QSR1891/3/5/3

Depositions of Thomas Thorp Hine, Farmer of Knotting in Bedfordshire; George Hodby, Shepherd of Knotting; David Bosworth, Cowman of Knotting; George lamb, Gamekeeper of Souldrop and Ebenezer Cain, Inspector of Police of Sharnbrook In the case against Samuel Watson accused of stealing a live ewe of the price of three pounds belonging to Thomas Thorp Hine.

08 May 1891

From: 1891 To: 1891

Thomas Thorp Hine: said that on Saturday 2nd may about 7o’clock in the morning from information received from his shepherd George Hodby he went to a sheep hovel belonging to him in a paddock on the side of the main road in Knotting leading to Melchbourne. There were a quantity of ewes and lambs in the hovel belonging to him. He then saw one of the ewes dead, its throat having been stuck, it was lying on its back with both of its hind legs skinned from the hock to the hip joint and from where the skin had been taken away the flesh had all been cut off. He valued the ewe at three pounds. After having seen the ewe he gave information to the Police. George Hodby: said that he is a shepherd in the employ of Thomas Thorp Hine. On Friday the 1st of May about 6pm he left 37 ewes and 49 lambs belonging to his master in the sheep hovel in a field at Knotting belonging to his master. On Saturday morning the 2nd May about 6 o’clock when he went to the hovel he found one of the ewes dead, it had been stuck in the throat, the two hind legs had been skinned and the flesh cut off. He then went and told his master. On Sunday the 3rd May he found a pair of old braces which he handed to Inspector Cain. David Bosworth: said that he is a cowman to Mr Thomas Thorp Hine. On Friday the 1st day of May about 8pm he saw the prisoner coming down the road from Melchbourne towards Knotting to his cottage about a quarter of a mile from his master’s sheep yard. He was going on the road towards Knotting to his cottage and he overtook the prisoner. The prisoner asked him to buy a razor as he had only had one piece of bread that day. He refused to buy the razor and went into his cottage and the prisoner went down the road in the direction of the sheep pen. He said that he can swear the prisoner is the man whom he passed on the road. George Lamb: said that he is the gamekeeper to Mr Magniac at Colworth. On Saturday the 2nd of May about 3.30am he was on his beat close to the Rushden Road in the parish of Knotting leading from Knotting to Rushden when he saw a man standing on the side of the road close to Knotting Fox Farm. The prisoner is the man he saw – he was there about a mile from Mr Hine’s sheep hovel – he afterwards walked in the direction of Rushden – about 9.30 on the same morning he heard that a sheep had been killed at Mr Hine’s sheep hovel. He went to Mr Hine’s and Inspector Cain was there and he gave a description of the man he saw. The prisoner had a labourer’s basket on his back and a bundle under his arm. Ebenezer Cain: said that on Saturday the second of May about 7.30am he received information that some one had killed a sheep belonging to Mr Hine of Knotting. He went to Mr Hine’s house at Knotting and went with the shepherd Hodby to the sheep hovel and saw a dead sheep there. It had been stuck and the hind legs skimmed and all the flesh taken from the bones. He received a description of a man who had been seen in the neighbourhood on Friday night and also on Saturday morning. He went in search of the man and traced him on the road through Rushden and Higham Ferrers to Burton Latimer. He then saw the prisoner in a shed and asked him “Where did you sleep last night?” He said “in Bedfordshire.” He had a flag basket with him which is now produced. He asked him what he had in his basket – he made no reply. He opened the prisoner’s basket and looked into it and found a quantity of raw mutton – now produced it has been salted. Pointing to the mutton he said “Where did you get that from” to that he made no reply. He then said “I shall take you into custody and charge you with stealing and killing a sheep last night at Knotting the property of Mr Hine.” He replied “I wanted something to eat.” He searched the prisoner and found a knife and a razor without a handle - both now produced. He said “I stuck it with the knife and cut the flesh off with this old razor.” He then brought him to the Police Station at Sharnbrook and locked him up. On Sunday morning the 3rd May he received a pair of old braces – now produced – from George Hodby. He afterwards showed them to the prisoner, he said “They are mine I lost them in the shepherd’s place.” Statement of the accused: I have nothing to say - I am guilty - I was destitute.

6 pages

item

Hine, Thomas Thorp,
Hodby, George,
Bosworth, David,
Lamb, George,
Cain, Ebenezer

KNOTTING, SOULDROP, SHARNBROOK, farmer, shepherd, cowman, gamekeeper, stealing animals, Knotting Knotting Fox Farm, felony