QSR1877/1/5/4

Depositions and examination - John Page of Keysoe, labourer, charged with stealing a lamb value £2 from William Hartop at Keysoe on 21 November 1876

1 December 1876

From: 1876 To: 1877

Samuel Wise of Keysoe, shepherd to William Hartop of Keysoe, farmer - 56 lambs of his were lying in the grounds near the house. He saw them all there on Tuesday 21 November. On the following morning he found one lamb missing. He told Mr Hartop and searched for it, but could not find anything on Wednesday. On Thursday he searched again and found where he thought one of them had been dragged over the hedge into the next field. He continued his search until he found the carcass of a lamb with its head and leg cut off. He gave information to PC Sturgess and showed him the carcass. Richard Oliver of Keysoe, farmer – on Tuesday 21 November he saw Page on his farm and found a knife and a piece of skin which appeared to have been taken from a sheep’s head lying openly near where he could see someone had been walking. There was blood on the knife. On Thursday night he gave it to PC Sturgess. Page was in the same field in which he found the knife about 80 or 90 yards away. Thomas Sturgess of Keysoe, police constable – he went with Wise and found the marks of one person from Mr Hartop’s field through Mr Oliver’s fields to where the lamb was found. In the evening he received a knife from Mr Oliver. Between 12 and 1 at night he went to Page’s house with Sergeant Cook. Page was in bed. He took Page into custody on a charge of stealing Mr Hartop’s lamb. Page said “I did, but what was I to do – I had no food, no money, and no work”. He showed Page the knife. Page said it was his and that was what he had done it with. Page asked him to let him have the knife again. John Page – he is guilty.

item

Page, John,
Hartop, William,
Wise, Samuel,
Oliver, Richard (d),
Sturgess, Thomas

KEYSOE, stealing animals, sheep, shepherd, farmers, police constable