QSR1835/2/5/2-3

Depositions – Daniel Nightingale, Nathaniel Lucas, George Bosworth and Charles Palmer charged with stealing one ham, one hatchet , 6 eggs and one walking stick from Thomas Staughton at Eaton Socon. Also warrant for the arrest of the four accused.

2 March 1835

From: 1835 To: 1835

Thomas Storton of Duloe, keeper of a beershop – last Saturday he sold beer to be drunk off the premises to Lucas. Bosworth, Palmer and Nightingale were with him. The men were sober. He saw his hatchet in Nightingale’s hand. He had laid the hatchet at the door where he had been fagotting. A child too young to take an oath told him Nightingale had put the hatchet in his pocket. He told Nightingale to lay it down. He had just been in his hen house. He had left the door unlocked and six eggs in a basket near the door. He had a ham in his chimney corner which weighed about 9lbs worth 5s or more. After drinking 9 quarts the men refused to pay for it and said instead of paying for it they would pay him. He went to the hen house after the men were gone and missed the eggs from the basket. He had seen an egg in Nightingale’s hand. He missed the ham after the men were out of sight. Nightingale and Lucas had gone into the house to the fire to light their pipes. He was then out of the house trying to settle the reckoning with the other two. Lucas and Nightingale had on pockets that would hold half a bushel apiece. No other men went into the house besides himself and he believes they stole the ham. The four came together and left together rioting. He believes Nightingale stole the eggs and the hatchet. Anne Storton, daguther of John Storton the prosecutor – she was at home at her father’s when this business arose. When Lucas and Nightingale came she was out getting fireing. Palmer was outside scrupling the reckoning with her father and Bosworth was with him. When she came into the house with the fireing Lucas and Nightingale came out and three of them ran away. Palmer stopped scrupling with her father. She called after them and saw Lucas’ pocket stuck out. They went to Gidding’s public house. She followed them, went into the house and told them they had robbed her hen house. She had not then missed the ham. They would not hear what she said. She asked them to pay for the beer but they would not. One would pay for it if the other would. They did it purposely. They went down the street rioting. Nightingale had her father’s stick in his hand. It was a walking stick. He struck at Fisher’s window five times before he hit it. At last he hit it and broke some of the glass. Fisher came out and bad them let it alone. They struck at Fisher and he fell down. The old woman came out to pick him up and Nightingale broke her head with the stick. The ham was hung in the chimney cover against a nail. A man could reach it to take it down. She saw it hanging in the chimney when she went out to fetch the wood. About ½ hour or less after the men went she missed the ham. Phillip Dilley of Eaton Socon, alehouse keeper – on the last day of February he remembers Nightingale, Palmer, Bosworth and Lucas coming to his house. They had 8 pots of beer and 4 pennyworth of tobacco. They refused to pay their reckoning and went away together. They seemed very peaceable and friendly together. Nightingale’s father hs since paid his son’s share of the reckoning. From his house to Storton’s is about a mile. They left his house a little after one. Elizabeth Cox, wife of Christopher Cox of St Neots, victualler – John Pope and Thomas Cox the younger brought a ham to her which they said they had found under the manger. Palmer was at her house. She said “you have been doing something wrong Charles, the constables are after you”. Mrs Nightingale has told her they had stolen a hatchet. Palmer said he had done nothing wrong, he had only been getting a little beer and for that Mr Storton would trust him. He said that if there were any constables after him he would not be taken that night to lay in the cage all Sunday, but would go and sleep in the loft. The ham was found after this. Lucas came in and asked for Palmer. She told him he was sleeping in the loft. Soon after Lucas came back with Palmer with him. He told them he believed they had been stealing a ham. Lucas said it was his. He said he would keep it until the right owner came for it. Lucas said it was his and he would have it. He brought it forward. It was a small ham about 7 or 8lbs. He gave it to Lucas who said it was the first time he had seen it and took it away. John Sharman of St Neots (Hunts), labourer – on Saturday 3 weeks ago he saw Palmer, Lucas and Nightingale standing on the stone selling at St Neots. Lucas had a ham in his hand. Later that evening further up the street he saw Bosworth with them. John Pope of Eynesbury (Hunts) – about 3 weeks las Saturday he found a ham in the straw under the manger in Mrs Cox’s stable at the Fox and Hounds ale house. He carried it into the house and gave it to his mistress. He does the horses and goes about for the house. Soon after Lucas came in. Somebody was talking about the ham and Lucas said it was his. Mrs Cox gave it to him. Lucas then said it was the first time he had seen it. Lucas took it away with him. Before he found the ham, Palmer was in the house. He heard Palmer say he would go up the loft and sleep there. The loft was over the stable in which he found the ham. Nightingale was in the house at the same time as Palmer. He saw them all in the house. He did not see Palmer and Nightingale go onto the stable together.

item

EATON SOCON, Duloe, St Neots, Eynesbury, stealing, eggs, ham, tools, beer, alehouse keeper, beerhouse keeper, victualler, St.Neots Fox & Hounds