QSR1845/3/5/19&22/b

Depositions and examination - Tedhanar Webb charged with stealing a £5 note from John Saville and Betsy Harpur for receiving it knowing it to be stolen

4 July 1845

From: 1845 To: 1845

John Saville of Great Barford, butcher – on 23 June he put into a cash box that stood on the drawers in his bedroom 10 £5 notes. He locked the box and gave the key to his wife. On Friday night 27 June he went to the box to put in some money and found one of the notes had been taken away. His wife said she had not been to the box. The key is part of a bunch and is often left in cupboards and other places. He has heard Webb say that morning that she had the £5 note and that she found it on the carpet in the bedroom. She said she went up the orchard and handed it over the garden gate to Betsy Harpur and that they came to Bedford and Betsey Harpur got change for it by buying a pair of stockings at Mr Lacey’s the draper’s shop in the High Street on Thursday last, and that Harpur kept the change. When the policeman was coming to Harpur’s house on Friday morning she saw him and told Harpur that he was coming. Harpur then put 4 sovereigns into the thatch and took 14s from her and threw it into a drawer. He also heard Harpur say that morning that she had the £5 note and got change for it at Mr Lacey’s shop and that she gave the change to Webb. Frederick Bennett of St Paul Bedford, draper’s assistant – he remembers the older prisoner coming into Mr Lacey’s shop on Thursday. She tendered a £5 note in payment. He gave her 4 sovereigns and 19s in silver in change. Tedhaner Webb – last Friday morning week she shook the £5 note out of the bedroom carpet and gave it to Betsy Harpur last Thursday morning. On that day they went to Bedfod. Harpur went to Mr Lacey’s shop and bought a pair of stockings. Last Friday morning when the policeman was coming she wrapped 4 sovereigns up in something and put it into the thatch and said if the search the house they can’t find it. Betsy Harpur – Webb gave her the £5 note to buy her a pair of stockings at Mr Lacey’s. She bought a pair for 13d. Mr Lacey’s assistant gave her 4 sovereigns and 19 shillings in change. When she came out of the shop Webb was standing in the street and she gave her the change and the stockings. Webb said that the £5 note belonged to a servant and the stockings were for the same person. Last Friday morning Webb said she was going to Mrs Denis’s of Blunham to see after a place and from there she was going home whether she got the place or not. In a few minutes Webb came running back and said Mr Beach was coming to take her. She asked Webb what for – Webb said for kicking up a row with Mr and Mrs Saville. She said Webb should have known better. Webb said “pray don’t mention a word about the £5 note. I got it from my mother and it has been folded in my Bible for months on a table by the side of my bed”. She said “it’s best known to you Mary whether it is Mr Saville’s or no”. Webb held up her hand and said if she ever had any money of Mr Saville’s she wished God might strike her dead. Then Mr Beach came and took her into custody. She told Mr Beach she had plenty of money then. Tedhanar Webb [again] – Harpur gave her 14s which she asked her for and said if Mr Beech overtook her she was to say Harpur lent it to her. When she saw Mr Beach coming she gave it to Harpur who put it into a drawer in her bedroom.

item

Webb, Tedhanar,
Saville, John,
Harpur, Betsy,
Harpur, William,
Bennett, Frederick

Great Barford, BEDFORD, Bedford St.Paul, stealing, money, butcher, domestic servant, draper