James Newton

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C H on 9th March 2024

Old Bailey Online JAMES NEWTON. Theft; animal theft. 24th October 1836. Text type Trial account Defendants JAMES NEWTON Offences Theft > Animal theft Session Date 24th October 1836 Reference Number t18361024-2266 Verdicts Guilty Punishments Transportation 2266. JAMES NEWTON was indicted for stealing, on the 9th of October, 2 turkeys, value 10s., the property of William Brooks. MARY BROOKS . I am the wife of William Brooks, and live at Hendon; he is a farmer; we keep turkeys. On Sunday, the 9th of October, about a quarter to five o'clock, Scott came and told me to look at my turkey—I found two were missing—they had been in an enclosed field, a quarter of a mile from the house—my husband accompanied Scott, and the two turkeys were brought home dead—I knew them to be ours—the prisoner was taken up instantly—he lived about two miles off—he keeps a donkey, and goes about with sand. EDWARD SCOTT . I am a gardener, and live at Edgeware, about a mile from Hendon. On Sunday, the 9th of October, about a quarter before five o'clock in the evening, I saw the prisoner in the field where the turkeys were—I watched him, and saw him surround the turkeys, and knock one of them down with a large stick—after repeating several blows, he took it up in his right hand, gave it a shale, and chucked it down in the ditch to conceal it—I stood and watched him to know him again, and then went and told Mr. Brooks, and we came into the field in pursuit of him—he had left the two turkeys in the ditch, both together, dead, but quite warm—he lives at Barnet-gate—he keeps a donkey, and sells sand—he was taken up on the Sunday evening—I charged him with stealing the turkeys—he said he knew nothing about it—I am sure he is the person—he was taken about two hundred yards from the spot where he knocked the turkeys down—it was quite day-light when I saw him—I swear positively to him. Prisoner's Defence. I went into the Green Man public-house, and had a pint of beer; a man came in with a smock-frock and cap on; he said he had been stopped by two men in a chaise, who asked him what business he had there, and said they had lost two turkeys, and they thought he had taken them. I know nothing of it. MARY BROOKS re-examined. I went into the Green Man directly I heard of the turkeys being killed, and asked if there was a boy them named Bill—the boy was not there—I said in the public-house that I had lost two turkeys, and it was a man in a round smock-frock had done it—while I was counting my turkeys two men went along—I said to them, "If you see a man in a round frock, with any turkeys, you take him," and they did stop a man in a round frock, and that man went into the public-house and mentioned it. GUILTY .† Aged 24.— Transported for Seven Years.