William Kentcheler

Level 347

Maureen Withey on 10th November 2021

Old Bailey Proceedings Online (www.oldbaileyonline.org, version 8.0, 10 November 2021), November 1808, trial of WILLIAM KENTECHELER (t18081126-17). WILLIAM KENTECHELER, Theft > animal theft, 26th November 1808. 690. WILLIAM KENTECHELER was indicted for feloniously stealing on the 18th of September , a black gelding, value 20 l. the property of Joseph Kirkman . SECOND COUNT for like offence, laying it to be the property of John Farrenden . JOHN FARRENDEN . I am a farrier at Turnham green . Q. Had you a horse in your stable on the evening of the 18th of September - A. Yes, it belonged to Joseph Kirkman ; I had the care of it to cure it of a bad foot; I got him home on Saturday evening about six o'clock, I put him in the stable, bolted the door, and fastened it besides. I went to bed about eight o'clock; I was tired. Q. When did you last see the horse - A. About seven o'clock I saw it; about six o'clock I brought it home. Q. Did you fasten the door then - A. I go out of the dwelling house into the stable; that door was bolted in the morning. Q. When did you miss the horse - A. I was awaked in the morning by my dog about four o'clock; he was barking; I ran down stairs, I did not give myself time to put my clothes on, I thought something was amiss by the dog barking; when I came down I found the stable door broken to pieces, and the horse gone; I immediately ran up stairs again and dressed myself; I live about thirty yards from the road. I ran up the road to get intelligence if I could; I met three men going angling in the country; I enquired of them; they told me they had met a man with a large horse, he was trotting him as hard as he could, they could not see the colour of him, he had two white legs behind; I run on further about a quarter of a mile towards town; I met Peter Cook , I enquired of him if he had met such a horse, he said he had, about a quarter of a mile before me, the man was on him, trotting him as hard as he could; I asked Cook to turn back with me, for fear there should be more with him. Q. Was Cook on horseback - A. No, on foot. He turned back with me, and I went on till I got to Hammersmith, and at the Plough and Harrow I ran by the horse; I jumped off the pathway into the road, and told him to stop, he had got my property; he said what did I mean by that, it was not mine, he would let me know that I was wrong, and that I had no business with it; I told him that I would have him and told him to get off; he would not get off; I told him I would have him, he had got my property that was delivered into my charge; I jumped up and catched him by the collar, and pulled him off; Cook was just at the back of me, he took hold of the horse just when I pulled him off. Q. Are you sure that horse that you found him upon was the same horse that had been in your stable the night before - A. I am sure of it. Q. You had observed his marks - A. I could swear to him by one mark at his nose; the near side of his nostrils is cut through, by what I do not know; I am certain sure of the horse, if only by the foot and nothing else; it had the canker in the foot; I am in the habit of curing the canker. I took the man, and held him till the watchman came up, and then I helped to put him into the round house, and then I took the horse and put him into my stable again. Q. Look at the prisoner at the bar - is that the same man you saw riding on the horse - A. Yes. PETER COOK . Q. You have heard the account that Farrenden has given - was you with him at the time he seized the prisoner - A. Yes. Q. You assisted Farrenden in seizing him - A. Yes. Q. Is the prisoner the same man that was on the horse, that you saw on the horse - A. Yes. Q. You had run with Farrenden to overtake him - A. Yes. Q. You have heard the account that Farrenden has given us - did every thing occur as he has told us - A. Yes. - GIBBS. Q. Was the prisoner put into your custody by Farrenden - A. Yes, on the 18th of September, ten minutes before four o'clock. Q.Is it the same man - A. Yes. Q. Did you see the horse - A. Yes. Prisoner's Defence. About seven o'clock I left London, I went down as far as Brentford after some things of mine that were at a pawnbroker's. Going from Brentford I stopped drinking till after twelve o'clock; I asked the landlord of the Running Horse public house if I could have a bed there, as I was forward in liquor; the landlord said he would go to his mistress and ask her if he had a bed vacant; he came back and said his beds were all full; I proceeded on the high road for London; I was so very drunk I fell asleep on the road; I had these clothes that I released out of the pawnbrokers, in a large bundle along with me; I slept till rather after three o'clock in the morning; I got up and was coming along the road; a man had this horse with him, he said I seemed to be in liquor; I said I was; he asked me what part of London I was going to, I told him I was going as far as the beginning of Holborn, where I worked; he said he was coming very handy to there, if I would pay him I should ride; I told him I would pay him for riding to London; he put me upon the horse and carried my bundle. I was not in custody of the horse above ten minutes, when these people pursued me; the man who gave me the horse he got away from me; I never missed him, being in liquor; he took my clothes along with him. When the man came up to me and asked me what business I had with the horse, I told him that I had paid for riding the horse to London. Q. You did not tell him it was not his property, and he had no business with it - A. No, I told him no such thing. GUILTY - DEATH , aged 34. Second Middlesex jury, before Lord Ellenborough.