Mexborough & Swinton Times, February 18, 1905
A Conisborough Fowl case
At Doncaster on Monday Mary Barker married woman, of New Conisborough, was charged with having received fowls knowing them to have been stolen.
James Bradbury farmer, Braithwell disposed that he had 20 fowls in a fowl house in a field by the roadside between Stainton and Edlington which were all right on Friday morning. On Saturday morning he found that the stable had been knocked off and eight fowls were missing. The feathers produced were similar to those of the missing fowls.
John Gregory, miner ,27 Stratford Terrace, New Conisbrough said on Saturday night about 10 o’clock he saw the prisoner near Mr Clarkson’s shop, who asked him to buy two fowls she was carrying and he purchased one for 2/3. Fowls were dressed and in good condition. The one produced was the one he bought, and he handed it over to the sergeant the day previous. He had known the prisoner some 12 years.
Anne Howell, single, residing with her father, Joseph Howell, in Brook Square stated that prisoner had lodged at their house with her husband for the past four months. On Friday night John Baker left about 7 o’clock, taking a sack with him. Witness went to bed about 8 o’clock leaving the prisoner in the kitchen. At about 9 o’clock she heard a knock at the door but did not come down the stairs. Prisoner opened the door and someone entered and she recognised the voice of prisoners husband saying, “Turn the rug up,” the husband said “we will feather these” and shortly after she heard him say “We’ll burn these before yon old — comes down or he’ll go and tell”
That remark applied to her father who was asleep upstairs. Soon after that there was a smell of burning feathers. The next morning she noticed on the hearth rug six feathers and showed them to the prisoner, who said, “Put them in the fire they are out of the lasses pillow. About 11 AM on Saturday she saw on the back kitchen table 2 fowls pinned up in a towel. Witness examined the parcel, and found it contained two dress fowls. About 9 o’clock the same night prisoner left the house returning at 10.45 she brought back one fowl. Shortly afterwards the husband came in and she said “Well Jack I sold one to Mr Gregory for 2s 3d I couldn’t get shut of the other.”
Witness and her father went to bed about 11 30. As witness was going upstairs she heard prisoner ask her husband where he had got the fowls and he answered somewhere on the way to Stainton. On Sunday about noon prisoner and her husband were in the house when witness remarked, “There’s the Braithwell policeman going by.”
Prisoners husband then washed himself and went out and she had not seen him since. The same afternoon the police came to the house and took away a fowl which was boiling in a pot on the fire. Prisoner told her that Mr Barker brought the two fowls on Friday night and if she had known where they had come from she would have nothing to do with them.
PC Taylor, Braithwell , said he went to the house of Joseph Howell at new Conisbrough where prisoner was living with her husband. He found the fowl produced boiling. Prisoner said, “that’s my dinner.” He took possessions of the fowl and afterwards prisoner was apprehended when she said, “ I am innocent.” You ought to catch them that stole them.
On the application of superintendent Hickes prisoner was remanded until Friday.