Anthony West

135

C H on 28th February 2024

Old Bailey Online ANTHONY WEST. THOMAS SINGFIELD. Theft; animal theft. 10th April 1828 Text type Trial account Defendants ANTHONY WEST, THOMAS SINGFIELD Offences Theft > Animal theft Session Date 10th April 1828 Reference Number t18280410-215 Verdicts Guilty, Not guilty Punishments Transportation 1006. ANTHONY WEST & THOMAS SINGFIELD were indicted for stealing, on the 25th of February , 7 live tame rabbits, price 20s.; 3 live tame ducks, price 7s.; and 1 live tame drake, price 3s. ; the property of AEneas Barkly . MR. BODKIN conducted the prosecution. JAMES AMBROSE . I am a gardner to Mr. Eneas Barkly; he lives at Highbury Grove ; he has a farm-yard , where he keeps rabbits and poultry. On Sunday afternoon, on the 24th of February, at half-past four o'clock, I saw the poultry all safe, and next morning, at a quarter-past six, I missed seven rabbits, three ducks, and a drake; I have seen two of the rabbits since in Cox's custody; they were taken from a butch in a shed, which was not locked; the ducks were all white and very large, the drake was the largest ever seen. Cross-examined by MR. PHILLIPS. Q. Did your master have hand-bills printed describing them? A. Yes; I cannot read. I can swear to one rabbit by a slit in the ear; they had black spots on their faces and all over them. MR. BODKIN. Q. How long has your master had these rabbits? A. About two years; I attended to them. JOHN COX . I am gardener to Mr. Barkly. On the 24th of February (Sunday) these rabbits were stolen; I went to the pales about seven o'clock in the morning, and saw some footsteps; I noticed one particularly - there was one particular nail in the fore part of the heel-piece, and I traced the marks from the premises, over one field, to Hornsey-lane, about a mile towards Holloway; I do not know the prisoner - I have seen two rabbits here, which I am sure are master's. Cross-examined. Q. Is this one of the hand-bills? A. Yes? I believe the rabbits are not correctly described, as to the colour. MR. BODKIN. Q. Were you present when any shoes were fitted to the marks on the ground? A. Yes; they fitted exactly. EDWARD JOHNSON . I am headborough of Islington. In consequence of information, I went to Selley's house, on the 27th of February, and received from him two live rabbits, one duck and one drake dead - I gave the rabbits to Cox; I went on the same day to No. 12, Brand-street, Holloway, where the two prisoners live - I saw West, and asked him where Singfield was - he said he was not at home; I searched the house, and under the bed found a lot of white feathers in a flat, and then found a lot of feathers in a bag - there were about as many feathers as would cover four ducks; I left, and went there again, and saw West without his shoes; there was a pair of shoes by the side of where he sat; Price, who was with me, took them up, and I looked at them; Price said he thought they corresponded with the foot marks; we made him put them on, and took him away with them; I went next morning to Mr. Barkly's premises with the shoes, and examined the foot-marks in two or three places in the shrobbery, and fitted the shoes; they corresponded exactly with the marks. In consequence of information I went to Woburn, in Bedfordshire, and found Singfield; he saw me and ran away; I followed, and found him at Bow-brickhill, in Buckinghamshire; he was then at dinner - he said, "All you have against me is selling them; not stealing them" - and when on the coach, he said he should not have been drawn into if it had not been for Tom. Cross-examined. Q. You have known Singfield some time? A. Yes; I never knew anything against him, but I have heard something - the ducks found were plucked. all but the heads; the drake was very large - we found some cock and hen feathers - it was on Thursday that I fitted the shoes; I think it had rained one night since the Sunday, but am not certain. JAMES PRICE . I am an officer of Islington. On Monday morning, the 25th, I went to Mr. Barkly's and saw the footmarks; I went on Thursday and fitted the shoes; I noticed one particular nail in front of the heel, which fitted the marks exactly - West resisted being taken. Cross-examined. Q. Was not he in bed? A. No. There had been no rain from the Sunday till the Thursday - I came up at night - there is a border round the shrobbery: the marks were very plain there. COURT. Q. Did it appear to you that two persons had been there? A. I only saw the footmark of one person. SAMUEL SELLEY . I bought two rabbits and two ducks of Singfield, on Monday the 25th of February, and gave the same to the officers. JAMES PRICE . I gave a description of the rabbits as I had received it from Cox, and no other description was given for the bills. WEST - GUILTY . Aged 28. Transported for Seven Years . SINGFIELD - NOT GUILTY .