QSR1878/1/5/9

Depositions and examination - George Snoxall, charged with stealing one fowl value 2s 6d from Charles Battams at Totternhoe on 19 November 1877

26 November 1877

From: 1877 To: 1878

Lydia Battams of Totternhoe – she lives with her mother. She missed one particular fowl, a very light cock bird. She believes her brother said something to the police. On Friday 23rd PC Gough came and showed her some feathers which were very much like the feathers of their fowl. [Cross-examined] She knows Snoxall. He lives almost opposite them. They keep fowls of no particular breed. It was a light fowl with grey feathers – no others exactly like it. She does not know what kind Snoxall keeps. Theirs fly over into Snoxall’s yard. Alfred Taylor of Eaton Bray – he keeps the White Horse Public House at Eaton Bray. On Monday 19th Snoxall came to his house with a light fowl which he bought after first saying he didn’t want it. It was a young one. Snoxall had it in his hand dead. He said he supposed Snoxall sneaked it on the road. Snoxall said his mother bred it and he had brought it from his father’s yard. The fowl was yellowy white and his impression was that it was a pullet. PC Gough came and he handed over some feathers taken from the chicken. He gave PC Gough the bag produced with feathers in. Snoxall owed him 16d – he presumed Snoxall brought the fowl to wipe out the score. William Beeke of Udnall, Hemel Hempstead (Herts), police constable – he knows the feathers produced are from a cock bird. No pullet ever had such feathers as those. George Snoxall of Totternhoe, butcher – the prisoner is his son. On Thursday 22nd PC Gough came to him to see if he had lost any fowls. They had not lost any at that time and had not lost any with feathers like those. [Cross-examined] They had not counted any that day. His son sells and buys for him. Battams fowls come over into their yard. His son has taken fowls from his yard and not always paid him. Walter Gough of Totternhoe, police constable – he went and saw Taylor at Eaton Bray who gave him the feathers. He then apprehended Snoxall and charged him with stealing a male fowl the property of Elizabeth Battams. Snoxall said he killed a fowl of his father’s and sold it to Mr Taylor. George Edmunds of Eaton Bray, police constable – he accompanied Gough to Totternhoe and saw Snoxall. He asked him if he sold fowl to Taylor. Snoxall said he sold a pullet, and then afterwards said it was a fowl. George Snoxall – has nothing to say.

item

Snoxall, George,
Battams, Charles,
Battams, Lydia,
Taylor, Alfred,
Beeke, William,
Gough, Walter,
Edmunds, George,
Battams, Elizabeth

TOTTERNHOE, EATON BRAY, Hemel Hempstead, stealing animals, fowls, butcher, innkeeper, police constable, Eaton Bray White Horse