Richard Tummey/Toomey ....Sheep Stealing (General)

by Mike Pinchin , Bedford, England, Sunday, October 11, 2015, 12:17 (3325 days ago) @ sidtoomey01

In case you haven’t seen them already here are a couple of extracts from the BNA,

BNA Kentish Gazette - Friday 16 December 1785

A letter from Gloucester, dated Dec. 10, says, “William Crew, John Chapman, and William Matthews, three villains who years ago were confined in our Castle, were the perpetrators of the cruel robbery of Mrs, Fowles, at Huntley,—Matthews, who lives at Hampton, was observed by a neighbour to have in his house a new pair of women’s shoes, and a bag marked Fowles. The person read of the robbery, immediately apprehended Matthews, who confessed the fact and impeached his accomplices —John Chapman was apprehended at his work in this city ; but Crew is not yet taken. This is a fresh circumstance to prove the necessity of keeping felons in separate confinement. William Crew, not yet taken, is a native of Wotton-Underedge, a stout man, of a pale complexion, dark brown hair, about five feet ten inches high, and 37 years of age. The son of the widow Fowles, of Huntley, having had reason to suspect Richard Toomy, of Bully, of the robbery of his mother’s house, from his living an idle and dissolute life, repaired to his house, and examined the mould of his garden, where thieves usually conceal their booty. Here he found buried several sheepskins, which belonged to sheep stolen from Farmer Cannock, and other persons in that neighbourhood.—Toomy and his son have been since committed to the Castle.

BNA Hereford Journal - Thursday 06 April 1786

Of sixteen persons capitally convicted at Gloucester ten are left for execution, viz. William Crew, Wotton-Underedge, John Chapman, of Randwick, and William Matthews, Hampton, for breaking open the house of Mrs. Fowles, of Huntley; James Davis, of some place in Pembrokeshire, Joseph Fry and Samuel Ward, of the parish of Bitton, for burglaries , Thomas Russ, of Sutton, in Wiitshire, for . highway robbery ; Samuel Holloway, of Stroud, house-breaking; Richard Newman, of Wotton Basset, and William Whittick, of Midsomer Norton, Somersetshire, for horse-stealing.

These six were condemned, but afterwards reprieved, Hannah Veriby for shop lifting, Richard Toomey for sheep stealing, Thomas Hitchon for horse stealing, Elisha King for burglary, George Gay for house-breaking, and George Fry for burglary.