QSR1843/1/5/19

Depositions - James Croft, charged with stealing 6 brass terrets from Charles Higgins

25 October 1842

From: 1842 To: 1843

William Coombs, chief constable of Bedford - last night October 24th about 7pm from information received from Charles Higgins of the Swan Inn he apprehended Croft on a charge of stealing 6 brass terrets ["turrets"]. He did not tell Croft why he had apprehended him until they reached the house of Joseph Wright, marine store dealer. He asked Wright in Croft's hearing if he had some brass terrets he had brought from the prisoner. Wright gave him the six terrets now produced. Wright said in Croft's hearing "I bought 4 of those turrets of this boy. The other two I bought of a man who goes about gathering rags named George Evans, which he (Evans) had bought of this boy, but I cannot tell which of the two I bought of Evans". Croft then said he would tell the truth about it. He cautioned Croft not to say anything more about it there. Joseph Wright of Wells Street, St Paul Bedford, marine store dealer - on October 15 the boy (Croft) came to his house and offered him 4 of the brasses for sale. Croft said "the mail had done running", that his father used to look after the horses and had the brasses to sell. The brasses were very bright - Croft said he had just cleaned them. They weighed about 1lb 1oz and he paid him 4d. About an hour and a half later George Evans game to him and offered two other brass terrets of the same kind for sale. He bought them for 2 1/2 d. He put the 6 terrets in a tub with other old metal. He does not know which terrrets he bought from the prisoner and which from Evans. Mr Coombs came to him the previous night with Croft in custody and he delivered the terrets to Mr Coombs. John Waller of St Paul Bedford, horsekeeper - he is coach horse keeper to Mr Charles Higgins and it was his business to look after the coach horse harness of the Bedford Times coach. The previous afternoon he examined a set of coach harnes belonging to Mr Higgins and missed 3 terrrets from that harness. The 3 lightest of the 6 produced are the 3 he missed. He is sure they are the same as he has cleaned the same harness for a dozen years and the three terrets fit the pads. [Demonstrated] The other three terrets belong to other harness of Mr Higgins but he had not missed them as he does not look after that harness. Croft was a jobbing boy in Mr Higgins' yard. He was not employed there last week or the week before to his knowledge. He had not noticed the harness with the missing turrets since he put it away about a month ago. The prisoner used to be with his father at different time before the mail was off. The mail ceased running some weeks since. Croft's father looked after the mail horses and harness. On of the three light turrets is bent and had been for a long time. Charles Higgins of the Swan Inn, St Paul Bedford, innkeeper - Croft has often been employed about his premises as a jobbing boy. He never authorised him or any other person to sell any of his harness terrets.

item

Croft, James,
Coombs, William,
Wright, Joseph,
Waller, John,
Higgins, Charles,
Evans, George

Bedford St.Paul, Bedford Wells Street, marine stores dealer, horsekeeper, innkeeper, stealing, harness, Bedford Swan Inn, horse drawn coaches