QSR1848/1/5/23-24

Depositions and examinations - Solomon Denton and William Pain charged with stealing one hen fowl (value 1s 6d) from George Pearse at Harlington on 30 November

4 & 7 December 1847

From: 1847 To: 1848

George Bavister of Harlington, labourer - he works for Mr Pearse. Denton and Pain worked for Mr Pearse up to last Wednesday (1 Dec). They were at work in the thrashing barn on Tuesday Nov 30 – himself, George Ashby, the 2 prisoners and several others. At dinner time (about 1.30) Pain sent himself and Ashby to drive the fowls into the rick yard, saying that he and Denton would catch some of them and send them to sleep. He and Ashby did as Pain said. Pain caught one, which he believes is the one now produced. Pain put it under some straw in the rick yard. They were sent to drive the fowls back again. Pain caught another and put it under the straw with the first. They all went to work and in about ¾ hour the prisoners said they would go and let the fowls go (they were taking some straw into the farm yard). He did not go with them but stayed in the thrashing barn. He does not know if they did let the fowls go. They all left work about 5.30pm. Denton and Pain said they would go the field way home. He and Ashby also went that way and for part of the way were with the prisoners. Pain said to Denton “let us go another way and see if we can catch an old hare”. They still followed Pain and Denton, but they said that if he and Ashby did not go back they would beat them. They then went towards home and saw no more of the prisoners. [Cross-examined by Denton] He did not offer Denton 2d to sell a fowl for him. [Cross-examined by Pain] Pain was there when the fowls were caught. Pain did say he would beat them if they did not go back. John Sharp of Harlington, victualler – on Tuesday 30 Nov about 8pm Denton came into this house and offered him the fowl now produced for 1s 3d. He at first refused to buy but later gave him a shilling for it. He sold it the next morning to James Hobbs for 1s 3d. The fowl produced is the one he bought. Pain was not present. Charles Philip Wynter of Harlington – he is farming bailiff to Mr Pearse of Harlington. Mr Pearse has a number of fowls like the one produced. Due to something he was told he went to Denton on Thursday and asked him where he got the fowl he sold to Sharp. Denton denied selling one or having one in his possession. The next morning (Friday) he met Denton at Sharp’s house. Sharp said in Denton’s presence that he had bought a fowl from him. Denton then admitted it and said he sold it for George Bavister who was to give him 2d for doing so. He fetched the fowl produced from Hobbs’ hen roost. He believes the fowl belongs to Mr Pearse, but thinks Phoebe Purser can identify it as she has charge of Mr Pearse’s poultry. James Elliott of Toddington, police constable – he apprehended Pain for stealing Mr Pearse’s fowls last night. Pain said “I don’t care a damn about it they can’t hang me for it”. Phoebe Purser – she is the wife of Douglas Purser of Harlington who is Mr Pearse’s horsekeeper. They live at the farm and she has charge of the poultry. She counted 36 young fowls about 3 weeks ago. Last Friday there were only 34 and the next morning there were 35. Many are the same colour and breed as the one produced. She believes it to be one of them. Two fowls have been killed but not one of the young ones. George Ashby – he works for Mr Pearse of Harlingto. On Sunday 30 Nov Denton and Pain told Bavister and himself to drive the fowls into the rick yard. They did so. Pain caught two, put them to sleep and hid them in the straw. He did not see them taken out again. One of the fowls was exactly the same as the one produced. They left together but Pain said if they went with them they would beat them. He and Bavister went on together. Solomon Denton – Bavister asked him to sell a fowl for him. He refused but Bavister said he would get most for it so he went with him. Bavister went somewhere and got a fowl. He took it and sold it for which Bavister gave him 2d. Bavister said he must sell it as his mother wouldn’t let him keep it any longer. William Pain – he has nothing to say. He knows nothing about it.

item

Denton, Solomon,
Pain, William,
Pearse, George,
Wynter, Charles Philip,
Bavister, George,
Sharp, John,
Elliott, James,
Purser, Phoebe,
Ashby, George,
Hobbs, James

HARLINGTON, TODDINGTON, stealing animals, fowls, bailiff, farm labourer, victualler, horsekeeper, police constable, threshing