QSR1841/4/5/6

Depositions and examination - James Whisson, charged by Charles Boddington with obtaining money under false pretences

15 July 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

Mary Boddington, mother of Charles Boddington - her husband is a labourer and lives at Chawson in the parish of Roxton. her son Charles works with Mr Ford a farmer at Colesden. On Thursday 8 July a little boy came to say there was a man at the Nags Head who wanted to speak to her. She found it was James Whisson. He said her son Charles had enlisted and was with George Lovel who was recruiting at Tempsford. He said Lovel had gone another way, so he had come for her son. She asked what the smart money was if he had done wrong. Whisson said it was 25 shillings and would take him before Mr Mountain at Blunham. She said Mr Payne, a magistrate lived near at hand and she wished to go to him. She then sent her daughter to bring her son Charles. She told Whisson she thought he had no authority, having no soldier's clothes on. Whisson replied that as she had been awkward and "huffed" him he would not go before Mr Payne as she proposed. He said the Barford constable could settle it. She said there was a constable in the place and she need not go to Barford. They then all went to the Roxton constable, Packer and to the Chequers public house. She gave her son 25s and he gave it to Whisson. James Packer the constable was present. She told Whisson she would go to Mr Payne if she had paid the money wrong. Charles Boddington the younger of Chawson - he was at Tempsford Feast on Monday and Tuesday. He did not see Whisson there. He saw George Lovel, who is a rifleman, and was drinking with him. He did not enlist. His master came home from the Feast with him. He was sober. James Whisson is in the Marines. He said Whisson had whited him and that he had "taken a shilling from no man" at the Feast. Whisson asked what he came for - he said because he was sent for. He did not know Whisson until his sister told him he was the man who came to fetch him. A young man named How came with Whisson and said he had enlisted. He denied it. He [Whisson] said he would swear he had enlisted. His mother said she would pay the money for him rather than go any further. His mother cannot afford to lose the money - he is to pay her. Whisson said he would not go before Mr Payne, he would go to Mr Mountain or a constable. They went to Packer the constable of Roxton where Whisson took the 25 shillings out of his hand. Whisson said he would not let him go without paying the sum and would not take less. James Packer, constable of Roxton - he was called by Charles Boddington to witness him paying the smart money. He asked if Boddington had enlisted - he said he had not. He proposed to James Whisson to go to Mr Payne's - Whisson said he would rather go to Mr Mountain's. He said he could see the money paid and that was all, but that he would rather go with them to Mr Payne's. He said he thought 25s more than the smart. Whisson said he wanted to be paid for his trouble. [Cross examined by prisoner] - Whisson said several times that if Charles Boddington was not satisfied he might have the money back and go on with him to Shefford. Charles Boddington's mother said she would pay the money rather than her son go any further. James Whisson - Charles Boddington was enlisted by him for the Royal Marines at Tempsford. Boddington said he would pay the smart money rather than go and he took it. He said Boddington need not pay it without going to the Captain, but he could take it before a constable or magistrate. C.G.Payne [magistrate] - he thought it possible the prisoner might have taken the money from Charles Boddington in ignorance of the law as he said he had the 25s at home with his wife for his Captain. He put Whisson in the custody of Peters, police constable of Blunahm, for the night, desiring to see him again the next moring. Peters informed him that Whisson was visited by his wife who said she was entirely without money. Peters was requested by Whisson to give his wife half a crown which Whisson took from his pocket and was all the money he had. Whisson was committed to gaol and subsequently released on his own recognizance to appear at the sessions.

item

Whisson, James,
Boddington, Charles,
Boddington, Mary,
Packer, James,
Lovel, George,
Mountain,
Payne, C G

Chawston, ROXTON, Colesden, TEMPSFORD, BLUNHAM, Barford [Norfolk], false pretences, recruiting officer, soldier, Royal Marines, police constable, Chawston Nags Head, Roxton Chequers, feasts