Middlesex
to wit.}

THE Information of Thomas Clark< no role > of Ratcliff Highway in the
Parish of Saint Paul Shadwell Master Butcher
Taken this 23 Day of February 1785 before Us Two
of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace and for the said County

Who being upon Oath saith that about Twelve OClock at Noon of Wednesday
The second day of February Instant. his Servant Hubbard Abbott< no role >
came to him and asked him if he would give leave for a
Bullock to be Killed in his Slaughter house who told him
he might as the Slaughter house was at Liberty but at the
same time [..] Informant asked said Hubbard
who it was that wanted the Bullock to be Killed he sayed
He did not know who it was but that there were two
of them, That Hubbard then went away but about Two
OClock the same Afternoon on Informations going over to
the George a public House opposite Informants for a Pint of
Beer he there saw the prisoner Stokes whosayed toasked
Informant of he could Kill a Heifer at Informant Slaughter
house who told him he might on being paid the Common
PriceThat Informant then asked him when he should
bring it who replied as soon as he could. That he this Informant
then went homelast did not see the Bullocks that night [..] then being Two in the Bug [..]
and the next morning on her going into the Slaughter house saw one of the
Bullocks there having been two drove into her Slaughter house [..] had been killed, and finding it be of a Quality
Superior to what he Expected began to Question the person who had
Assisted Hubbard Abbott in dressing the Bullock (and whom
Informant had seen at the Public House aforesaid with Stokes)
and asked him if it was his property who said no it belonged
to Ben (meaning Benjamin Stokes< no role > ). Informant then sayed
to the said Man he should be glad to see Ben. [..] when
the Man saized to Informant he would go and fitch he and
Immediately went away. and in about half an hour afterwards
Stokes came to Informant who asked him if the Bullocks belonged
to him When he replied no but that he and the other man
were Partners in them and on Informants asking him how he
came by them he sold him he had fetched them a great way
but would not tell Informant wherefrom or how he came
by them. Whereupon Informant sold him he should not Part
with the Bullocks unless he could give him a Particular account