QSR1833/2/5/11

Depositions of William Rowley, son of William Rowley. James Smith, son of Jesse Smith of Langford. In the case of John Owen, otherwise John Butler, accused of stealing a dead cock.

3 April 1833

From: 1833 To: 1833

William Rowley: he was in the lane at Langford and Jack Butler, the same man that is not present and called John Owens, told him to go and fetch a cock that was lying in Jesse Smith’s garden. He went accordingly and picked it up and took it to Butler. It was dead and he did not know who had killed it. He did not know what Butler did with it. James Smith: he was the son of Jesse Smith and his father lived at Langford. About 4pm on Friday he saw 2 little boys named William Rowley and John Norman come into his father’s garden and pick up a white cock, belonging to his father, which was lying in the garden. He was not near enough to see if it was dead and he did not know who had knocked it down. The boys came into the garden from the lane at Langford and carried the fowls out of the garden the same way. He ran and turned into the lane and saw the 2 boys but neither had the fowl in their hand. He also saw John Owen standing by them with something under his smock frock. He told Owens to let his frock down and Owens said he should not. Owens said he would knock him down if he came and blamed him for it. Statement of the accused: he did not tell William Rowley to fetch the cock and when he had fetched it he gave it to him. He said it did not belong to him and he did not want it and threw it into the hedge.

item

Owen, John,
Butler, John,
Rowley, William,
Smith, James,
Smith, Jesse

LANGFORD, stealing, fowls