QSR1892/4/5/1

Depositions of William Ruff, Farmer of Little Staughton, Bedfordshire; Jacob Moore, Labourer of Staughton Moor, Huntingdonshire; Frank Jefferies, aged 13 of Little Staughton; Eliza Cooper, Housekeeper of Little Staughton and Eli Bayes, Police Constable of Keysoe, Bedfordshire. In the case against David Horner, Labourer of Little Staughton for killing a horse belonging to William Ruff.

19 August 1892

From: 1892 To: 1892

William Ruff said: I am a farmer and reside at Little Staughton in the County of Bedford. On Saturday August 6th I had a horse which I valued at £10 and I had been to Bedford with the horse on that day and got home on the same day at 8.30pm. When I got home I took the horse out and put it in my stable which is close to my house which stands in a field with no fence between. There is a footpath running thro’ my field which is approached by a stile leading out of the road leading from Bushmead Cross to Great Staughton. When I put the horse in the stable the door leading from it into the field was open – I saw the horse again at 9.30 the same night all right grazing in the field – the stile leading into my field is about 150 yards from the Shoulder of Mutton Public House. The Defendant’s house is beyond my house nearer Great Staughton. On Sunday the 7th August at 6am I got up I went into my field I there saw my horse lying dead. It was stabbed both sides the windpipe just above the chest bone. I then went into the stable and saw pools of blood. The horse was lying about 5 chains from my house door. I then drove to Keysoe for Police Constable Bayes and he returned with me. He afterwards went with me to the prisoner’s house – he lives with his father and mother. We got there about 8.30 he was in bed. Bayes went into his room and afterwards called me to him there. I heard the conversation which took place between them. I saw some blood on the right arm and fingers of the prisoner, his shirt sleeve was rolled up – there was some blood also on his left hand. I saw his clothing in the room, there was blood on his trousers and waistcoat. PC Bayes asked the prisoner to get up and go with him to my house – he said “I shall not get up while I am ready” Bayes then said to me “You must go and get the Thurleigh Policeman” Bayes asked him to account for the bloodstains” The prisoner replied that the blood came from a scratch on his arm Bayes said “That won’t do the place is healed up, it is a dry scab” The prisoner then said he had been helping Sisman to kill a pig last Tuesday. Bayes replied “That won’t do it would have worn off before now” The prisoner then said his nose had been bleeding on Saturday, Bayes replied “We must see about that”. I then went to Thurleigh and fetched Constable Summerlin and returned soon after 10 o’clock with him. The carcase of the horse appeared as if the blood had been washed off it after it was dead – there was a pail in the field with blood on the outside of the pail. Jacob Moore said: I am a labourer living at Staughton Brook in the county of Huntingdon. On Saturday night the 6th Aug I was at the Shoulder of Mutton Public House David Horner the prisoner was there part of the time – he left before I did. When I left I went along the road towards W Ruff’s house on my way home. When I got to the stile near W Ruff’s house William Walker, Alfred Cresswell, John Smith, Robert Jefferies and Frank Jefferies were with me. I never saw the prisoner again that night after he left the Public House. I left the Public House just after ten. I wanted to speak to the landlord. Frank Jefferies said: I am 13 years of age and live at Little Staughton. On Saturday night aug 6th I was at the Shoulder of Mutton Public House – the prisoner was there – I left at 10 o’clock – I don’t know whether he left first or after us. After I left the Public House I saw the prisoner against Mr Frosell’s field which is between the Inn and Mr Ruff’s house. I went on as far as Mr Ruff’s stile with William Walker, Jacob Moore, Alfred Cresswell, Robert Jefferies (my brother) and John Smith – the prisoner was not with us at the stile he had left us before we got there. I did not pass him on the way there. I do not know whether he was behind or in front of us. Eliza Cooper said: I live at Little Staughton I am housekeeper for John Smith. On Saturday night August 6th I left house about 10 o’clock and walked along the road toward the Shoulder of Mutton Inn – I passed the prisoner’s house on the way up to within 4 or 5 yards of the stile leading into Ruff’s Close – I did not meet the prisoner on the way but I met William Walker and Alfred Cresswell. Eli Bayes said: I am a Police Constable stationed at Keysoe. On Sunday morning Aug 7 about 8 o’clock Mr Ruff called on me and from what he said I went to Little Staughton with him – I went to the prisoner’s house with Mr Ruff the prisoner was in bed – the mother and I woke him – he had nothing on but his shirt which I now produce – both sleeves were rolled up beyond the elbow. I said to the prisoner “I have come about the horse” he said “What horse?” I replied ”You know what horse someone has killed Mr Ruff’s horse during the night” He said “I don’t know anything about it you need not come here” I then examined his hands and arms – I had to pull them out of bed to do so. I found blood on his right wrist a patch there and another patch higher up on the arm. The back of the hand was also stained with blood – there was blood on his thumb and finger nails which was of a brighter hue. The quick of the nails appeared to be full of blood and soil. The hand and arm appeared to have been slightly washed. On the left hand the back appeared to be slightly stained. I asked him for his clothing that he was wearing on the Saturday night his mother was present and they pointed out the trousers, waistcoat, jacket and cap and boots which I now produce – I found bloodstains on the trousers which show now they appeared to be fresh stains then – I found bloodstains on the waistcoat some fresh and some old. There were two spots of blood inside the sleeve of his coat – the left one. I then called Mr Ruff into the room and pointed out the stains of blood – I caught hold of the prisoner’s arm again to do so. I asked the prisoner “How do you account for this blood on your arm and clothing” he showed me a scratch on his left arm and said “That is where the blood came from” I replied “But your arm is scarred over and the blood is fresh that won’t do” He said “I helped Sisman to kill a pig last week” I said “That won’t do killing a pig last week and the blood fresh now”. He then said “My nose bled yesterday for 5 minutes or more” I said “Oh, who was with you” He replied “No one” I said “Where were you working on Saturday?” he said “At the Crown Farm with John Lichsley Bricklayer” I said “Were you together all day?” He said “Yes” – I then said ”Where were you on Saturday night?” He said”I was up at the Mutton”. I asked him when he left he said “At 10 o’clock” I said “Who did you come home with?” He said “With Jack Smith and them” I said “Did you come home all the way with them?” He said “No I came down the road with them past Ruff’s stile. I stopped to do a job for myself” He afterwards said it was to make water and said “I then followed them down but did not catch them” In going in that direction the prisoner would be going towards Eliza Cooper’s house. I then told the prisoner I was not satisfied with his explanation I asked him to come to the field with Ruff and myself and see about it – I asked his mother in his presence what time he got home on Saturday night – she said “I don’t know it was past 10 o’clock, we have no clock in the house”. When I asked prisoner to go with us he said “I shall get up when I like” I said ”Well you must consider yourself in custody charged on suspicion with causing the death of this horse” – I then asked Mr Ruff to go and fetch Police Constable Summerlin while I remained with the prisoner – he got up and dressed himself about 10 o’clock. I asked him not to wash himself as he and his mother were anxious he should. We upset two lots of water in his room thro’ my endeavouring to stop him from washing. In the struggle he got sufficiently wet to wipe the stains off the back of his hand and arm – around the nails the stains remained the same – about 10.30 PC Summerlin came and we handcuffed him and took him out of the house by force. Both the prisoner and his mother were very violent – I had to throw his mother off me and she then threw some water over the lot of us. When I first saw the prisoner’s boots in his room they were quite wet and soft all round. I then brought the prisoner to Sharnbrook and locked him up. Prisoner’s mother said she was up when prisoner came home and that she went to bed late, she left off work because she thought it was Sunday morning. I am quite satisfied that the prisoner had blood on him that was fresh and which could not come from the scratch which was healed up. statement of the accused: "Well sir I know I did no such thing I never went off the road"

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Horner, David,
Ruff, William,
Moore, Jacob,
Jefferies, Frank,
Cooper, Eliza,
Bayes, Eli

Little Staughton, KEYSOE, felony, animal cruelty, farmer, labourer