QSR1847/3/5/39-40/a

Depositions and examinations - John Dearman, John Inns and Alfred Cook, charged with stealing 2 fowls (value 3s) belonging to John Inwards at Tilsworth on 3 June 1847 [Cook discharged]

11 June 1847

From: 1847 To: 1847

Edward Turney – he is employed by John Inwards and has the care of his poultry. There were 2 white hens sitting on eggs. He missed them both at about 7am on Thursday 3 June. They were fastened in the night before. They had been sitting a month and he attended them every day. He has examined the heads, legs and wings of two hens produced by PC Bunker and PC Clough, and they are very much like those of the lost hens. He believes them to be his master’s. John Inwards of Tilsworth, farmer – he has a breed of Dorking fowls which are white and a little yellow about the heads. He has examined the heads, legs and wings produced, which are just like those of the hens he lost. He saw Inns in one of his fields on the morning of 3 June, fast asleep under a hedge about ½ mile from his house. On the same day PC Clough told him where a duck had been found that morning, which was the same place where he saw Inns. He spoke to Inns and accused him of having been up all night. Inns denied it. An onion bed in his garden was trodden on and robbed the same night. Charles Inwards – he keeps the Bell Inn at Chalgrave, which is about 40 or 100 yards from John Inwards’ house. The three prisoners were together there in the evening of 2 June. The clock struck 11 as they left. He heard Inns say “nothing is too hot or too heavy for me”. They were in the house for 2 hours or so. They did not have much beer – maybe a quart each. John Randall – he is a labourer and lives at Tilsworth. He knows the 3 prisoners. On 3 June he saw Inns asleep in Mr Inwards’ field. Between 9 and 10am he saw all three together in a field of Mr Cooper’s. He saw Cook go away with a sort of a parcel under his arm, in a handkerchief. It was notas big as a man’s hat. Cook passed by him and asked the way to Slapton. William Clough – he is a police constable stationed at Hockliffe. He received information of the loss of the fowls on 3 June. He traced feathers from the premises to a wheat field at the back. In the wheat he found 3 parcels of feathers – one of duck’s feathers and two of hen’s feathers. There were marks of three persons sitting in the wheat, as if one sat at each heap of feathers. He traced feathers from there to a field of Cooper’s where Inns and Dearman were at work. He examined their clothes and found on both of them marks of fresh blood, white down and white feathers. He saw a coat and waistcoat of Dearman’s in the hedge which were marked in the same way. He found a duck under where Dearman’s clothes lay, in the ditch. He also found an onion in Inns’ bundle, the same as some growing in Mr Inwards’ garden. Inns refused to account for his time. Dearman said he was at home and in bed by 9.30 or 10. He apprehended Cook on Saturday. He saw marks of blood on Cook’s frock. He asked if Cook had seen Inns or Dearman on Thursday morning and he said he had not, but later he said he had asked them the way to Slapton. He found the wings now produced with the feathers in the wheat field. They correspond with Mr Inwards’ breed of fowls. Jonas Bunker – he is parish constable of Tilsworth. He was with PC Clough on Thursday morning. He found the feathers and down with him. In one of the heaps he found 2 legs and 1 head, now produced. In another heap he found one head. He later went to where Inns and Dearman were at work in Mr Cooper’s field. The feathers were scattered all along. He saw feather and down on both of them, and fresh blood on Dearman’s jacket and frock. Dearman said “about our being at home, we were not at home all night”. John Dearman – “It is very wrongful what Bunker says, and what Clough says is false about fresh blood on my coat. I had not worn it for 6 weeks. I don’t know how down came on it except from its hanging upstairs”. John Inns – he knows nothing about it and is wrongfully accused. The young onion was one Inwards gave him at the Bell the night before, and Dearman gave it to me. He had his breakfast and was lying down only until Dearman came back. That was when Mr Inwards says he saw him asleep.

item

Dearman, John,
Inns, John,
Cook, Alfred,
Inwards, John,
Turney, Edward,
Inwards, Charles,
Randall, John,
Clough, William,
Bunker, Jonas

TILSWORTH, CHALGRAVE, stealing animals, fowls, ducks, farmer, onions, police constable, farm labourer, innkeeper, Chalgrave Bell, parish constable