QSR1879/1/5/4

Depositions and examination - Charles Parcel, charged with stealing 3 fowls value 7s 6d from Charles Hills at Arlesey on 25 November 1878

27 November 1878

From: 1878 To: 1879

John Bates of Arlesey, police constable – at 10pm on Monday 25 November he was on duty at Arlesey standing opposite the beerhouse kept by Thomas Thornally when he heard someone in the yard at the back of Thornally’s house. He turned his light down the yard and saw Parcel standing about 8 yards away. He could see something very bulky under his jacket. He walked to the back of Thornally’s house and heard something fall on the ground. He asked Parcel what he was doing. Parcel said he hoped there was nothing wrong. He asked Parcel what he had been throwing and he said “nothing”. He asked what Parcel had under his jacket when he first saw him. Parcel walked away. He then saw three fowls lying close to where Parcel was standing. They were dead but warm. He went after Parcel who said “you are not going to lock me up are you. I know I am a fool but I will make it up. What did you find there?” He said he had found some fowls and would take Parcel into custody unless he could give a good account of how he came by them. He then apprehended Parcel on a charge of stealing the fowls. He produces the jacket Parcel was wearing at the time with blood on it. Charles Hills of Arlesey, publican – he is landlord of the Whitehorse public house at Arlesey. He keeps 20 fowls. On Tuesday morning he went to the hen house which is just outside his back door to let the fowls out and found there were three missing. He identifies the fowls produced as his property. He left home about 4.30pm on Monday afternoon, when Parcel was sitting in the tap room. When he returned at 7.15pm Parcel had left. Charles Parcel – “I have never been up before”.

item

Parcel, Charles,
Hills, Charles,
Bates, John,
Hills, Charles,
Thornally, Thomas

ARLESEY, stealing animals, fowls, police constable, publican, beerhouses, Arlesey White Horse