QSR1842/3/5/38/a

Depositions - John Catlin

27 May 1842

From: 1842 To: 1842

Joseph Allen of Harpur Street, St Paul, Bedford, shoemaker - the previous night May 26th about 11pm he was sent for to his brother's. His brother Samuel Allen is very ill and has been confined to his bed for a month. His brother lives in a little court in Harpur Street. When he got there he found his brother, John Catlin and Catlin's son Henry in bed together. Catlin and his son lodge at his brother's. When he went into the room he asked John Catlin what he had been doing to his brother. Catlin said nothing. He then said the neighbours had called him up because they had heard the awful moans and groans and were afraid Catlin was ill using his brother. He asked his brother if Catlin had struck him. His brother said Catlin had not, but had thrown [??] across him and hurt him very much. His brother then asked him to look in the window and see what money there was. He looked and found 3 1/2 pence. He told his brother in Catlin's hearing that there was only 3 1/2 pence and his brother said there ought to have been more. There were 4 shillings, one of which he had paid to Mrs Chettles for washing and attending him, and he gave her another shilling to get half a quarter of rum and she put the change in the window and told him there were 2s 9 1/2d. He asked his brother what had become of the rest of the money. His brother said Catlin had come home about 9.30 and taken 2 shillings and 6 pence away. He asked his brother if he had told anyone about the money - his brother said he had told Mrs Chettles. He called Mrs Chettle's in and she corroborated that he brother had said. Catlin denied it and said he had not been home after 4pm - then he said 5pm, and then 6pm - until he came home again before 11. His brother is a cripple and not capable of helping himself. Mr Coombs was sent for by Lamb the policeman who was with them. Before he came the prisoner's son Henry Catlin offered the money, saying it fell out of his father's waistcoat pocket. He did not see where the boy got the money but all three were in bed when he saw the money in the boy's hand. He did not count the money and said he would have nothing to do with it. He does not think John Catlin said anything when his son offered the money. Catlin was very drunk. When Coombs came the boy gave the money to Coombs. Father and son were taken into custody. His brother pays John Catlin 6d a day for looking after him. William Coombs, chief constable of Bedford – last night between 11pm and 12am he was called to the house of Samuel Allen and found John Catlin, his son, Joseph Allen and Lamb the constable. Lamb informed him that he had Catlin in charge for robbing Samuel Allen of 2s 6d. He went upstairs to Samuel Allen who was in bed. Catlin may have heard what passed but he does not know whether he did for he was in a very drunken state. Samuel Allen told him John Catlin had taken 2s 6d from the window close to his head. Catlin’s son followed him upstairs and gave him 2s 1/2d saying “here is the money – I found (or I taken) it from the bed – it came out of my father’s pocket”. He then brought Catlin and his son to the cage. That morning he went to the cage and told Catlin he had very much committed himself by taking Allen’s money. Catlin answered that he had taken it but had no intention of keeping it, and would pay him back. Samuel Allen – he has been ill and bedridden for the last 3 weeks. John Catlin had lived with him for some months and since his illness had acted as his nurse and attended to him in return for 3s 6d a week. Catlin lives in his house and sleeps in the same bed with his son and himself. Catlin pays him a shilling a week for his lodging and finds half the firing. Yesterday afternoon about 4pm he had 4 shillings laying in the window behind his bed. Between 5 and 6pm he paid a shilling for washing to Mrs Chettles and gave her another shilling to fetch him 3 pennyworth of rum. She brought the rum and 9d change, which he saw her lay in the window behind his bed. Catlin came home about 9.30pm, came to the window and took out some money, went downstairs and went out. He knew he took some because he heard the halfpence jink. He did not say anything to Catlin because he thought he would make a noise as he was drunk. They did not speak to each other. Mrs Chettles came into his room soon afterwards. She looked in the window for him and found half a crown of his money was gone. He did not give Catlin permission to take his money whenever he pleased, but has lent him money when asked. [Response to question] Catlin did not say to him when he came in the room “master I want two shillings”. Catlin may have asked him when he took 2 shillings from him a fortnight ago, but he cannot say positively. Ann Chettles – about 7pm yesterday she went to Samuel Allen’s house to see how he was. He paid her a shilling for some washing and gave her another shilling to fetch him three pennyworth of rum. She fetched it and gave him the change, putting it in the window behind his bed. She counted the money in the window which amounted to 2s 9d and told him how much was there. An hour later she went in again and asked if Mr Catlin had been home. She looked in the window and found all the money gone except 3d.

item

Catlin, John,
Catlin, Henry,
Allen, Joseph,
Allen, Samuel,
Coombs, William,
Chettles, Ann

Bedford St.Paul, stealing, money, shoemaker, illness, disability, rum, drunkenness