QSR1844/3/5/5

Depositions and examination - Joseph Cullip charged with stealing one sheep from Edward Ashwell at Tempsford

29 April 1844

From: 1844 To: 1844

Joseph Peters, police constable – on Saturday night (April 27) he was walking from field to field on Mr Ashwell’s farm at Tempsford with PC Breakwell looking after the sheep folds, there having been many sheep stolen they had watched many nights. About 12.30am they saw Cullip coming towards them. They concealed themselves at the corner until he came up. He laid hold of Cullip and saw he had mutton on his shoulder on a stick – 22 legs, 2 shoulders, and 2 loins or part of 2 loins. When he saw the mutton he said “we have been looking for you many a long night”. Cullip said “I have done it now”. He said he thought Cullip was a good character. Cullip said “yes, but this will hang me”. He said to Cullip “have you not been paying Mr Bennett a visit”, meaning a farmer in Tempsford. Cullip said no, he had been to Mr Ashwell’s. William Breakwell, police constable – on Saturday night he was watching the sheepfold with peters. They met Cullip as Peters has stated. He searched Cullp and found the knife he has in his hand and some sheep fat in his coat pocket. He heard Cullip say “this could hang me” and “I have done it now”. He also found 6s in money and a [rust?] stone in Cullip’s pockets. After locking Cullip he went with Peter’s to Mr Ashwell’s sheepfold and found a sheep skin under the hedge close to the fold. The skin was quite warm and part of the body was left in it – the ribs, breast and neck. The mutton found in the skin with that Cullip was carrying made up the whole sheep. The parts fit together. Edward Ashwell of Tempsford, farmer – on Saturday night at 7pm there were 70 sheep on his farm. On Sunday morning there were only 69. He did not discover his loss until he was told by the policemen that they had found one killed during the night. He recognized the slaughtered sheep as his by the mark of an “A” on the near side. Joseph Cullip – “I did it for want of food”.

item

Cullip, Joseph,
Ashwell, Edward,
Peters, Joseph,
Breakwell, William

TEMPSFORD, stealing animals, sheep, farmer, police constable