Edward Firman

343

Maureen Withey on 7th March 2024

PRISONERS. James Firman, aged 76, and Edward Firman, his son, aged 47, were both capitally convicted of stealing in the night of the 1st of January last, or early on the following morning, a sheep, the property of Henry Rising, of Ling, farmer. It appeared in evidence, that the time above mentioned, the prosecutor lost fat sheep, which was marked on the back like the rest of bis flock. On that night Wm. Nelson, one of Mr. Berney's gamekeepers, with three of his partners, were out on the watch for poachers, when he observed at some distance, being a bright moonlight night, a man getting over gate, not far from the prosecutors, unto the Hockering common, who had something on his shoulder, which he dropped down, it is supposed perceiving Nelson. He immediately went to the   man, who proved be the younger prisoner, and asked him were he came from, when replied he was going home Nelson's suspicions being excited he told him he must accompany him, which he did and after delivering him into the custody of one of his companions who weren’t far behind, he got over the fence to meet the elder prisoner, who on seeing him coming up to the younger one at the gate, had turned down under the hedge row; but Taylor his companion had already taken him. Just before Taylor came up with the elder prisoner, him stoop and lay down something, which proved to a bag, examining which and also the sack which the younger prisoner threw down by the gate, the former containing a plough line, bloody cloth, sheep's head, and pluck, and the latter the carcase of sheep flayed, and divided into quarters, with all the feet cut off, and a bill hook. There being snow on the ground, the footsteps of two persons were distinctly traced to a field of the prosecutors; where in a ditch were discovered a sheep's skin with the prosecutor's “A”. mark on it, the entrails, the four feet, the bones of two of which were so fractured in the cutting off that impossible to tell whether they belonged to the ... Norfolk Chronicle, 25 March 1820. Norfolk Assizes. At these Assizes (which did not finish till the afternoon Friday) thirteen prisoners were capitally convicted and received sentence of death, viz … James Firman, Edward Firman, ... All the above were reprieved except Philip Newton, for sheep-stealing, and Robt. Self, for horsestealing, who were left for execution; but since their return the Castle, they have been respited. Norfolk Chronicle, 1 Apr 1820.