QSR1848/4/5/3

Depositions and examination - William Fensom charged with stealing one duck from John Cotching, value 1s 6d, at Toddington on 12 April 1848

8 August 1848

From: 1848 To: 1848

Arthur Evans of Toddington, labourer - he lives at Mr Cotching’s farm at Toddington. On 12 April he was in the farm yard and heard a noise of a duck and drake quacking. He saw the drake come through a hole in the boards. He saw someone going along the side of the fence. He went out and saw someone run round the rick yard. He followed and called out - he knew him, it was Fensom. He saw Fensom had got a duck in his hand. Fensom came back and met him when he called out to him. He asked what Fensom was going to do with the duck. Fensom said it was his. Fensom gave him the duck. There were only one duck and one drake at the back of the hovel. They have only 5 ducks and the drake. The duck he found on Fensom was one of the five. He knows it well. It was injured in some way under the tip of the wing, with an injury such as would be done by the blow of a stick. He picked up the stick now produced by Mr Cotching at the back of the hovel just where he saw Fensom running away. The stick had feathers on it as it does now. John Cotching of Toddington, butcher - he occupies a farm at Hearn in Toddington On 12 April Evans brought the duck and stick now produced to him in the evening. He can swear the duck is one of his. The feathers were knocked off the back and the injury to the wing was quite fresh. There is no road or right of way where Fensom was with the duck. Fensom came to his house with Evans and he sent for the police cosntable. Before the police constable came Fensom went away and he has not seen him again until this morning. He believes Fensom has been away from Toddington ever since. Fensom asked him to forgive him and offered to pay for the duck. He refused and sent for the police. James Elliott, police constable stationed at Toddington - he went in search of Fensom on April 12 and has been on the look out for him ever since. He found him about 12.30 this morning and took him into custody. William Fensom - Mr Cotching always gives him leave to walk over his grounds and has told him so lots of times. He did not knock the duck down. He picked it up when he came from the footpath across the road. He had been to get some turnip greens and crossed Cotching’s meadow into the road. He saw the duck lay and picked it up and put it in the rick yard. Evans came to him and he told him this and gave him the duck. He told Evans he was going to put the duck in the rick yard.

item

Fensom, William,
Cotching, John,
Evans, Arthur,
Elliott, James

TODDINGTON, stealing animals, ducks, farm labourer, butchers, police constables