[List-Cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 07 Dec 1822 - Public Office

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 07 Dec 1822   (p. 3, col. 2-3)

 

PUBLIC OFFICE. 

 

Francis PHILLIPS, of Shank-Bridge-End, in the parish of Stapleton, (a man nearly 70 years of age,) was on Wednesday brought up for
examination, on a charge of stealing a lamb-tup from the farm of Francis FORSTER, of Wingate-Head, (an estate adjoining that
occupied by PHILLIPS,) the property of Mr. John NORMAN, jun., of Kirkandrews, he having lent it to FORSTER (his tenant) on account
of the breed. The tup was produced in the office. FORSTER deposed that he had the lamb of Mr. NORMAN some short time ago, and that
he marked him with ruddle. Having disappeared, he sought the animal, and found him a few days since in the prisoner's farm-yard
among his sheep, with an unhealed ear-mark, corresponding with the mark of the prisoner's sheep. FORSTER claimed the tup; but
PHILLIPS asserted that the lamb was his; that he could produce the person of whom he bought him in July; and that he had himself
marked him with red paint; and that the reason of the apparently fresh ear-mark was, that the slit had lately been made deeper: he
therefore refused to give up the lamb; but the animal having by accident been separated from PHILLIPS's sheep, came home of his own
accord and went to the field where he had been depastured: from this field he was subsequently taken away by the prisoner, after
having slightly inquired about him at FORSTER's house, a fact corroborated by the deponent's son, a lad fourteen years of age. Added
to this, the lamb was actually marked with ruddle, and not with paint; its ears were still unhealed on Wednesday; and FORSTER swore
to the animal as that which Mr. NORMAN had lent him. The officers to whom the warrant against the prisoner was entrusted stated,
that when they went to the prisoner's house that morning so early as a quarter before seven, they found the prisoner's two daughters
and son (the latter of whom lives at a distance of several miles) in the farm-yard, as if on the lookout. On enquiring for the
prisoner, the son said, "Oh, you are too late, he is gone to Brampton." This was doubted, and the doors of the house were tried, but
both front and back entrances were bolted inside, though the son and daughters were outside. After a short parley, FORSTER, who
accompanied the officers, saw the prisoner peep through a chamber-window from behind a curtain; the officers then called on him to
surrender in the King's name, announced their purpose, and the old man at last came down, opened the door, and surrendered
himself.—PHILLIPS, on being called upon for his defence, declared that he bought the tup in question of William GRAHAM, butcher, of
Brampton; and he produced a letter purporting to have been written by that person, asserting that the lamb was so bought (though it
did not appear that Mr. GRAHAM had seen the particular animal claimed), and that he was ready to come and testify to the fact, and
refer to the breeder, at any time, except on a Wednesday, Brampton market-day. The prisoner went on to say—that in July last, Mr.
GRAHAM having come to his house at Shank-Bridge-End, and bought three lambs and two yearling sheep, offered this lamb for sale,
which was then at Cambeck-Lonning-Foot, and that he (prisoner) agreed to give either 11s. or 11s. 6d. for it, in the presence of his
wife and daughters; that he took the lambs and sheep which he had sold to GRAHAM in a cart to Cambeck-Lonning-Foot, where he found
the tup in an out-house belonging to Mrs. GADDES, the mistress of the public-house, and concluded the bargain and paid the money in
her presence. GRAHAM saying that it came down there direct from the breeder, Thomas FORSTER, of Leeshill, Bewcastle: that he could
produce a man-servant who left him at Martinmas, who would prove the identity of the lamb, and that it remained with him from July
to the time that he left; and that his daughter and this man would also substantiate the truth of the animal having been recently
marked in the ear a second time, because the first mark was not sufficiently conspicuous. The prisoner's son (the person who
endeavoured to mislead the officers) appeared in his father's behalf, but did him no good. It came out that he had been at Brampton
that morning and obtained the letter from the butcher; and he accounted for being at Shank-Bridge-End so early in the morning by
saying that he went there accidentally, having been up to the blacksmith's. Mr. BLOW, on behalf of the prisoner, submitted that the
matter was merely a dispute as to the right of property; but the Magistrates thought otherwise, and committed PHILLIPS for further
examination, in order to afford him an opportunity of rebutting the charge, if possible, by the promised evidence. 

 

A Scotsman with only one hand, named HUNTER, was brought up, having been found begging in the street. He said he lost his hand a
short time ago at Plymouth, where he lived as a servant, by a waggon going over his arm; and that he was merely begging his way to
his native home. On being searched, a bad shilling, 19½d. in copper, and several papers were found on him: the first looked at was a
certificate from his late master, Mr. YOUNG, of Plymouth, that HUNTER had really lost his hand as he asserted; but as the impostor's
evil star would have it, the other papers told a different story—one of them was a discharge from the Artillery in 1815, when that
corps was reduced; another a discharge from the 10th regiment of foot, into which he entered in 1817; and the reason of the
discharge was, that he had himself shot off his hand at Corfu—with his own musquet, as he afterwards stated, to get out of the
service. He further acknowledged that, instead of having come from Plymouth, he came from Langholm, where he had left his wife; that
he had a companion in town, and that their purpose was to stroll about the country preying upon public credulity. In a few minutes,
one of the officers brought in his messmate. He was lame of a leg, and the accident was occasioned, too, by a waggon going over it!
Seeing how matters stood with HUNTER, he found it was no use to prevaricate and tell lies—so he confessed that they come from
Scotland, and that their object was vagrancy: his pouch produced just 19d., from which it would appear that they had made a
remarkably honest division of spoil. Both were committed as rogues and vagabonds for 3 weeks. 

 

 

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