QSR1868/1/5/8

Depositions of James Hill, dealer of Luton. George Daniels, police constable of Luton. Henry Allen, beerhouse keeper of Luton. In the case of Arthur Bradshaw accused of stealing 12 rabbits.

18 November 1867

From: 1867 To: 1868

James Hill: he was a dealer at 50 Dumfries Street, Luton. On 8 November, about 6.30pm, he went into the George IV beer house in Duke Street, Luton. He left his horse and cart outside with 6 dozen wild rabbits in it. They were all dead. He went just inside the door and had a glass of beer but kept the door partly open to keep his eye on the cart. The prisoner came in and had a glass of beer. He threw down a penny and told the landlord to see if it was a good one and then put his back against the door and shut it. A woman came in and said something to him. He went out to his cart and missed 12 rabbits. Bradshaw followed him out and asked if some of the rabbits had been stolen. He replied yes and Bradshaw said they ought to be shot and then went away. He informed the police and the next day PC Daniels showed him 3 wild rabbits. 1 of the 3 was 1 of the 12 he had lost. He had slit its ear when the bought it. The 12 rabbits were worth 14 shillings. Bradshaw asked him to count them and he told him there were a dozen missing. He had been in the house for 5 minutes before the prisoner had come in. The rabbits were on 6 sticks, with a dozen on each stick. PC George Daniels: on 8 November at about 7pm he received some information of some rabbits being lost in Duke Street. He saw the prisoner Bradshaw and 3 other men in Nelson Street. They came out of the Hitchin Road leading from Duke Street towards Luton town. He saw that their pockets looked bulky. He went after them and they all ran away. He ran after them and overtook Bradshaw. He searched Bradshaw and found 3 rabbits in his pocket, one with its ear slit. He asked Bradshaw how he came by them and he said he bought them from Henry Allen at the Lord Nelson and had given a shilling each. He took the prisoner to the police station and charged him of stealing a quantity of rabbits in the company of other men. It was not more than 10 minutes from when he had been informed about the rabbit to the time he took Bradshaw into custody. Henry Allen: he kept the Lord Nelson beer house in Duke Street. He knew the prisoner Bradshaw and did not sell him any rabbits on 8 November. He had not seen any rabbits in this house that day. Statement of the accused: he had bought them in the afternoon.

item

Bradshaw, Arthur,
Hill, James,
Allen, Henry,
Daniels, George

LUTON, stealing, rabbits, dealer, Luton Dumfries Street, Luton George IV, Luton Duke Street