QSR1847/3/5/15/b

Depositions and examination - John Dean charged with stealing a grey gelding (value £20) from Frederick Whitlock at Woburn on 17 July 1846.

1 May 1847

From: 1846 To: 1847

Frederick Whitlock of Woburn, timber merchant – he occupies a field near to the town of Woburn. He was told on the morning of 17th July 1846 that a grey gelding had been stolen from the field. He saw that the fence was broken and the gate thrown down with the hasp of the lock broken. About a fortnight later from information he received he went to the village of Fernham near Farringdon in Berkshire and saw his horse in the possession of William Curtis a horsedealer. The horse was in a great deal worse condition than when he lost it – apparently jaded but not disfigured in any way. He thinks it was worth from £5 to £10 less than when it was taken away. John Sinfield of Woburn, labourer – last July he was the servant of Mr Whitlock. He remembers taking the grey horse to the field between 6 and 7 the nigh before it was lost. He fastened the gate to the field. The horse could not get out without breaking through the hedge or breaking or opening two gates. One gate was fastened by a hasp and the outside gate by lock. William Curtis of Fernham (Berks), horsedealer – he remembers Saturday 18 July 1846. A young man from the public house (the Woodman, kept by William King) told him he was wanted to look at a horse there. He went there and 2 men met him in the yard. One was William Brown against whom he gave evidence last October and who was sentenced to transportation. The other man was Dean. He observed that Dean kept his left hand closed, and used his thumb when putting money into his purse. Dean asked him if he had any cart horses. Brown said they wanted some aged horses at £10 or £12 to work on the railroad. He said he did not have any. Dean then said they had a horse there that did not suit them which they bought for a tip horse for £15 to £16 which would not draw by himself and in a team would draw too much. Brown showed him the grey gelding and Dean asked him to buy him. He was reluctant as he thought he knew the horse and it was not good in harness. He finally bought the horse for £12. He was not suspicious of anything except that the horse might be vicious or unsound. He waited until the two men went upstairs to bed, then went out and put the horse into a wagon. He found it would not draw a dead weight. The next morning he told Dean and Brown he must see the horse draw. They put him into the wagon and he would not move. He then bought the horse for £10 – a £5 note and 5 sovereigns. They were both strangers to him. They said they had been at work with the horse on the Oxford and Rugby line. He did not know the horse was stolen until 28 July after his neighbours saw a description of it advertised. He was later claimed by Mr Whitlock. William Ralph Young of Woburn, police superintendent – he received Dean into his charge on Monday 19 April at Lincoln. Dean said he had been told why he was in custody. He found Dean was known there by the name of Dawson. Dean said it was true he sold 2 horses, but that nobody could prove he knew they were stolen. On 20 April as he was giving this evidence before a JP by whom Dean was remanded, Dean contradicted him and said “three horses”. On 19 April as he was bringing Dean in handcuffs by the railway from Lincoln Dean put his head from the window as if to speak to someone on the road. The carriage was going at full speed. The door opened and Dean tried to spring out. He caught Dean by the skirt of his coat and his collar and held him a short time. Dean put his feet against the side of the carriage and by the purchase he got forced himself away from him on to the road. He succeeded in stopping the train after a few minutes and returned to the place where Dean fell. Dean was gone, but he found him about a mile across the fields, running. When he got to him he found Dean was still stupefied and apparently moving without knowing what he was about. He recovered after a few hours and did not show any signs of injury. John Dean – he has nothing to say.

item

Dean, John,
Whitlock, Frederick,
Sinfield, John,
Curtis, William,
Young, William Ralph

WOBURN, Fernham, Farringdon, horse theft, horses, timber merchant, horsedealer, police superintendent