Notes for: George Girling
Cambridge Chronicle 2 Mar 1861:
SHEEP STEALING - William Rayner was charged with having, during the night of February 15, feloniously stolen a sheep, the property of Mr. Toller, of Trumpington, of the value of £2. 10s. - Prisoner, who was very unconcerned apparently, employed himself by discussing a thick piece of bread during part of his examination. - Prosecutor said that he had stolen some sheep folded near home, in a field called "Hill Field," on the night of the 15th: there were two pens of them. On the morning of the 16th, witness’s shepherd came to him and told him that some one had been killing and stealing a sheep, and had left the skin behind. Witness returned with him to the field and found that the case was as had been stated. The prisoner was in the employ of witness. - Thomas Parker, the shepherd alluded to by prosecutor, said he folded the sheep in Hill Field on the night of the 15th, in two pens. They were all hoggets, and numbered 273. Witness reached the fold soon after six o’clock on the morning of the 16th, and found a skin about 30 yards therefrom, which he recognised as one of his master’s hoggets on account of the brand. Witness fetched his master, and on their arrival together they counted the sheep, and missed one from the pen which contained the smaller number. The sheep did not appear to have been flayed by an expert hand, judging from the skin found. - Supt. Stretten, having received information, went to prisoner’s house on the previous day (Friday, the 22nd). Prisoner was not in, and witness sent for him from prosecutor’s farm. Previous to his arrival, however, witness said to his wife that he wanted to look if there was anything in the house which did not belong to them. The woman appeared very uneasy and alarmed at this announcement, and went to a cupboard, from which she endeavoured by stealth to carry away a bag and some pieces of mutton. She was in the act of carrying them into another room, when witness put his hand on her arm and asked her what she had got. She said a little piece of meat which she had bought. Witness insisted on her sitting down and she did so, the meat in the meantime being placed on the table. On one of the pieces of meat there was a little wool. Witness, not finding anything more downstairs, went up-stairs, and was followed by the woman and Inspector Long. Witness left the two in one room, whilst he was in the other. Mr. Long called out, "Here’s something here," and handed from under one of the boards the greater part of a carcase of a sheep (produced). [The meat appeared to have been cut up by an inexperienced hand]. Witness remarked: "This is a curious place to keep your mutton." The prisoner, who had arrived a little time previously, replied: "I can keep my meat where I like, surely: I bought the meat of a butcher in the market last Saturday ." "Very well," answered witness, "you may go and find him to-morrow morning in the market if you like." Prisoner replied that he should not know the man if he saw him. Witness produced a knife, which he found on searching the prisoner, and also a chopper found in the cupboard down-stairs. On the latter there were marks of fat. [The chopper was here examined with a magnifying glass, and vestiges of wool were found on it.] Witness took the prisoner into custody, and caused his trowsers (produced), which were made of corduroy, to be taken from him, as there was wool on them. With a pair of compasses, witness compared a small cast in plaster of Paris of the impression left in the field where the sheep had been slaughtered, with the width of the cord of the trowsers which were taken from the prisoner, and they were found to correspond. - Inspector Long corroborated last witness, and produced a cast in plaster of Paris of footprints near the place where the skin was found, and which agreed exactly in length and breadth with the boots worn by the prisoner. The foot-prints went from the place in the direction of the prisoner’s house. That morning witness took the prisoner into the Cambridge Market-place and asked him to point out the man of whom he bought the carcase . He said, "I don’t know him: I could not swear to him," - P.C. Girling corroborated in part the evidence of the two last witnesses. - Mr. Wallis, butcher, Castle-street, proved that when the sheep was skinned, some egregious blunders had been made, so much so that a butcher could not have slaughtered it. - Prisoner, having been asked if he had anything to say, replied that he bought the meat for 13s. in the market on Saturday. - He was committed for trial.
Cambridge Chronicle 2 Jul 1864:
Sidney Haslop, aged 9, out on bail, was charged with unlawfully placing a piece of brick and three stones on the metals of the Bedford and Cambridge Railway, in the parish of Trumpington, on the 12th of March last, with intent to injure persons travelling thereon. - Mr. MILLS for the prosecution; Mr. NAYLOR for the defence. - P.c. Girling, who was on duty at the spot, saw the boy in a stopping position on the line, and he afterwards admitted that he put the brick on the metals. The prisoner's grandfather was in Court, and he promised to have him privately whipped, the learned counsel, Mr. MILLS, thinking the ends of justice would be thereby met. - The Deputy-Chairman cautioned the youth, and he was discharged.
Cambridge Independent Press 30 Jul 1864:
ARSON AT TRUMPINGTON.
Tom Cook, (33), labourer, was charged with maliciously setting fire to several stacks of wheat at Trumpington, the property of Mr. J. Maris, on the 1st inst.
Mr. ORRIDGE, instructed by Messrs GRAIN & WINTER, prosecuted. The prisoner was undefended.
Mr. Maris said he was a farmer, living at Trumpington. Had six wheat stacks standing in a field between Trumpington and Hauxton. On the night of the 1st inst. they were all burnt down. Their value was £680.
Samuel Brookes, states that he was a coal merchant. Was on the Trumpington-road about six o'clock on the evening in question. The prisoner was on the path, which he left, and came upon the road and walked with witness. He said that he had been on to Boston and other parts, and came on to Ely, where he sold his shoes and shirt. He could get nothing to eat, but jumped over into a pea-field and filled his belly with peas. He was bound for London. He was ashamed to cadge and could not live like this any longer. He went towards Trumpington, and said he had slept in a haystack the night before.
The Prisoner: This witness said nothing about a haystack before.
Prime Coulson, tailor, Cambridge, stated that he saw the prisoner on the Trumpington-road, about 500 yards from the stacks, on the Harston side of the road. Noticed the stacks, and found them all right (a laugh.) The prisoner was the only person he met. It was about half-a-mile from the stacks to Trumpington. Drove back and saw the prisoner in custody of the police.
Arthur Blyth Simpson was driving on the evening in question from Harston to Trumpington. When he got through the gate he saw a light and was soon satisfied that it was a fire. That was about ten o'clock. Drove quickly on to Trumpington and gave the alarm. Looked purposely upon the road to see if he could observe any one. Met a man going towards the fire, but it was not the prisoner.
John Brunton, shoemaker, was on his way towards Trumpington on the Sunday evening. Saw a fire and witness and a young man went on to the fire together. It was then about half-past nine o'clock.
George Gurling, one of the police for Trumpington, stated that he went to the fire. About 500 yards from this side of the fire he met the prisoner and asked him where he came from. He said he came from Hauxton, and that he had passed some stacks. Witness said "Where is the fire?" He said "I don't know." After some further questions, witness said "I shall take you into custody for setting fire to Mr. Maris' stacks." He said "Very well. Had you been alone I would throw you over my shoulder, and break you b-- neck."
William Haslop, gardener to Mr. Foster, stated that he accompanied the last witness and prisoner to the fire, and corroborated the policeman.
The JUDGE thought there was hardly a case for the jury. It was a mere case of suspicion. Under his lordship's direction, the jury acquitted the prisoner.
Cambridge Chronicle 5 Jan 1867:
FIRE AT GRANCHESTER AND PRESUMED SUICIDE OF A SERVANT GIRL
The inhabitants of the village of Grantchester were aroused from their quietude at an early hour on Saturday morning last by a cry of fire, and which alarm soon created in the place, the greatest excitement. The fire had broken out at the public house known as the Rose and Crown, surrounded by cottages, and buildings of a combustible material, and as a fierce wind was blowing at the time, fears were entertained for the safety of occupants of houses adjoining the one where the outbreak had taken place, as well as property generally, which then appeared to be in danger of total destruction. About ten o’clock on the night of Friday, the inmates of the Rose and Crown including several lodgers, had retired to rest, the servant girl Annie Smith, being permitted to have a candle and sit up in the bar, where she slept, for the purpose of repairing her stays, she being cautioned by her mistress to be careful. It was in the bar that the fire first occurred, and therefore it is presumed that the girl must have fallen asleep, and then the sad result followed. . . .
INQUEST
was held at the Red Lion, Grantchester, at half-past nine o’clock, before J. Grain, Esq., Deputy Coroner for F. Barlow, Esq., on view of the body of Annie Smith, the deceased servant girl. The first witness called was James Smith, of Barton, father of the deceased . . .
Edward Golden said: I kept the Rose and Crown public-house which was burnt down on Saturday morning. . . . All my house was burnt down and my furniture destroyed. The shoes produced belonged to the deceased; they were brought to me by some men on Saturday, who said they found them on the bank of the river. . . .
George Girling, of Trumpington, County police-constable, said: On Saturday last I received the boots produced. I then went down to the river, saw a man named Dawkins; he showed me the spot where he had found them. A decayed tree projects into the river at the spot. The witness Bard was there, and we pulled out the body; it had on a dress, but no stays, shoes, or stockings.
Mr Knowles, surgeon, made a post mortem examination of the body, which presented appearances as if the head had been immersed in the water downwards. He had no doubt that death was caused by drowning. There were no marks of burning or pregnancy.
The Deputy-Coroner having carefully summed up, the Jury returned an open verdict of "Found Drowned."
Cambridge Chronicle 26 Jan 1867:
CAMBRIDGE DIVISION PETTY SESSIONS,
SATURDAY, JAN. 19.
(Before Major Pemberton and T. J. Ficklin, Esq.)
Arthur Peters, labourer, Trumpington, and James Parr, coal carter, Cambridge-place, Cambridge, were charged the former with stealing, and the latter with receiving a truss of hay, the property of Mr. James Field Fetch, who resides at Cambridge and has a farm at Trumpington, and stated that in consequence of information be received he accompanied the police on Thursday last to Parr’s house, and in the stable saw the hay now produced which he identified as his property; he knew it from its peculiarity being composed of rye-grass and trefoil. He had not sold any hay from the stack. Peters was employed to cart straw or hay to Cambridge when required. The truss found at Parr’s was worth about 2s 6d. Peters had occasion to come to his house on Thursday morning last and he had reason to believe that it was then that Peters took the hay to Parr’s premises. When Parr was asked where he got the hay from he said he did not know, some one put it in the stable. He said also that he had not paid for it or ordered it of any one. When he came home from work he found it in his stable. - Major PEMBERTON - Did you or the constable take any portion of the hay from the rack and compare it with the truss in the stable? - Witness - Yes, sir, and it corresponded. - Sergeant Maltby, Cambridge, went with p.c. Rayner, to the premises of Parr (hired of Mr. Reeves) when Parr said he could not account for the hay being in his possession, but added "I wish I had thought of it I would have asked Mr. Fetch to have taken the money the value of the hay, and so saved all farther bother." - To p.c. Gurling, of Trumpington, Peters admitted taking the hay, but said he was badly shod, and he thought it would do him a little good: he was very sorry for it. He also told the Bench that he did take the hay; it was the first time, and he hoped the Court would have mercy upon him. - Mr; NAYLOR, for Parr, said there was no evidence of any felonious receiving on the part of the defendant Parr. The only thing against him was the finding of the hay in the stable which he hired, and which might have been put there without his knowledge. - The Magistrates committed both prisoners for trial at the Sessions, bail being allowed, which Parr procured.