Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    QSR1854/3/5/33
  • Title
    Depositions of John Harris of Campton, Francis Clarke of Campton and Samuel Furr of Shillington, all labouers. Reuben Pepper, police constable of Shefford. In the case of Charles Devereux accused of stealing a fowl.
  • Date free text
    6 June 1854
  • Production date
    From: 1854 To: 1854
  • Scope and Content
    John Harris: a labourer working for Mr Mansell Millard at Campton. On 24 March at about 3pm he went to his master’s yard and saw Charles Devereux chasing one of his master’s fowls. He asked Devereux what he was about and if the fowl belonged to him. Devereux said the fowl did belong to him, he caught it and took it away. He watched Devereux go to the Wheat Sheaf public house. When Devereux said the fowl belonged to him, Harris believed him to be right and helped him to catch it. He later ascertained otherwise and told his master. Francis Clark: on 24 March he had been threshing in Mr Millard’s barn and the prisoner came to the door. The prisoner said he had 2 fowls and had come to fetch them away. The prisoner ran after one, caught it and came to the barn with it. The prisoner later returned and said he had come for the other fowl and ran after one. Whist he was doing so, John Harris, the foreman came and helped him catch it. Samuel Furr: on 24 March he was returning from Shefford market and called at the Wheat Sheaf at Campton. The prisoner was there and asked him if he wanted to buy a hen. Furr said he would and the prisoner went away and returned a few minutes later with a hen. He gave Devereux 13d for it. The prisoner said he had another and went to fetch it. Furr bought it for a shilling. The following Tuesday a policeman came to the house and he took the fowls. PC Reuben Pepper: on 25 March he received information of the theft. He found the prisoner had absconded. On 20 April he found the prisoner at work at Warden[?] on the railway. He was going by the name of Odell. He took the prisoner into custody. Devereux said that one of the fowls belonged to him but the other did not. Pepper went to Furr’s house and was given the fowls. Statement of the accused: he went into the yard and saw John Harris and said the fowl belonged to him. Harris helped him catch it. It did not belong to him but the first one had.
  • Reference
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