QSR1841/4/5/17/a

Depositions - John Scott, charged with stealing glue

4 August 1841

From: 1841 To: 1841

Thomas Brittain Whiffen of St Cuthbert Bedford, coachmaker - he is a coachmaker in partnership with Mr Charles Clarke. He had employed Scott for 2 months or more as a coach trimmer. During that time he had missed several articles. About 6 weeks ago he missed an end of drab cloth on which Scott had been employed. That morning he missed some glue from a box in the shop. Scott had no occasion to use any glue. His men generally asked him when they wanted to use the glue. In the previous fortnight he had not used 2 oz of glue. From information received he went to Mr Pratt's with Mr Clarke. They saw a quantity of glue of the same quality as the glue they used. There was about 2lbs in large cakes. The glue he missed from his box was in large pieces. After he was taken into custody he asked Scott if he had taken the glue. Scott said he had taken it and did so because he wanted some beer. Scott offered to pay for the glue if he would forgive him. William Pratt of St Paul Bedford, carpenter - he keeps a beer shop in All Hallows Lane. Scott came to his house the previous night and offered to sell him some glue. He asked how Scott came by it. He said he was a cabinet maker and said he had come from Newport that day, and that a friend had given him the glue "to make a trifle of" as he had no money. Scott insisted it was not stolen. He gave Scott a shilling for it. William Coombs of Silver Street, St Paul Bedford, chief constable - after he had taken Scott into custody Scott said he took the glue to get beer and he sold it to Pratt. Scott asked him to intercede with Mr Clarke and Whiffen not to prosecute.

item

Scott, John,
Whiffen, Thomas Britain,
Clarke, Charles,
Pratt, William,
Coombs, William

stealing, coach maker, Bedford St.Cuthbert, Bedford St.Paul, Bedford All Hallows Lane