QSR1838/4/5/24

Depositions and examination - James Morrison charged with stealing a brush from John Horsford

10 October 1838

From: 1838 To: 1838

John Horsford of St Paul, Bedford, bricklayer - last Monday morning he was at work in a house in the parish of St Peter. He left to go home to breakfast about 8am leaving a whitewashing brush in the passage by the side of the house. He placed it by a peck measure at the bottom of the scaffolding. He returned about 9am and found his brush gone. From inquiries he made he suspected Morrison. He followed Morrison to Shefford, then to Hitchin where he found him at a lodging house. He went there with Isaac Spencer, the constable of Hitchin, and they found Morrison sitting by a table on which there was something wrapped in an apron. Spencer opened the bundle, found the brush and asked how Morrison came by it. Morrison said he bought it. When asked where he said "I don't know justly". He took hold of the brush, said it was his and that he could swear to it. He knows it because he put pitch on the board at the end of the bristles to secure them. As they went to the magistrate's he asked Morrison why he didn't take more of the tools. Morrison said he did not see any more, and that if he [Horsford] would let him go he could have the brush and the apron too. John White of St Cuthbert, Bedford, labourer - about 8.50am on Monday he saw Morrison going down St Cuthbert Street about 20 yards from where Horsford left his brush. He did not see that Morrison had anything with him. He went after Morrison with Horsford and found him at Hitchin. He was there when they found the brush. He heard Morrison say he had bought the brush, and heard Horsford say it was his. He was handcuffed to Morrison as they went to the magistrate to prevent his escape and heard Morrison say "you have got your brush, let me go and you may have the apron too". James Morrison of St.Peter, Bedford - "I did not say that's your brush. I said you make a great deal of bother about a very little thing, you may have the brush and apron and all if you like. I said this because I wanted to go on my journey. I bought the brush at Manchester."

item

Morrison, James,
Horsford, John,
White, John

BEDFORD, Bedford St.Paul, Bedford St.Cuthbert, Bedford St.Peter, SHEFFORD, Hitchin, stealing, bricklayer, lodging houses