QSR1833/1/5/16

Depositions of John Strugess of Milton Ernest. William Winsall, labourer of Milton Ernest. Thomas Kippist, pig dealer of Great Barford. William Gibbins, farmer of Milton Ernest. In the case of James Sawfoot accused of stealing 12 pigs.

24 November 1832

From: 1832 To: 1833

John Sturgess: he was employed by William Gibbins for the months of October. His master had some pigs and the Wednesday after Old Michalemas (17 October) he feed 14 of them in the evening and put 8 into a stye. He left 6 others in the horse yard where they generally lay. On the Thursday morning he went to feed them and they were all gone except for a white sow. He informed his master and was sent by his about the village and neighbourhood to enquire after them. He could not hear of them and returned. The next Saturday his master sent him out again and heard at Thurleigh that a quantity of pigs had been sold at St Neots market the Thursday before and that the man who sold them had run away before the money was paid. He also found one of the pigs lost and straying about the village of Thurleigh. He returned and told his master. On the Sunday, 12 pigs were brought back to his master’s yard and he knew them to be the same he had previously fed. William Windall: he was in the month of October in the employment of Mr William Gibbens of Milton Ernest. On the Saturday after the pigs had been stolen, his master sent him to St Neots to see after the pigs which he had heard were there. He found them in the custody of Mr Allison, who kept the pig market there. They were shut in one of the styes. He knew them to be his master’s property. His master came the next day and on his request, he drove the pigs home. Thomas Kippist: he was a pig dealer at Great Barford. On 18 October he was going to St Neots market and at Eaton Ford he overtook the prisoner, whom he did not then know, and another man driving 12 pigs. He asked James Sawfoot the price of the sow and he replied £3 10s 0d. He told the prisoner it was too much and after some conversation he left them. When he was in the market, he was dealing with Mr Charles Storey of Orford for some pigs. The prisoner came up to into the market alone with the 12 pigs. Soon after Mr Storey and the prisoner dealt for the 12 pigs and, as far as he could learn, Storey was to give £8 10s 6d for them. He had some conversation with Storey and hold he had bought the pigs sp cheap that he would like to ask the man a few questions. They sent for him to a public house and after talking with the prisoner he asked him whose the pigs were. Sawfoot said they were his owned he came from Bletsoe and his name was Pair. The prisoner said he was the son of a small farmer there, whom Kippist knew well. He questioned the prisoner about his family circumstances and discovered the prisoner was telling him several falsehoods. He told the prisoner he believed he had stolen the pigs and the prisoner denied this. He advised Storey to secure the prisoner until the pigs were owned but he declined. They asked the prisoner to lunch with them and he agreed to do so but for a few matters he had to attend to in town first. The prisoner asked Storey for the money several times before he left for town but Storey said he would not pay him at present. The prisoner left and he heard he had gone out of the town in the same direction he had seen him in the morning. The prisoner was not paid. On 20 October he was shown some pigs in Mr Gibbins yard and knew several to be the pigs he had seen in the possession of the prisoner. William Gibbins: he went to St Neots and found the pigs he had lost. From the description he received of the person who had sold the pigs, he suspected James Sawfoot and went to apprehend him but he had absconded. He did not hear of Sawfoot’s return until Friday 16 November when he had him apprehended. Statement of the accused: nothing to say.

item

Sawfoot, James,
Strugess, John,
Winsall, William,
Kippist, Thomas,
Gibbins, William

MILTON ERNEST, Eaton Ford, St Neots Market, Great Barford, THURLEIGH, farmer, pig dealer, pigs, stealing