QSR1869/3/5/5

Depositions of James Bucket, foreman employed by Joseph Gudgin, farmer of Shillington. James Walker, publican and carrier of Pirton and Charles Walker, his son, a labourer. John Phillips, a police constable stationed at Pirton. Ebenezer Ruff, police constable stationed at Shillington. In the case of George Trussell accused of stealing 20 live ducks.

20 May 1869

From: 1869 To: 1869

James Bucket: he lived at the farm of Joseph Gudgin, a farmer of Shillington and was his foreman. He knew nothing of the prisoner. His master kept ducks and he looked after them. On the night of Saturday 15 May there were 50 ducks underneath a hovel on the premises. The next morning he counted the ducks and a score were missing. He believed the 7 ducks produced to be his master’s property and some of those missing. He swore to them as he saw them 4 or 5 times a day and had reared them. PC Phillips showed him the 7 ducks on 17 May. The village of Pirton was about a mile from his master’s farm. The value of the 20 ducks stolen was at least 30 shillings. He informed the police when he missed the ducks. James Walker: he knew the prisoner who lived at Pirton. On 15 May the prisoner was at his house and he heard him say to his son, Charles, that he had some ducks at home which he would sell them all on Whitsun Wednesday. The next morning he saw some live ducks in his yard. He saw the prisoner who said the ducks were his and he wanted to sell them. He did not believe they were the prisoner’s ducks and he ordered the prisoner and the ducks from the premises. There was another man, Larman, with the prisoner. The ducks were caught and put into a bag and the prisoner and Larman left together with the ducks. About a quarter of an hour later a policeman came and inquired about some ducks. He pointed out the prisoner and Larman. Charles Walker: he was the son of the last witness. On Saturday 15 May he saw the prisoner in his father’s house and heard him say that he would sell his ducks on Whitsun Wednesday. Next morning the prisoner and Larman were coming down the lane towards their house. He had seen 8 ducks in his father’s yard and 3 in van. He told the men he was going to Gudgin’s to see if he had lost any ducks. Larman said that they were the prisoner’s ducks. Larman and the prisoner went to his house and his father ordered them off the premises with the ducks. About 5 hours later he went into Mr Wood’s field. He had seen the prisoner and Larman go in that direction. He found a lot of blood in the field and afterwards he told the Pirton police constable. The blood was thick but looked fresh. PC John Phillips: on the morning of Sunday 16 May he received information of the loss of some ducks from Mr Gudgin’s farm. Shortly PC Ruff came to him and they went together to make enquiries. He met James Walker near Pirton and asked him if he had been offered any ducks for sale. Walker pointed to 2 men going down the lane. The men ran away. He and Ruff chased them for three quarters of a mile. He could not get to the man he was pursuing. He saw the prisoner in the custody of PC Ruff and then went to Mr Walker’s in the afternoon. Charles Walker pointed out a spot where he had seen some blood in a field. In an adjoining field he found 7 dead ducks. They appeared to have been thrown down and left in a hurry. It was the field where he had seen the men running. PC Ebenezer Ruff: on 16 May he received information from Bucket that about 20 ducks had been lost from his master’s premises. He went to Pirton and aided PC Phillips in searching for the ducks. They met James Walker and in consequence of what he said, they followed 2 men. The men ran way and they ran after them. He overtook the prisoner and asked him where the ducks were. The prisoner said he knew nothing about ducks and had not taken any to Walkers. He asked the prisoner why he had run away and the prisoner said he had not. He took the prisoner into custody. He saw no bag or sack. Statement of the accused: he had got out of bed about 7.30am and had gone and stood by the Fox. Larman and 2 more men came down and they went towards the lane and met Charles Walker. Walker was swearing about some ducks. A fellow stopped and talked to him and the fellow went away. He saw him with a bag on his back. He went home and had his breakfast. Larman wanted sixpence as he was going away. Larman said “come in I’ve got sixpence they’ll have me before I get away”.

item

Trussell, George,
Bucket, James,
Gudgin, Joseph,
Walker, James,
Walker, Charles,
Phillips, John,
Ruff, Ebenezer

SHILLINGTON, PIRTON, stealing, ducks, farmer, foreman, publican, carrier