QSR1837/2/5/6

Depositions - James Bean

March & April 1837

From: 1834 To: 1837

Ann Knight, singlewoman, now of Lidlington but formerly of Southill – in the latter part of September 1834 she was living with Mr Norman Taylor of Old Rowney Farm in Southill as his housekeeper. On Wednesday evening, she thinks 24 or 25 September, James Bean who was foreman to her master returned from Mr Barnes’ where he had been to borrow a drill. He came into the kitchen and proposed that she should get her Bible and that he would read to her. Bean was not in the habit of reading the Bible to her on a week day, but sometimes on a Sunday. When he had been reading a little while she said “surely Jim, there is a noise out of doors”. He still went on reading. When she said the same again Bean went out and returned in about 5 minutes saying there was nothing there. He went on reading again for ½ hour or so, when they went to supper. Some time afterwards she went upstairs with some things she had been ironing and found all her things strewed about the bedroom. She called out and begged Jim to come up for she could not think what had been done. When he came up he did not seem surprised and took her into master’s room, where the bed was all pulled about. He then took her into his bedroom, where the hole was, and said “here’s the place where they got in”. They went downstairs and Bean went to call someone. Only she, Bean and their master slept in the house, and her master was not at home. A small straw box in which she kept her money was gone – it had been at the bottom of another box and covered over. It contained 20 sovereigns and 12s 6d in silver. From what she heard about 3 weeks afterwards she suspected Bean and Clark had taken her money. A labourer named Lee, now dead, and old man and a very respectable one, who lived next to them, told her that on the night he was called on by Bean he suspected Bean and Clark were the thieves. Norman Taylor of Southill, farmer – about Michaelmas 2 years ago his house, Old Rowney Farm, was broken into. A hole was made in the wall, apparently bay a plough coulter which was lying by, and an entrance made into a bedroom occupied at that time by James Bean his foreman on the farm, which is held by himself and his father John Taylor from Mr Whitbread. The person who broke into the house took about £20 sovereigns from a room occupied by his housekeeper Ann Knight. He had strong suspicions who was involved but it was not until this day that he was informed that John Clark and James Bean committed the robbery. Clark’s brother, Thomas Clark, told him that his brother was so unhappy in his mind that he wanted him to pass on the information, and that he [John Clark] was ready to acknowledge the part he had played. [Further information] He was informed by Ann Knight that on the evening of the robbery Bean had been so very attentive to her and read the Bible to her – a circumstance which never occurred before – and when she informed him [Bean] that there was a noise he had got up, opened the door and said “oh, it is the donkey”. As Bean must have seen the ladder against the house then he had strong suspicions he must have been implicated in the business. From Bean’s great intimacy with Clark he suspected him, and mentioned his suspicions at the time to Mr Whitbread and Mr Jones. John Clark of Southill – at the time of the robbery he was living as an under gamekeeper to Mr Whitbread. He knew Bean very well, and had been asked several times by Bean whether he would join him in getting Ann Knight’s money. Bean told him he had been to Knight’s box and there were about 24 or 25 sovereigns in it besides silver. He told Bean repeatedly that he dared not. On the night of the robbery Bean prevailed on him. About 8pm they both went to the house, Old Rowney Farm, and saw nobody. Bean gave him a coulter and fixed a ladder against the house. Bean told him he had already begun making the hole inside the room and that he would have no trouble making it big enough to get in. Bean told him repeatedly exactly here to go once he got in – he was to pass by one door and then go into the 2nd room on his right. He did so and found the money in a small straw box inside a paper box as described by Bean. Bean told him that while he went into the old woman’s bedroom he would go into the house and keep her quiet in talk so she would not hear him. He did not see Bean when he got down the ladder. The next morning, after breakfast, he met Bean and gave him 10 sovereigns and 5s and he kept 10 sovereigns and 7s 6d for himself. He has never been comfortable since, and several times had determined to say what he had done. At length he was so unhappy that on the last Sabbath day he told his brother Thomas, who advised him to tell the whole to Mr Taylor. He did so that morning and told Mr Taylor he was ready to make this confession to the magistrate. Norman Taylor of Old Rowney Farm, Southill [another examination] – on 25 September 1834 his house at Old Rowney was broken into. He has good reason to suspect that 20 sovereigns and 5 half crowns were taken. Bean was in his service at that time and continued in his service until Thursday 23 March 1837, but latterly as an outdoor servant. On that day John Clark of Southill made a voluntary confession that he committed the robbery with the knowledge and assistance of Bean, with whom he shared the money. Clark also confessed that Bean, himself and William Falkner had stolen wheat from his father’s farm. He believes Bean saw him going to Mr Neve’s on 23 March with Thomas Clark and expected that such a confession was about to take place. Bean then abruptly left his service without giving any notice or waiting to receive his wages. He believes Bean went immediately to London to hide himself, and remained there until yesterday when he was apprehended. Charles Waller of 9, Turn Again Lane, Farringdon Street, London, police officer – yesterday he saw a box carried from the Ram Inn at Smithfield which he had reason to suppose belonged to Bean. He went into the house into which the box was carried, in Luke Street, Curtain Road, Hoxton. On enquiring for Bean he saw him trying to escape over the wall at the back part of the premises. He apprehended him and told him there was a warrant out. Bean said “so I understand, but I’m innocent and had nothing to do with it”.

item

Bean, James,
Knight, Ann,
Taylor, Norman,
Clark, John,
Clark, Thomas,
Waller, Charles,
Lee

SOUTHILL, LIDLINGTON, London, breaking & entering, stealing, money, Southill Old Rowney Farm, housekeeper, foreman, farmer, Bible, gamekeeper, policeman