QSR1838/3/5/14

Depositions and examination - Joseph Valentine charged with killing a sheep with intent to steal the carcass.

26 May 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

Thomas Jiggles of Marston Moretaine, shepherd – he is shepherd to Messrs William and Samuel Brunt. This morning (May 26) about 7 o’clock he found the skin of one of his masters’ sheep in a ditch in one of their fields (called Outfield) with the inwards wrapped up in it. He knows Joseph Valentine who lives at the Shelton End of Marston. The skin produced is the one he found in the ditch. William Brunt of Marston Moretaine, farmer – from information given to him by Jiggles he went to Outfield to search for a skin of one of his sheep, which he found in a ditch. He directed his boy Joseph Lancaster to bring it away. He later accompanied the constables in searching Valentine’s house. About 3 or 4 hours later he saw the skin patterned by Monk the constable and Mr Neale with some pieces of mutton found in Valentine’s house. The joint of a neck of mutton found there exactly corresponded with the socket left in the head of the skin. George Monk of Marston Moretaine, constable – in obedience to a warrant of Mr Cardale one of the magistrate’s he went with Philip Hart Henman, the other constable of Marston, William Brunt and Mr Neale and searched the house and premises of the prisoner. He found a piece of a loin of mutton boiled and lying in a dish on a shelf, with a small piece of the liver with it. He found a sack with fresh blood all over the bottom of it, and a quantity of raw mutton hanging in a dark place by the side of the chimney, where it was so dark they could not search without a candle. On a shelf in the washhouse they found a quantity of mutton fat melted down in a basin and some more in a tin, and the pluck (part of the liver, lights and heart) were hanging in the washhouse. They also found a large quantity of the crinklings in a dish. The raw mutton appeared quite fresh - it was hardly cold. It was about 1pm when they searched the house. They then went in pursuit of Valentine. About 4pm he took the mutton to Mr William Brunt's and they patterned it with the skin. The neck joint exactly corresponded with the head left in the skin. He has no doubt the parts were all part of the same sheep. Joseph Monk of Marston Moretaine, labourer - last Saturday (May 26) about 1pm he went to his father George Monk who is one of the constables of Marston at Joseph Valentine's house. His father delivered a leg, a shoulder, a neck and pluck of raw mutton to him. It was cut up in a very rough way. He saw it put in a sack and carried it to his father's house. He then took it to Mr Brunt's where he saw the neck patterned with the skin. Joseph Valentine - the mutton was there when he went home last night between 11 and 12. He then went to bed. He got up this morning and went to see for a job of work. A person came and said they had been searching his house and found some mutton there, and that Mr Brunt had lost a sheep. He then set off to go away elsewhere to see for work.

item

Valentine, Joseph,
Jiggles, Thomas,
Brunt, William,
Monk, George,
Monk, Joseph,
Brunt, Samuel,
Lancaster, Joseph,
Henman, Philip Hart,
Neale

MARSTON MORETAINE, Marston Moretaine fields, stealing, stealing animals, sheep, shepherd, farmer, constable