Depositions of Joseph Phillips and all others against James Dickerson charged with felony.
10th April 1854
Huntingdonshire TO WIT :
The Information of Joseph Phillips of Wistow in the said County taken on oath this 10 Day of April 1854, before me, the undersigned, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, acting at Huntingdon, in and for the said County, in the presence and hearing of James Dickerson.
Charged with Felony.
I, on my Oath, say
I am Shepherd to George Pryme Esquire who (occupies) a farm at Wistow in this County, he (had) some sheep in a field in that parish called Raveley (Hole). Last Saturday the Eighth Instant they were ewes and lambs. I saw them on Saturday night between six and seven. They were alright. About my flock on Sunday morning I saw Joseph Yates and from what he told me I went down to Raveley Hole. I found one the ewes had been slaughtered and a piece of the carcass taken away, it was taken from the left (front) leg and one the ears was also cut off. Joseph Yates showed me that morning a piece of meat and a sheep’s ear which I have no doubt had been taken from the ewe belonging to my master.
Sworn before me
G (??????) Joseph Phillips
The Prisoner declined asking the ??????? any questions.
Huntingdonshire TO WIT :
The Examination of Joseph Yates of Huntingdon in the said County taken on oath this 10 Day of April 1854, before me, the undersigned, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace, acting at Huntingdon, in and for the said County, in the presence and hearing of James Dickerson.
Charged with Felony.
I, on my Oath, say
I am one of the Police Constables of the Borough of Huntingdon. I was on duty on Sunday morning between one and two o’clock. The prisoner, James Dickerson came to me about that time at the station house. He sat down on the steps of the station house door and said he was tired and should not go any further for he had been to Wistow and killed a sheep. I then took him into the station house and I asked him if it was true what he had said, he said, yes it is quite true, his hands were covered with the blood – he then produced a piece of meat and a sheep’s ear. I search him and found a knife on him which was also bloody – I then asked why he had done it he said he could get no work and wanted to be sent out of the country – he said he had been to Mr Woodruff, the evening before who gave him a four penny piece and told him to go to Mr Saunders to try to get a job. Mr Saunders refused that. He then went to try to catch one of Mr Saunders’ sheep and failed and then went to Mr Fairlee and killed a sheep. Mr Fairlee is Mr Prymes Bailiff. I then went over to Wistow and went to the field where he told me he had killed he sheep and I found a sheep dead. I examined the sheep the skin was on but a piece of meat had been cut off the thigh and one ear was off. I afterwards went to Joseph Phillips who is shepherd to Mr Pryme. I told him what had happened and showed him the meat and the sheep’s ear which I had taken from the prisoner. Phillips afterwards brought the sheep up to Mr Fairlee’s house. I (patterned) the ear myself and it exactly fitted. The prisoner was quite sober when he came to me at the station house. I said nothing to the prisoner to induce him to make communication.
Sworn before me
G (??????) Joseph Yates
The Prisoner declined asking any questions.
Huntingdonshire TO WIT :
James Dickerson stands charged before the undersigned, one of Her Majesty’s Justices of the Peace for the County of Huntingdon, this Tenth Day of April in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hunderd and Fifty Four for that the said James Dickerson on the Eighth Day of April Instant at the Parish of Wistow in the said County wilfully killed a certain ewe sheep the property of George Pryme Esquire with intent to steal the carcass or meat thereof.
And the said Charge being read to the said James Dickerson and the Witnesses for the Prosecution Joseph Phillips and Joseph Yates.
Being severally Examined in his presence, the said James Dickerson is now addressed by me as follows : ‘Having heard the Evidence, do you wish to say anything in answer to the Charge ? You are not obliged to say anything unless you desire to do so, but whatever you say will be taken down in Writing, and may be given in Evidence against you upon your Trial. And you are clearly to understand that you have nothing to hope from any Promise of Favour, and nothing to fear from any Threat, which may have been holden out to you to induce you to make any admission or confession of your guilt, but whatever you shall now say may be given in Evidence against you upon your Trial, not withstanding such Promise or Threat’.
Whereupon the said James Dickerson sayeth as follows ;
I was not quite sober when I did it. I have nothing more to say.
The Mark of James Dickerson
X
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Althea Walker November 2010
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