QSR1837/4/5/23

Depostions and examination - John Turner, Thomas Davis and Samuel Watts charged with stealing a silver watch from the person of John Fuller. Turner committed for trial. Davis and Watts discharged.

16 October 1837

From: 1837 To: 1837

Elizabeth Pratt, wife of William Pratt of St Paul Bedford, retail beer seller – on Sunday evening 1 October about 9.30pm Davis and Watts came into her beer shop. Fuller was with them. They asked for a quart of beer, which she refused as they app appeared to be tipsy. Fuller made a great noise. After some time she persuaded him to leave. She got him near the street door when a person named Henry Trolley came into the house for a pint of beer and said to her he thought she had better take care of Fuller’s watch, and that it would oblige him as Fuller is a young man he knows very well. The watch was in Fuller’s fob at this time. After some persuasion she got it from him. As soon as she had done so he left the house. Davis and Watts left a few minutes before. About 10 to 15 minutes later Fuller returned alone and asked for his watch. She scolded him and told him she was afraid he would lose it. He was quite tipsy and like a madman. She was frightened and gave him the watch. Turner followed Fuller into the house. While she was giving Fuller the watch a young man, miller to Mr White of Cardington came up and took the watch out of Fuller’s hand and placed it in Fuller’s fob. He tried to persuade Fuller to let him take care of it but Fuller refused. Fuller, Turner and the miller (whose name is Daniels) left about ¼ hour later. She did not hear Turner speak to or touch Fuller. Godfrey Levy of St Paul Bedford, watchmaker – on Thursday 12 October Turner came to his house and asked him to buy a silver watch. He looked at it and said it was not worth much. Turner said he gave 26s for it at Daventry and asked a sovereign for it. He offered him 6 shillings. He asked Turner’s name and where he lived. Turner said his name was Bennett and he lived in Greyfriars Walk or Gas Street, and lodged with Payne. He said he would not give Turner any money for it. Turner left then came back and said he would sell for 7s. He refused to give more than 6s, which Turner accepted. He had received notice that a watch had been lost and after he had bought it he took it to Mr Coombs. It is the watch now produced. William Coombs, chief constable of Bedford – from information he received he went last Friday to Charles Fairey’s house in Gravel Lane and saw Turner, who was in bed. He showed Turner the silver watch and asked if he knew anything about it. Turner said he did not, and denied selling it the previous day. He told Turner to get up and come with him. As they were leaving the house Turner made a spring forward to try to get away. In doing so he fell down. He took Turner to the cage and he again denied having sold the watch. John Fuller of Biddenham, labourer – last Sunday fortnight (1st Oct) he was in Bedford very tipsy. He does not remember what houses he went to. He had a silver watch with a chain attached when he came to Bedford. He dined at Biddenham then came into Bedford, and does not remember anything until he woke on Monday morning when he missed his watch. Clarke the watchman woke him – he was sleeping on the ground in some street, he does not know where. He told Clarke he had lost his watch. He is sure he did not sell it or give it away. The watch produced is his. He has had it 9 or 10 years. John Clarke, constable of Bedford – on Monday 2 October about 2am he was going his round and saw Fuller lying asleep on the ground near the Lamb (a beer house) in Well Street. He woke him and lifting him up he saw the flap of Fuller’s small clothes was undone. He called him by his name and told him to do his small clothes up. While Fuller was doing so he said “my God I have lost my watch”. He asked if Fuller had lost anything else. Fuller said he thought he had some money, about 5 shillings. Fuller appeared to have been tipsy and was then recovering. Fuller said he had been to Pratt’s. John Turner (voluntary statement) – last Sunday night week he, Watts and Davis went to Mr Flood at the White Horse. They went there between 5 and 6pm and left about 10pm. After they came out of the White Horse they walked down Well Street. Opposition the Shoulder of Mutton they found Fuller who was reeling about very drunk. They stopped him and asked if he would stand a pot or half a gallon. Fuller said he had no money. Davis felt about Fuller’s pockets and found 2d which he took out and put in his own pocket. Fuller said he had left his watch at the Cock and must go and see after it. They all four then went to the Cock and called for some beer, which they were refused. Fuller asked the landlady for his watch and kept showing it to people in the tap room. At last one of the men in the room put it into a pint pot. Fuller missed his watch and said no one should go out of the room until the watch was brought forward. They all declared they knew nothing about the watch, but it was eventually brought forward in the pot. The pot was placed on a table in the middle of the room bottom upwards with the watch under it. A few minutes later the same man lifted the pot up and Fuller took his watch and put it in his own fob. Fuller called for ale but they would not let him have any. Fuller kept jumping about the room and at last they shoved him out of the room. He, Watts and Davis were then outside the house. They all 4 walked up Well Street and at the corner of All Hallows Lane Fuller stopped and said he would go back again. They left him there and went home. He parted with Watts and Davis at the corner of Gravel Lane where he lives. The next morning he went for a loaf and some cheese at a shop in Well Street. As he was leaving the shop he saw Davis who said he had got the watch. He thought Davis meant Fuller’s watch and asked where it was. Fuller said it was in his barn under the pebbles and they would have a spree with it at the fair. Davis said he did not have time to go and look at it then as he wanted to go to the shop after work. Last Wednesday night he met Davis at Tyrrel Wright’s in Gravel Lane (a beer shop). Davis asked him to go and sell the watch and said they would share the money. Davis told him to say he bought it at Daventry for 26s. He took it to Levy in the Thursday. Levy only offered 6s and he went out to tell Davis what was offered. Davis said to take it so they could use it at the fair. When he went to sell the watch Davis and Watts went with him, and stood at the corner of the lane about 50 yards from Levy’s house. They had 2 shillings each. Davis left them and he and Watts went to the George in Mill Street and had a pint or two. Samuel Watts – as soon as they came out of Mrs Pratt’s house they parted from Turner. He went towards his lodgings and they went towards theirs. He was in bed by 10pm. He knows nothing about the watch. Thomas Davis – what Watts has said is true. He was at home and in bed by 10 o’clock.

item

Turner, John,
Davis, Thomas,
Watts, Samuel,
Fuller, John,
Pratt, Elizabeth,
Pratt, William,
Levy, Godfrey,
Coombs, William,
Fuller, John,
Clarke, John,
Fairey, Charles,
Wright, Tyrell,
White,
Daniels

BEDFORD, Bedford St.Paul, BIDDENHAM, CARDINGTON, Bedford Gravel Lane, Bedford Well Street, Bedford Mill Street, stealing, pickpocket, watches, beer retailer, watchmaker, constable, miller, parish cages, drunkenness, Bedford White Horse, Well Street, Bedford Shoulder of Mutton, Bedford Lamb, Bedford Cock, Bedford George