Reading Mercury

Dated 9^th January 1886

ALLEGED HIGHWAY ROBBERY – Henry Rabbits and Fred Jewell of Headley, Kingsclere, aged 19 and 18 respectively, were charged with committing a highway robbery with violence, at Headley, on the 2^nd December. William Budden, hawker, of Newbury said that on the evening in question he was returning from Kingsclere to Newbury. When he was near the School, about 9.45, two young men came up in front of him, and one of them asked for tobacco. Before he could answer he was knocked down and kicked in the ankle. They took four umbrellas and his bag, which contained goods and tools, the value of which was 2/-. He got up and saw the two men walking away. He went back towards the Harrow Inn, and met P.C. Blackburn and reported the case to him.

The father of the defendant Rabbits deposed that on the Saturday night in question, about 10 o’clock, his son came home with Jewell. They had four umbrellas and a bag which they said they had bought off an umbrella man. Witness said he would not believe it, and would not allow the bag to remain on the premises. He put it outside in the garden. His son was gone about half an hour, and returned and went to bed. The next morning (Sunday) he left in the company with Jewell, and witness had not seen him till that day.

 P.C. Courtney said he went on Sunday evening to Headley, and found four umbrellas buried in Rabbits’s garden. The bag he found in a culvert about 40 yards from Tan House. The articles were identified on Monday. Witness apprehended the prisoners at the Barracks at Reading, they having that day, enlisted into the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

Both prisoners were committed to take their trial at the Assizes on the 13^th February.