QSR1848/1/5/13-14

Depositions and examination - Charles Jones charged with stealing 7 brass bushes and 5 brass bearings from William Hensman the elder and William Hensman the younger of Woburn, machine makers; Edward Pepper charged with receiving them knowing them to be stolen

5 and 12 November 1847

From: 1847 To: 1848

George Archer of Woburn, bookkeeper – he is the son in law of William Hensman of Woburn, machine maker, and is his bookkeeper. Jones had been in Hensman’s employment for about 5 years as a labourer. On Saturday 30 October he was at Bedford and was accosted by Henry Inskip, shopman to Mr Howard, an ironmonger at Bedford. Inskip asked if he knew 12 brasses he showed to him. Seven are brass bushes belonging to thrashing machines and five are brass bearings for the same purpose. They are now produced, along with the models from which they were made. The total value is 17s. As old metal they are worth 4s 8d, which is 7d a pound. He knows them to be of Mr Hensman’s make. They have had a great number placed in the office and he had not missed them. They have only sold one pair since the lot was made. They only sell one now and again – they use them in their own work. It is all quite fresh and could not be called old metal. William Coombs, police superintendent at Bedford – the brasses were given to him by Henry Inskip, the shopman of John Howard, who suspected they were stolen from the maker. Inskip said he bought them from John Andrews. He saw Archer who identified them. He showed them to Andrews who said he bought them from Pepper of Lidlington the week before. He and Archer went to Pepper who said he bought them from Mr Hensman’s man for 3½d a pound. Pepper described the man and said he lived in the Great Yard, Woburn, and said he sold them to Andrews for 5d or 5½d a pound. He attended here [Woburn magistrates] on Monday with Inskip and Andrews. Andrews was informed he was to attend again today. Inskip also said that morning he was coming, but he later received a message that his master would not allow him. He cautioned Pepper not to say anything to anybody for fear the man would go away. Francis Sadler of Woburn, labourer – he was at Lidlington last Sunday. Pepper came to him at his brother’s house and said to him “tell Charles Jones I expect they’ll come to take him”. He asked what had been the matter. Pepper said he had been buying some old stuff from Jones. He told Jones as Pepper asked. Henry Inskip – he is employed by John Howard and James Howard, ironmongers at Bedford. He does not know either of the prisoners. On 23 October John Andrews, a dealer in old iron and such things brought a quantity of old metal including the brasses produced to the shop. He did not notice the brasses at the time – he thinks they were inside some old pots, part of the old metal. They buy old metal from Andrews sometimes 3 or 4 times a week and usually give 6½d a pound for copper and brass mixed. He saw there was more brass than copper in the lot and gave him 12s (he thinks) for 23 lbs. After Andrews left he turned over the metal and saw the brasses were new and that the bushes were ready for the machine. He then suspected they were stolen. He caused inquiry to be made and on the following Saturday he showed them to George Archer who recognised them as Mr Hensman’s property. He gave them to William Coombs. John Andrews of Bedford, dealer in old iron, rags, metals etc. – he has had occasional dealings with Pepper for a year of more. Pepper brought to him an assortment of metals, bones, rags etc on 23 October which he weighed. The brass was weighed by itself but does not remember the exact quantity. He gave 5d a pound for it. The brass appeared to be some sort of castings. He makes no distinction between new and old, but treats it all as old. He has previously asked Pepper where he got things from and if it was all right, and Pepper satisfied him it was, so he did not ask questions every time. Pepper had previous told him he bought things in his common dealings going round the neighbourhood. He took all the brass he bought from Pepper on 23 Oct to Mr Howards with other brass and sold it for 6d a pound. Charles Jones – [November 5] he was at Lidlington some time back and saw Pepper at the Green Man public house. Pepper asked if he could get him some old brass. He said it wasn’t his. Pepper said if he got him some he’d never tell and if he did he hoped his throat might be cut. If Pepper had not said this he would not have had anything to do with it (meaning the brass he sold him). [November 12] He sold Pepper the brass for 3d a pound. The last lot he sold him was 4 pounds for which Pepper gave him a shilling. He has sold new brass to Pepper twice and old brass three or four times. When Pepper bought the bushes he said “all the work to these is of no use” and refused to give him more than for old brass. He would not have done it if Pepper had not asked him. When he sold some to Pepper he was asked to get more as soon as he could. Pepper knew he worked for Mr Hensman when he first spoke to him about it. He sold the last lot to Pepper in the Rose and Crown Yard. They dealt in the stable and Pepper hid them under the manger. Pepper said he would buy whatever could get from Mr Hensman’s and would not tell. Pepper asked two or three times before he agreed. Edward Pepper – the first time he bought metal from Jones he came into Woburn one Tuesday that year and Jones said he had some old stuff for him. He went into Jones’ house and bought some brass – Jones said it was 20lbs but he weighed it as 18 lbs and paid 5s 3d. Some was like this [new] and some was “drossy”. He asked Jones if it was alright and to consider that he had never been in trouble before. Jones said it was alright. He later bought another small lot and then two little lots from the woman. Altogether he has bought 31½ lbs and has paid him 10s 6d. After he bought the things produced he rubbed them up a bit and thought he would get more for them, but he did not ask any more. He has been “in a caution” before so he wanted to be all right. He knew Jones worked for Mr Hensman. He never bought any brasses from Mr Hensman himself. When he sent word by Francis Sadler to Jones, Jones came to him at 4am next morning and asked for some money to go away, but he refused to give it.

item

Jones, Charles,
Pepper, Edward,
Hensman, William,
Archer, George,
Coombs, William,
Sadler, Francis,
Inskip, Henry,
Andrews, John,
Howard, John

WOBURN, stealing, machine maker, agricultural machinery, bookkeeper, police superintendent, shopman, ironmongers, rag merchant