The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-10-19 00:00:00

Sheep Stealing at Chicherell.

About eight o'clock on Wednesday night [leery Joke
Woods (18), • drover, who is employed by several butchers
to bring cattle and sheep from the markets and fairs, and
-- Andrews. &butcher of Weymouth Market-house, were
arrested by Sergeant Mill** of the Dorset County Con-
stabulary, assiatel by Sergeant Amoy, of the Weymouth
Borough Police, the former on • charge of steeling, end the
latter of receiving, three leg sheep, the property of Kr.
Laver, of Chlettere]. it seems that the sheep were in •
field on Mr. Lover's farm on Saturday night, and must
have been stolen either late that night or early on Sunday
morning. It is said that they were offered for sale in
the Weymouth Market-house, and were subsequently
found in • yard occupied by Mr. Leah, near the
Backwater, pert of which Andrews rents for slaughter-
ing purposes, and here they were Monti& d by Mr.
Leven shepherd, who reared them, and on Wednesday
he took them back to ChickereL Sispielon fell upon
Woods, who was sold to hove been about Mr. Lover's
farm, respecting whom other evidence was stated to be
ready. Woods was at Dorchester on Wednesday after-
noon; but in the evening he was arrested at his residence,
Brunswick Court, near the B ockwater, and lodged la the
borough cells.

The two 'nen were brought up at County Holt D
chaster, on Thuri,lay inorning. before Captain Menzel, and
were rtruaniled till Saturday.

Andrews and Woods. were again brought up on fitturday,
at the Gurney 11414 Ihrchaster, before Cult tin Msnsel.
Mr. It N. 11 lward appeared for the prosemti.m. and
Mr. T. A. limo. defend° I Andrews who wu chargel
with receiving the sheep knowing them t.. 3 have been
stolen.

Mr. Laver statrd that he resided at Chicken.% where he
kept a large farm and a qeantity of sheep. The pri‘oner
Woods was a driver ant occ,,t nelly drove stock for hire,
arel other dealers. Ills shepherd mi.sed the sheep on the
10-.11 of 0 7t.nhor,an.l on Tuesday morning in consequence of
what he hoard he gave information to the police. There
were three sheep outsid the Hall which be identified as his
property, and the value of them was Xi 10. Wails had
not received any authority from him to sell them or move
gene. Witness hid seen the sheep on the Thursday
previous on his farm at Chiekerell, h • piece of turnips.
Cross-examined by Mr. [lanes: Ile had 15 sheep in the
piece of turnim. Of the throe sheep that were last two
belonged to him and one to his son, one being • fat sb op
and the others steak sheep. The fat one had been on his
farm since last Monday fortnight ; hi. sheep bore his mark.
Ile knew the sheep were him—be ought to, he wed them.
Ile dared say IMOT other people in the county had sheep
similar to his. He bad not said to anyone since the
prisoner had been in custody that he did not believe
Andrews was guilty of receiving them knowing them to
have been stolen. Andrew's wife Came to him the morn-
ing after they were apprehended and Lake! him not to go
seediest her husband, but he replied that he 'amid.
William Oliver stated that he WU shepherd to Mr.
Lever, at Chickerell. He hsl been • shepherd ever slice
he was a boy, awl had been in the employ of Mr. Lever
since April lase On the Friday before the sheep were
mimed he sew 15 tem in a turnip 11-Id, and 40 fat sheep
man adjoining field. On the 9 today morning, between
nine and ten, he missed three sheep—two tate awl one
crces-breed —two from tho 15 and one from the 40. Oa
miming them he searched for them all round the farm and
adjoining fields. but could not find them. Ha then went
and informed Mr. Lever. The same afternoon, between
four and five, he saw Weeds in Redtpole-lane,
which adjoined the Sell where the 40 fat sheep were.
He mite I him if he luei seen any thole staying in the road.
and he replied he had not. Witness teld him there were
three missing, and as he was walking away preemer called
him be,* awl said be bad seen two at Rubella on Satur-
day morning. Witness told him he had found them two,
but there were two more of the same sort m;ssing. He
made enquiries of other people, but could bear nothing of
the sheep. In emsequence of information he received be
went to Weymouth on Wednesday, to Mr. Lash, yard,
and there saw the three sheep that be had missed, belong-
ing to Mr. Lever. He could identilly them. He had no
doubt shout them, and could pick them out of any num-
ber of sheep. He could identify the fat sheep by the top
of the right ear tieing off. He had seen the sheep outside
the court this morning, and :the general appearance of It
was the some as the one be had lost. He Identified the
others by the feature., He identified one of them by its
having two light spots on the ears. Ile put them in the
cart and took them to Chickerell, and they were the same
sheep as those outside the covet A boy named Persons
went to Lush's yard with him.
Cromexstained by Mr. Hanna : He put a mark on the
ears of the two temi—a sort of enio—when he handed them
over to the superintendent of pollee.
Harry Amoy stated that be had been in the employ of
Mr. Lush, butcher, over three years. Mr. Lush had a Feed
near the Backwater, with • wall about six feet high. Mr.
Andrews paid so ninth • head for killing in the yard, and
there was another yard, belonging to Mr. Rebteth which
was never licked. People buying things from Dorchester
market were apt to put things in his yard, and on Sundae,
the 10th, be saw the two prisoners together in Rabbit's
yard, about ten ceche* in the morning. He also saw
three sheep there. Witness went round into the 11n1
Andrews sad "11l Put them tate your yard." but he
objected, but did tell them why. They then put them in
• little pound at the upper end of Lush's yard, which Mr.
Andrews used. He had sense other sheep in it at the
same time, and they remained there until Wednesday,
when they were taken away. He saw Mr. Andrews feed
them on Sunday, Tuesday morning, and Tuesday night.
The three sheep were two little rough togs and a cross-
bred, the latter had • Piece of its ear off.
Cross-examined by Mr. Hanna : He made 'statement of
• convocation between himself and the two prisoners,
which was taken down by Apse,. He believed Woods
wanted Andrews to buy the sheep, end he heard Andrews
reply "I will give you the money thet you want for them
when you satisfy mess to where and how you rot them."
He beard Woods say he bought the sheep at Dorchester
Poundbury Pair, of e man, who lived down the country,
and that he had kept them at Broadway until then. There
was another lad named Gould also present, when this
conversation took place.
Cross-examined by Mr. Howard: He had suspicions
about the sheep, because he heard Woods say that he
bought them at D wehester Fair for 10.. He (witness)
should have liked to have got them for £3, the skins and
wool he should think would be worth • cove-aim, That
was why he objected to having them put in the yard,
but Andrew's said that he walla take the responsibility.
Thomas Homey stated that he was •c 3Rkeeper, trailing
at Wyke Itmle. On Saturday tb 9'h, about hell past eix,
he was in Weymouth market He sat down in Mr.
Andrews' stall, and whilst there the preoner Woods cam*
In and said he bad three sheep he would sell him.
Mr. Andrews asks I where he got them, gni Woods
replied he b moat them of a "feller" up there, and slid be
could have bought them there that day at half-a-crown a
piece—Mr. Andrews asked what met of sheen they were,
or something to that effect, lane Woods said one was a
geed ORO worth 9.., an.l tbe other two 7s. ill, each.
Ateirews said "coo can drive them down toner Place. and
I will Look at them" Woods said he would get them
dewn there about half-pee seven the next morning.
Serge Haines stated that on the 13th et October he went
to Weymouth and appretion led the prisoner Weed& He
charged him with stealing, on the 9th of October, three
sheep from a field, the property of Mr. Laver ;he took him
to the police-station at Weyosoatle and, an the way,
prisoner said that he found the sheep on Saturday morn. ,
lag about nine o'clock. Ila said he put them into Yr.
Groves' field, went to Mr. Andrews on Saturday, end told
him that he had picked up three sheep on the rout and
asked him what he would rrive him for them. He tithed
him what they were worth, and told him t, drive them
down to his place. He fetched them from the field on
Sunday morning, awl drove them into Me Rabbits' yard.
He went and saw Andrews then drove them into Mr.
Lush's yard. Andrews camel him 255, for the three
theme paid him 51. on the Monday morning, and promised
to pay him the other pound when he (Woods) cam. beck
from Bridport Fair. Upon this statement he (witness)
went and aPPrebended Andrews, whom be charged with
buying and receiving three sheep from John Woods on
the 10th of October. He replied that he drove them down
to Mr. Lush's on the Sunday morning, but did not know
they were stoke. He said Woods told him that be bought
them at Dorchester Fele Ile took him to the police.
station, and afterwards went on to Dorchester.
On the way Andrews 'eked Woods what field
he took them from. Woods mid "I tell you I .
found them on the road." On the following morning
he went to Mr. Lavers farm and received the
sheep from Oliver, the shepherd, and their them to
Dorchester. On Thursday he was at the polinestatiou,
the two prisoners being in Mr. Supt. Batty. office. He ,
hear! lit. Batty read over Wood's statement, which he I
had made to the superintendent Woods having desired to
mate a eteseetent. Woods slimed It and said it was all
right. Andrews was present the whole of the time, and
said "Thaler an right but that's a lie about buying the
sheep ow Sandy morning and %obi. I lent him' To this
Woods sasevred—• What did you went to loot toe St
gr. I bid low mosey."