QSR1899/4/5/10,11

Depositions of William Bavington, Dairyman of 30 Park Road Bedford; William King, Police Constable of Bedford and Joseph Tabron Steer, Police Constable of Bedford. In the case against John Dunkley and Charles Westley accused of stealing twenty eight fowls and five ducks total value of three pounds six shillings, the property of William Bavington.

30 October 1899

From: 1899 To: 1899

William Bavington said: I am a Dairyman and live at 30 Park Road Bedford. I have some buikdings in a field occupied by me on the Kimbolton road in the Parish of Goldington. I keep about 200 fowls there and some ducks. On Thursday 12th October from about a quarter to six to six o’clock in the evening I locked up the fowls and ducks. There were 11 ducks when I locked them up and about 200 fowls. They were in a bricks and tile barn. The door had an ordinary lock running into the post. The next morning about 6 o’clock I went with PC Steer to the place. The door was locked up in the same way I left it the night before. The bar produced was found inside the door. We unlocked the door and found the bar produced. there was a dint on the doorpost and on the door. By putting the bar produced between the door and the doorpost the post could be forced back so as to let the door open. I missed some fowls and five ducks. There was blood just outside the door and some feathers. In the afternoon of the same day I went to the County Police Station. Police Constables King and Steer showed me 28 fowls and five ducks. they were my property. They were then dead. I value them at 2 shillings each all round. The skins produced are the skins of my fowls. William King said: I am a Police Constable for the Borough of Bedford and live at 39 Pembroke Street Bedford. On 13th October last about a quarter past twelve in the morning I was in Garfield Street Bedford a man passed me and a minute or so after I heard a whistle blow. I saw the prisoner Dunkley turn out of Park Road East into Garfield Street. He was carrying a sack. When the whistle blew he dropped the sack underneath a gas lamp. I ran towards him. I shouted what have you got in that bag. He said “cocoanuts”. He ran away. I unrolled the bag and found some fowls in it. I turned round and saw Westley drop a sack in Garfield Street. He was walking from the direction of Park RoadEast. Westley was carrying his sack on his back. Dunkley and Westley both ran down Park Road West. I went after them. they turned up Beaconsfield Street. I lost them up that street. I went back and picked up both bags and took them to the Borough police Station. I then examined the bags. Dunkley’s bag had 13 fowls and 4 ducks in it and the other 15 fowls and 1 duck. the same morning I took the fowls ducks and sacks to the County Police station. The same day I showed the fowls and ducks to the last witness. [cross examined by Westley] It was a very dark night. I know you was in Garfield Street. I was only the width of the road away from you. Joseph Tabron Steer said: I am a Police Constable for the County stationed at Bedford. Between 5 and 6 o’clock on the morning of the 13th I went to Bavington’s premises in the Kimbolton Road with him. I found some blood and feathers outside and 3 marks on the door post and on the door. The door was locked. there was a space between the door post and the brick wall. I saw Mr Bavington put the bar produced in between the door and the post and force the post back. The bar was found just inside the henhouse. I was present at the County Police station the same day when PC King brought the fowls to the station and saw them shown to Mr Bavington. This morning I brought both the prisoners from Wellingborough. when we got to Bedford I read Dunkley’s warrant to him. He said “I know nothing about it.”

7 pages

item

Dunkley, John,
Westley, Charles,
Bavington, William,
King, William,
Steer, Joseph Tabron

Bedford Park Road, Bedford Pembroke Street, BEDFORD, stealing, fowls, ducks, dairyman