[list-cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 17 Jan 1824 - Cumberland Sessions (6)

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 17 Jan 1824   (p. 2, col. 5 - p. 3, col. 3)

 

CUMBERLAND SESSIONS. 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 14. 

 

[continued] 

 

John TAYLOR, and Isabella TAYLOR, his wife, of the parish of Caldbeck, charged with stealing, on the 20th of September, four tame
and reclaimed Geese, the properly of Isaac HOLMES, pleaded Not Guilty. 

 

Mr. AGLIONBY was counsel for the prosecution. The geese were stolen from Warnell fell, on or about the 26th August, and were not
found till the 20th of September. Part of the evidence on which the prisoners were committed, was the confession of the wife, which
would not now be put in. 

 

Isaac HOLMES-I live at Caldbeck, and prisoners resided within a quarter of a mile of me. In August last, I had seven young geese and
some old ones. The former I had brought up myself; they fed out of my hand, so that I knew them well; I marked them in the outer web
of the near foot, and the near web of the outer foot-and one of them, moreover, had a broken wing. These geese were going on
Warnell-fell. I put them there before the Carlisle August fair. I saw them on the fell on the 16th September-afterwards six of the
young ones were gone. I first met with four of them again a week before Martinmas, beside Ireby mill, in the possession of Thomas
CROOKDAKE, miller; I knew them immediately-examined them, and found them marked as described; and one had a broken wing. I can swear
to them positively. I afterwards took them home. The others I never again saw. 

 

The male prisoner-Did you ever see me near your geese? Answer, No. Can you prove that I did steal them?-This required no answer. 

 

Thomas CROOKDAKE, miller, of Ireby mill.-The last witness had the four geese of me. I bought them of a woman who called herself John
TAYLOR's wife, but I did not know her again till she confessed herself to be the person before the Magistrate. She brought five, and
told me they were geese that my son and her husband had talked about, the latter promising to give 2s. each for them. One of them
had a broken wing. She brought them in either August or September; the fifth goose died. When she came with them, they were poor
little things; so much so, that I refused to take them. She said she could not drive them back. I told her to turn them on the green
before the door. I said I would give her 5s. for them if they lived-and I paid her part in meal and flour. Afterwards TAYLOR himself
came and insisted on having 2s. each, as he had agreed with my son: but I did not pay him any more. He came a second time and saw
them, and spoke of them as his. He lived about four miles off. 

 

Prisoner-Did I ever ask you for any thing for the geese? Witness: Yes. Pris. I never did, Thomas. 

 

Joseph CROOKDAKE, son of the last witness-John TAYLOR applied to me about selling geese; he said he had two, and asked 2s. 3d. each
for them. I replied that I would give 2s. each if they were as big as several others before the door; he said he would bring them
himself. Some were brought. About ten days after, TAYLOR came to the mill, and requested more pay for the five geese that his wife
had left; I weighed him two stone of meal as part payment; and he observed that 6d. more was due. 

 

Prisoner-I asked for two stone of meal on credit, and you said you would not trust me, as your father was not at home. 

 

Witness-That is not true. 

 

In defence of himself, TAYLOR declared that he had no concern in the transaction. His wife asserted the same thing-"He was not at
home; it was I who took the geese." They called no witnesses to character. 

 

The Jury found both prisoners Guilty.-John TAYLOR, transported seven years. Isabella TAYLOR, twelve months' imprisonment, and hard
labour. 

 

 

[to be continued] 

 

 

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