arm and said he would “knock my b… brains out”. He went to Hudson who struck him with his hook. He tried to catch the hook when Hudson struck at his head and hit his arm and tore his coat. He caught hold of the hook and they had a tussle. Hudson began to kick and the hook came unscrewed. He produces it. Hudson got away from him. He caught Hudson again and they had a desperate struggle. The basket fell to the ground and he saw a dead fowl in it. He got Hudson down on the ground. Hudson continued resisting violently for about an hour. He kept Hudson on the ground until a man named Pickard came to his assistance. Hudson was then secured and his wooden arm taken off. There was a dead fowl in the basket, quite warm with its neck broken, and a quantity of potatoes. He took Hudson to Gray’s and called Gray up. Gray identified the fowl as his. He took Hudson to the police station at Ampthill, then went to Hudson’s lodging at Millbrook. He searched and in a cupboard found a cooked fowl. He went upstairs and found a dead fowl wrapped in some clothes in a chair in Hudson’s bedroom. Mr Gray was present and identified the fowl as his. He showed the fowls to Gardner and they did not belong to him. He took the shoes Hudson had been wearing at the time and compared them with clear footmarks in Mr Gray’s yard. The footmarks corresponded exactly with the nails in the prisoner’s shoes. He cold trace the footmarks to the hen coop in Mr Gray’s yard. John Pickard of Marston Moretaine, platelayer on the London and North Western Railway – on Saturday 14th about 6am he heard some one calling for assistance. He went to the spot and saw PC Nelson and Hudson struggling on the ground by the side of the road. They took the prisoner’s iron and wooden arm off. Hudson made great resistance. He was secured after about an hour and taken into custody. Hudson’s basket was searched and contained the fowl produced and some potatoes. John Gray of Marston Moretaine, innkeeper – he keeps the Marston Moretaine Arms near Marston Station. He keeps fowls in a yard at the back of the premises and has recently lost some. On 14 October he was called up at 6.15am by PC Nelson who had Hudson in custody and who showed him a dead fowl which was quite warm. It was one of his fowls. Hudson said “you did not see me take it”. He went with PC Nelson and Hudson to Ampthill Police Station and saw a pair of shoes belonging to Hudson. He saw the shoes compared with the footmarks in his back yard. They corresponded exactly. He could trace the same footmarks up to the hen coop. He accompanied PC Nelson to Hudson’s lodging at Millbrook and was present when the constable found a cooked fowl in a cupboard and another fowl in the bedroom. It was picked except for the feathers on the head. He recognised it by these which were a peculiar colour. He only had 2 of this sort and only one is left now. The value of the 3 fowls is 7s 6d. John Palmer Gray of Marston Moretaine – he is 11 years old and lives with his father John Gray. He generally feeds his father’s fowls. He is sure the fowl produced is one of his father’s. He saw it safe on Friday 13 October. He also recognises the picked fowl by the feathers on its head. He saw it safe on Sunday 8th October. He also missed another fowl on Sunday 8th and told his mother at the same time. Charles Gardner of Millbrook, labourer – William Hudson had been lodging with him. Hudson was absent when he got up on October 14th. He did not see Hudson go out. PC Nelson and another man came to his house. Hudson occupied a sleeping room upstairs. No other person slept in the same room. PC Nelson went into that room and brought out a dead, picked fowl. He did not know it was there and it did not belong to him. PC Nelson found another fowl cooked downstairs in a cupboard. Hudson brought it home on Saturday 7th October and said he had bought and paid for it. The fowl was picked at the time. It was cooked the following Sunday. William Hudson – has nothing to say.

item

Hudson, William,
Gray, John,
Gray, John Palmer,
Nelson, Isaac,
Pickard, John,
Gardner, Charles

MARSTON MORETAINE, MILLBROOK, stealing animals, fowls, innkeeper, police constable, platelayer, London North Western Railway, Marston Moretaine Marston Moretaine Arms