| The Felonious Activities of John Jackson Kyte |
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All these articles are from the Ripley Advertiser Article of January 17, 1880 ILKESTON PETTY SESSIONS, Thursday, Jan 8th. (Before J Huish, Esq. and Charles Schwinde, Esq.) ALLEGED SHEEP AND FOWL STEALING Three respectably dressed young men, named John Jackson Kyte, George Kyte, and William Flewitt Grundy, were brought up in custody charged with stealing six sheep, the property of John Bridges, farmer, Belper, on the 17th November; and also with stealing 30 couples of fowls, on the 26th December, the property of William Tomlinson, of Stanley. The police asked for a remand, as there were several other charges. The prisoners applied for bail, alleging that they were innocent of the charge, but it was refused. HEANOR PETTY SESSIONS Monday, January 12th. (Before R S W Sitwell, Esq. and J Huish, Esq.) THE ROBBERIES OF SHEEP AND FOWLS - George Kyte, John Jackson Kyte, and W F Grundy were charged by Job Turton, farmer, of Heanor, with stealing on the 31st ult, nine couples of fowls, his property. Mr. Thurman, of Ilkeston, appeared for the prisoners, who are the same persons who are in custody on charges of stealing sheep from various quarters in Derbyshire. Superintendent Hancock applied for a remand. As the application was not opposed by Mr. Thurman, it was granted, and the prisoners were removed in custody, Grundy protesting his innocence. Mary Jane Kyte and Sarah Ann Kyte, the wives of the two Kytes, and the sisters of Grundy, were then charged with having disposed of the stolen property. Mr. Thurman appeared for the prisoners. A remand having been applied for and granted, Mr. Thurman informed the Bench that Mrs. Jane Kyte had two children with her in custody and Mrs. Sarah Kyte one, and that he did not think the charge against them would really be brought home. Besides, as their husbands were in custody, they were not likely to leave the country. For these reasons he had to ask that they be admitted to bail. Superintendent Hancock stated that there were other charges of stealing fowls against the prisoners, and that a great portion of the property had not yet been recovered. He asked the Bench not to admit them to bail, on the ground that it would be in their power to thwart the efforts of the police in getting possession of the property. The Bench remarked that most likely they acted under the influence of their husbands. Mr. Hancock replied that, in disposing of the property, they dealt independently of their husbands. The Bench decided to admit the prisoners to bail, each in two sureties of £20. Enoch Williamson was charged with stealing fowls, the property of Joseph Harrison. On Saturday last Inspector Cowley went to the prisoner's house with a warrant to search it, and found nine fowls altogether. Two of the number had been identified by Mrs. Tomlinson, of Stanley, from whose farm the two Kytes and Grundy were charged with having stolen thirty couples of fowls on the night of the 26th ult. Mrs. Tomlinson, with others, had also identified fowls found on the premises of the Kytes. Prisoner denied the charge. A remand was applied for, and granted. A number of persons in Heanor Lane also had ducks or fowls stolen. Unusual excitement had been created throughout the whole district by the sheep and fowl robberies, owing to the persons charged occupying respectable positions in life. Mr. George Walker, farmer, of Trowell, who has had some sheep stolen, has identified one of them in a field at Stanley, occupied by the Kytes, who are also believed to have a stolen horse in their possession. Article of January 17, 1880 THE GREAT SHEEP ROBBERIES IN DERBYSHIRE At the Derby County Police court, on Friday, before Colonel Mosley and other Magistrates, a middle aged man named John Parker, described as a butcher living at Horsley Woodhouse, was charged, in conjunction with three other men now in custody at Langley Mill, with stealing a number of sheep, the property of various farmers. Prisoner was specifically charged with stealing six sheep, the property of John Litchfield, at Draycott; six sheep, the property of Joseph Smith, at Draycott; six sheep from William Riley, of Boulton; and six sheep from Wm. Barton, of Spondon. Mr. Briggs appeared to defend the prisoner Inspector Borritt said on Wednesday morning, at half past six, he visited the prisoner's house at Horsley Woodhouse. Prisoner was at home, and was just getting up. Witness told him that he wanted him, and asked if John Kyte, of Stanley Common, was there. Prisoner said he was not, but witness might look round if he liked. Before witness could charge him the prisoner said "It is a nice thing that I should have to go and be charged with sheep stealing." Witness then charged him with the offence and brought him away. He had to ask for a remand for a week, and, under the circumstances (the inspector stated at a later period) he should oppose bail. Mr. Briggs said his client was quite innocent, but knew something about the matter which might be of use to the police, and he was quite ready to say all he knew. Prisoner: I slaughtered for Mr. Prince, of Heanor, three days a week, and for Mr. Brentnall, of Heanor, one day a week. I left Mr. Prince's slaughterhouse at Heanor at ten minutes past nine on Thursday night week; I left Brentnall's at ten o'clock. Brentnall said if I had been ten minutes sooner I should have had company at Horsley with the policeman. I said "I think not, for I met him up against Mr. Barber's at Smalley, in plain clothes." Brentnall said "No, you are mistaken, he had a big coat and his lamp." When I got to Horsley Woodhouse against the Jolly Colliers, I met the policeman, and spoke to him for ten minutes, then I went home. On the Tuesday I went to fetch my tools from Brentnall's and to see whether I should go to Nottingham or Derby. In the meantime, George Kyte (now in custody) came and called Mr. Brentnall out. On Mr. Brentnall's return he said " He wants me to go and look at some lambs at his brother John's." I said "Well, you'll buy them cheap from what I have heard." He then put the mare in the cart, and I accompanied Mr. Brentnall to Kyte's, at Stanley. I got out and called Kyte. Then Inspector Cowley came up and said there were some sheep stolen, and he would rather none were moved that day. Kyte said to me "I want you to look at a saw." I went into the house, when he said " Oh! this mess." I said " Oh, if you have got stolen sheep you will have to give them up; give them up, and have done with it." Kyte said he had paid for them, and got a receipt. I said "If you have, you will have to give them up." He asked us to have some beer; Brentnall said he did not care for any, and we got into the cart and came away. When the Inspector came on Wednesday morning, he asked me where Kyte was. I said "He is not here, and I would not harbour him." Prisoner added that he had not been in Draycott or Spondon for a long time. He had never been friends with the Kytes. The Bench thought this statement had not done the prisoner any good, and they remanded him for a week. Article of January 31, 1880 SMALLEY THE EXTENSIVE ROBBERRIES OF SHEEP - On Tuesday John and George Kyte were brought up before the Hon. F. Strutt at the County Goal, charged with stealing six lamb hogs belonging to Mr. John Bridges, farmer, of Belper. Mr. Briggs defended George Kyte. About the middle of November the prosecutor had 14 sheep in his field, but six were subsequently missed, and he and a lad named Edward Harrison, who is in his employ, subsequently saw five of them in a shed at Stanley Common in the occupation of a miner named Jonathan Longdon, who made an agreement with John Kyte for his sheep to run there. Both prisoners were on the land on the 19th of Nov. The prisoners were subsequently arrested by Inspector Cowley, who now gave similar evidence to that which he gave before the County Magistrates last Friday. There was not sufficient evidence against George Kyte, who was consequently dismissed, but immediately re-arrested on another charge. John Kyte, who alleged that he bought the sheep in Nottingham market, was committed for trial at the Assizes. - At the County Goal, on Wednesday before S. R. Cox, Esq., John Kyte was charged with stealing six sheep, the property of Mr. Jacob Smith, of Draycott Fields Farm, on the 2nd inst. He was committed to take his trial at the assizes. Article of February 2, 1880 Before W. Jessop, Esq., Sir J G N Alleyne, and W C Haslam, Esq. THE CATTLE STEALING CHARGE George Kyte, of Smalley, E. Williams, and J F Grundy, were charged with stealing on the 10th of January, 1879 a cow, the property of Mr. Potter, of Stanley. Mr. Kyte was on bail, the others were in custody. Mr. Hancock, Superintendent of Police, asked for a remand, inasmuch as they had not yet received the hide of the cow, which was in a pit full of water, the emptying of which they were at work at and he expected to receive it every day, and a person named Skeavington could swear to the horns. Mr. Briggs, of Derby, appeared for Kyte, and he contended that his client, who was a respectable young man, was very hardly dealt with. In the first place he is charged with fowl stealing, the case is investigated, the charge dismissed; then he is arrested and charged with sheep stealing - again he charge is dismissed; and now he is charged with stealing a cow, more than 12 months ago, the skin of which is said to be in a pit full of water. He must protest against this course and ask for his discharge; if anything turns up he can be re-arrested. The Bench said he was on bail - there was not the name hardship, but as Mr. Briggs pointed out that all these remands entailed heavy costs to the defendent and his friends. The case was eventually adjourned to Heanor next Monday, and Mr. Kyte's father renewed his bail in £100 for his son. Article of February 14, 1880 The Sheep Stealing case at Draycott - John Jackson Kyte was indicted for stealing five sheep, the property of Joseph Smith, Draycott, on the 2nd of Jan. Mr. Horace Smith and Mr. Tanman Mosley prosecuted, and Mr. Griffiths defended. The first witness called was Mr. Joseph Smith, the prosecutor. He said on the 2nd of January he had some sheep in a field at Draycott. They were all cut through the ear, and were branded with the initials 'T.P' and 'J.S' He had bought them only a short time ago at Stratford-on-Avon. On the morning of the third, five of the sheep were missed. On the seventh he went to the Glendon Iron Co.'s farm, at Stanley, and found the sheep there. Cross-examined: He was quite sure the sheep were his, both from the marks he had described, and their general appearance. John Thompson, a shepherd in the employ of the last witness, spoke to missing the sheep. He was quite sure the sheep found at Stanley were Mr. Smith's. Nottingham was eleven miles from Draycott and ten from Stanley, Draycott being about six miles from the latter place. Jonathan Longdon said defendent rented a little land under him at Stanley. He put 18 sheep in in November, and about the beginning of January that number increased to 25. In cross-examination witness said there was a lane against the field, but it was not much used. Inspector Cowley said that on the 6th of January he went in company with Kyte and some constables to a field at Stanley. On the way Kyte asked whether there were some sheep missing. He said he had bought 15 at Nottingham market on the previous Saturday, and produced a receipt. In the field witnesses found five sheep which were subsequently identified by Mr. Smith as his property. Prisoner was apprehended, but as witness was taking him to the Ilkeson lock-up in a trap, he jumped out and ran away. Police Constable Sharpe spoke to re-apprehending the prisoner near his home. Enoch Williams said on the 3rd of January the defendent came to him and asked him to write the receipt produced. He said he had been stealing sheep in various parts of the county, and wanted to show some receipt. He dictated to witness what to write, and he (witness) wrote it down. Mr. Horace Smith submitted that he had made out his case as clear as possible. The sheep were missed and found a few days afterwards on the defendent's land. He had produced a witness before them who had sworn that the defendent had told him that he had been stealing sheep. He had also sworn that he had been requested by the defendent to make out a receipt for some sheep which the defendent had given the policeman. Mr. Griffiths, for the defence, contended that the account the defendent gave of his possession of the sheep was reasonable in every respect. The evidence of the man William must be looked at with great caution. Williamson (sic) was, according to his own statement, in custody on a charge of stealing a heifer, and evidence given by such men was not to be trusted to any great extent. The Judge having summed up, the jury after a short consultation found the prisoner guilty. A summary of his trial at Derby Assizes and the outcome can be found here |
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