QSR1895/2/12/1

[Petty Session] The Examination of Robert Anderson of Pavenham in the County of Bedford, Law Clerk; Joseph Hebbes of Pavenham, Police Constable; John Edward Down of Oakley, Police Constable. In the case of George Harding, Samuel Parker, Horace Parker and Charles Foskett accused of unlawfully and feloniously did steal take and carry away Three Iron Rabbit Traps of the value of Three shillings and goods and chattels of William Anderson.

4th January 1895

From: 1894 To: 1895

Deponent of Robert Anderson on his Oath saith as follows; I am a Law Clerk and live at Pavenham with my Brother William Anderson. On Monday the 24th December last – I set these Rabbit Traps belonging to my brother at the bottom of a Field rear the river – On the 25th Dec. about 8.30 am I went to see them and they were all right – I saw them again the next day about the same [time] In the afternoon of the same day (26th) about 2.30 pm I went to look at the Traps again but they had been taken away. Their value was about 3/-. The Traps now produced are the ones. [Cross Examined] I set the Traps in the Rabbit Holes. Deponent of Joseph Hebbes on his Oath saith I am a Police Constable Stationed at Pavenham. On the 27th December last about 8 pm I received information from Mr Anderson that 3 Rabbit Traps had been LOST from one of his fields on the previous day. On the 31st December about 6 pm I went to Stevington with P.C. Downs - I went in to the house of George Harding and asked him if he was Pavenham way on Boxing Day morning. After hesitating he said he was with Samuel Parker, Horace Parker and Charles Foskett – I said “Did you or any of your companions take any Rabbit Traps from some Rabbit Holes in W Andersons Farm Pavenham” He replied “No” I afterwards went to the House of Charles Foskett and asked if he had been to Pavenham with the others 3 December on Boxing Day morning – He said “No I was bad in the house all day” I afterwards saw the two Parkers and asked them the same question they said “No they were at Blackwell with a man named Hawkins rat catching” I said George Harding and boy who was a Plough told me you were that way and talking to them was that so? Samuel Parker said “I shall say nothing” I said what did you do with those Rabbit Traps you brought home on Boxing Day morning. They gave me no answer. Samuel Parker afterwards said “If I tell you you will lock me up” I said I should not do so until I had seen Mr Anderson. He then said “I have one” and he went to his house and got it. He then said “Foskett had another and Harding another” I then went to Harding’s House and he brought me a Trap out of the Barn - The Trap now produced is the one I received from Harding. Deponent of Edward Downs on his Oath saith I am a Police Constable Stationed at Oakley. On the 31st of December last about 6 pm I went with PC Hebbes to Stevington where we saw the 4 Defendants. We questioned them as there where abouts on Boxing Day. I saw Harding first who said that he and the others have had been round Pavenham I then went to Charles Foskett who said he did not leave the House on Boxing Day as he had a bad cold. I then saw the two Parkers together who’d [said] they were Rat Catching at Blackwell On the 25th [last] asking some questions about the Traps Samuel Parker said “If I told you you would lock us up” he said he should not until we had seen Mr Anderson” He said “I have got one – Foskett one and Harding one” He then handed one of the Traps now produced to me. We then went back to Foskett and asked him for the Trap he had got and after some demur he went to the back of the house and fetched one of the Traps now produced. P. C. Hebbes, myself and the two Parkers went to Hardings House (when Foskett joined us) I heard P.C. Hebbes asked him for the Trap he had in his possession and Harding said “I have not got one” I said it was no use his saying that as we had the other two and he might as well give it up. PC Hebbes them went out of the House with Harding and came back with the Trap. Statement of George Harding the Accused: “Guilty” Where upon the said Defendant Samuel Parker states as follows “Guilty” Where upon the said Defendant Horace Parker states as follows “Not Guilty” Where upon the said Defendant Charles Foskett states as follows “Guilty”

5 pages

item

Anderson, Robert,
Anderson, William,
Hebbes, Joseph,
Downs, Edward,
Foskett, Charles,
Harding, George,
Parker, Samuel,
Parker, Horace

clerk, police constable, PAVENHAM, OAKLEY, stealing