QSR1869/4/5/11

Depositions of David Cox, a groom to William James Bodger, a surgeon in Leighton Buzzard. Standing Penfold, porter at Leighton Buzzard Railway Station. Sarah Todd, widow and dealer in poultry living at Bierton near Aylesbury. John Makepeace, shoemaker of Leighton Buzzard. Thomas Ruffhead, police constable stationed at Leighton Buzzard. Samuel Hopkins junior, a farmer at Leighton. In the case of James Ayres accused of receiving 7 live fowls knowing them to be stolen.

7 September 1869

From: 1869 To: 1869

David Cox: he knew the prisoner. His master, William James Bodger, a surgeon of Leighton Buzzard, kept fowls on his premises and he looked after them. On 28 August he missed 6 fowls. They were all safe on the morning of 27 August. He missed a white one with feathers all down its legs, toes and all. Another white one that a few black spots about it. There were 3 more cocks of a reddy colour with dark tails. Another was speckled with feathers down its legs. They were all his master's property. The value of the fowls was 9 shillings. On 28 August he saw the prisoner at his door. The prisoner lived opposite his master’s house and beckoned to him and asked if they were the fowls. The prisoner said he supposed so as the policeman had got them. He asked what the value of them was and the prisoner said Makepeace had brought them to him wanting 1s 10d a piece for them but he had said he could not afford such money and would take them to Aylesbury and see what he could make of them and bring Makepeace the money back. He had seen Makepeace with the fowls in the market and he had a hen or 2 in his hands. The prisoner dealt in fowls and had sold fowls to his master. He knew nothing against the prisoner. He had see Makepeace about Leighton for 2 or 3 months. Standing Penfold: he was a porter at Leighton Buzzard station. On the morning of 28 August he saw the prisoner at the station and he had 2 baskets. The prisoner waited at the station for about half an hour for the train. He did not see the prisoner move from the baskets. He saw both baskets put on the train. The busman carried one and the prisoner the other. The prisoner left by the 8.18am train. He did not know what was in either of the baskets. The prisoner returned by train the same day. Sarah Todd: she was a widow living at Bierton near Aylesbury. She knew the prisoner well. She attended Aylesbury market and dealt in fowls. She had bought ducks and fowls from the prisoner. On 28 August she attended the market at Aylesbury and saw the prisoner there. She bought 6 fowls from him and gave him 8s 6d. The prisoner said he had brought them on purpose for her. She had given him no order. He wished her to have them. The same afternoon she delivered them to PC Ruffhead. Aylesbury was about 10 miles from Leighton. She bought them in the marker at the Corn Exchange. They were in a shut up flat and were quite exposed. Many people were round them when she bought them. John Makepeace: Frederick Makepeace was his son and was about 19 years of age. Frederick had been living with him lately and was a shoemaker and had been a pot boy in London. He knew the prisoner Ayres. On the afternoon 28 August Ayres came to his house and said that Frederick had brought fowls to him that morning and there was likely to be bother about them as Mr Bodger had lost some. Ayres said he thought he would let him know so he may not be surprised if the policeman came. As he turned the prisoner said it would be a good job if his son was dead out of the way. He did not see his son that morning after breakfast but he had been with him the preceding day. He did not see his son. His son had been in the habit of dealing with fowls, pigeons and rabbits since he was a little boy. PC Thomas Ruffhead: the prisoner was a greengrocer and costermonger at Leighton. On 28 August he received information that Mr William James Bodger, a surgeon at Leighton, had lost some fowls from his yard at Leighton. In consequence of what he heard he went by the 11am train to Aylesbury and saw the prisoner James Ayres there. He asked him what he had been to market with. Ayres hesitated for a time and then replied he had been with cucumbers and some young fowls. He inquired who he had sold them to and he replied he had sold them to old Mrs Todd of Bicester. He said he had sold 6 fowls to her and left a black hen at home. The prisoner said he asked the Frederick Makepeace no questions when he had bought the fowls for 15d each. He knew Makepeace well and went to apprehend him that evening but he was absent and had been ever since. Frederick Makepeace had been a pot boy in London and at the time of the robbery was staying with his father at Leighton. When at Aylesbury he saw Mrs Todd and received the 6 fowls form her. Next day he went to apprehend Ayres but he was not at home. He asked Ayres if he had seen Frederick Makepeace but he said no. He apprehended Ayres on 30 August. He showed the prosecutor’s groom on 28 August and he identified the whole of them as his master’s property. He left the prisoner Ayres at Aylesbury on 28 August whilst he went to look for Mrs Todd and when he got back to Leighton he found Frederick Makepeace had gone away. Statement of the accused: he was not guilty of the charge. Samuel Hopkins [on behalf of the defence]: he was a farmer and assisted his father, who was also a farmer at Leighton. He knew Frederick Makepeace well as his father lived nearly opposite where he lived. He had bought fowls off him before. He always thought he dealt in fowls or he should not have bought them. Frederick Makepeace also dealt in pigeons and rabbits. He had known the prisoner some time. He lived within a few doors of him and he had never heard anything against his character.

item

Ayres, James,
Cox, David,
Bodger, William James,
Penfold, Standing,
Todd, Sarah,
Makepeace, John,
Ruffhead, Thomas,
Hopkins, Samuel

LEIGHTON BUZZARD, Bierton, receiving stolen goods, Leighton Buzzard station, porter, surgeon, groom, poultry dealer, shoemaker