QSR1863/1/5/12-13

Depositions of Thomas Gatward, butcher of Luton. Joseph Weatherhead, dealer of Luton. James Hill, dealer of Stopsley. Letty Bingham, wife of George, blacksmith of Woodside. William Charles Neville, police constable of Markyate Street. In the case of Amos Burgess and James Mann accused of stealing a pig.

22 December 1862

From: 1862 To: 1863

Thomas Gatward: a butcher at 25 Wellington Street, Luton. In October he bought 7 pigs from Joseph Weatherhead in his yard. He sent them to a farm which he occupied in Caddington. On the 4 or 5 December he missed one of the pigs and informed the police. On 9 December PC Neville showed him a pig at Arley Green. He believed it to be the premises of Amos Burgess. He believed it to be the pig he had missed. Burgess was present when he was shown the pig and Mann was in bed and afterwards came up and came down. He asked Mann who had had bought the pig from and he replied that he did not know. He gave 17 shillings for it at Luton market. Burgess came and said Mann had bought it from Cheshire of Barton and had given 17 shillings for it. He gave Mann into custody. He asked Mann about Cheshire and he said he was a little man and he thought him to be middle aged about 40. Gatward said Cheshire was a stout man of about 60 years. After he had given Mann into custody then Burgess went away. He had thought it not to be his pig when he first saw it. He found the pig had been rung and the ring seemed to have been untwisted and taken out. It had not been torn out. Some of his other pigs had lost their rings but they were broken out. He saw it by candlelight as it was bout 10pm. The pig’s tail had been cut. Joseph Weatherhead: a dealer living at 10 Elizabeth Street, Luton. He had lately purchased a sow and pigs from James Hill of Stopsley. He kept them a short time and sold them to Thomas Gatward. There were 7 pigs. James Hill: he was a dealer and lived at Stopsley. He sold a sow and 7 pigs to Joseph Weatherhead the Monday before Michaelmas day in Luton market. He saw a pig at the police station and it was one of those sold to Weatherhead. He could swear to it by its marks. The pigs were not rung when he sold them. Letty Bingham: they lived at the Spade public house at Woodside in Caddington parish. James Mann came to their house and had half a pint of beer a month ago. While Mann was there, Burgess was driving a pig across from the direction of Mr Gatward’s field towards the road. She saw him drive it down the village. Mann went down the road with him. They went toward Ailey Green where they lived. Monday was Luton market day. Their house was between Luton and Ailey Green. The pig was in the middle of the field when she saw it and there was no road across the field. PC William Charles Neville: he went to the premises of Mann and Burgess at Ailey Green. He had a description of the pig from Mr Gatward and had seen the 6 other pigs. He saw a pig at the premises. The pig appeared to match the description of the one lost. Mr Gatward went with him to the place about 10pm and Burgess came directly after he had got there and followed them to the barn. Mann was in bed. Gatward stood outside the pen at first and he told him to get over as they were using candlelight. Gatward said it was his pig. He asked Mann, in Burgess hearing, where he got the pig and Mann said he had it from Luton market a fortnight before. He could not say who he bought it from or which way he had left Luton with it. Burgess said they had bought it from Cheshire of Barton and he had helped bring it home. Gatward gave Mann into his custody. Burgess had disappeared when he came out. On 13 December he was on duty in Markyate Street. It was gaslight. He saw 2 men in a cart and something which looked like a woman on the driving side wrapped in a shawl or cloak. He stopped the cart and saw it to be Amos Burgess wrapped in the rug. He took Burgess into custody and Burgess said he did not want to be taken this side of Monday. Before Gatward had got into the sty he had said it was not his pig. Once in the pen Gatward said it was his pig. Statement of the accused: not guilty.

item

Burgess, Amos,
Gatward, Thomas,
Weatherhead, Joseph,
Hill, James,
Bingham, Letty,
Bingham, George,
Neville, William Charles

LUTON, Woodside, stealing animals, pigs, butcher, dealer, blacksmith