The Maryport Advertiser November 3rd 1882 Stealing of a Duck at Camerton

Stealing of a Duck at Camerton

Joseph ISMAY, Thomas COVERLEY, Jonathan POOL and John ISMAY, four men   residing at Camerton, were charged with having stolen a duck, the property of   Wilfrid HARRIS, miner of Camerton, on Friday night last. There was a second charge against the prisoners of stealing a hen from the   hen-house of Joseph ELLWOOD, of Camerton, on the same night, but this was not   gone into. It appeared from the evidence of Mrs. HARRIS, the prosecutor’s wife,  ELLWOOD’ s son, and Police-constables TOWNSON and DALRYMPLE, that the four  prisoners had taken a duck from a barrel in which it was kept in HARRIS” garden  to COVERLEY’s house, where they prepared to cook it. Finding that it was not going to be sufficient to appease their appetites   they made another raid, this time upon ELLWOOD’s hen-house, and made off with a   fine plump hen. ELLWOOD’s son heard the prisoners in his father’s hen-house and  “sneaked” up to COVERLEY’s back door, when the men had again entered the house.  From the conversation he heard he was satisfied that the prisoner’s had stolen  his father’s hen and HARRIS’s duck, and accordingly gave information to both  these parties. The police were informed of the theft, and Police-constable TOWNSON and   Police-constable DALRYMPLE searched COVERLEY’s house, where they found some   feathers, a hen’s foot, and part of a cold roated duck ina  tin. COVERLEY  stated that the remains were those of Mr. HARRIS’s duck and Mr. ELLWOOD’s hen.  The prisoners were then conveyed to the lock-up at Workington. The men pleaded guilty to the charge, and each was fined 40s. Including   costs; in default, a month’s imprisonment with hard labour.

 

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