QSR1848/3/5/4

Depositions and examination - Matthew Rutland charged wtih stealing one gander (value 7s) from William Church at Pulloxhill on 21 April 1848

22 April 1848

From: 1848 To: 1848

William Church of Pulloxhill, farmer – on Friday April 21 the gander was left in his pightle at night, one goose having goslings and the others sitting. On April 22 he missed the gander and sent for the policeman. After searching several houses they went to Rutland’s premises. Rutland was standing idle in his garden, near a spade and some newly turned up ground. He took the spade and dug, and soon found the head, wings, breastbone and skin of his gander, wrapped up in a smock frock which Rutland admits to be his. Rutland said he had eaten part but took it to be a hare. Edward Scott, police constable – he accompanied Mr Church in search of the gander. He watched as Church dug in Rutland’s garden and then took Rutland into custody. He saw the pudding now produced cooking on the fire. It contains a quantity of flesh cut from a goose or gander. Matthew Rutland – he has never seen the wings and skin of the goose which Mr Church found in his smock. He saw his boy put the flesh in the pudding and was told it was a bit of hare.

item

Rutland, Matthew,
Church, William

PULLOXHILL, stealing animals, geese, farmer, police constable