QSR1832/4/5/7

Depositions of Roman Hummell, clock maker of Saint Peter, Bedford. John Robinson, labourer of Harrold. William Skinner, victualler of Bedford. Sarah Mayes of Wilden. Sarah Horrell of Ravensden. In the case of Andrew Myers accused of larceny and embezzlement from Roman Hummell and his brother Joseph.

25 August 1832

From: 1832 To: 1832

Roman Hummell: on 27 July he was lodging at the Peacock public house in St Peter, Bedford. He had been lodging there for about 15 months and was a travelling clock maker. He had a work room at the Peacock. The prisoner, Andrew Myers had worked for him for about a month and usually worked in the room at the Peacock. On 27 July he was confined to bed by illness. The prisoner said he was ill too and should like to go out to sell clocks for him. He told him that he might go into town but to come back soon. He afterward went into the room and missed 4 clocks. He did not see the prisoner again until last Wednesday near Brownwood in Essex. He went there in pursuit of him and asked him to go along with him. The prisoner said he would and he went for a constable. When the constable came he told him the prisoner had robbed him. He was not prepared with evidence to prove the charge but should be able to produce further proof against the prisoner of embezzling the money arising from the sale of the clock. John Robinson: on 27 July about 10pm he was at the Berkley Arms in Harrold and was about to go about his rounds as a watchman. The prisoner was there. He had never seen him before. Myers put 4 clocks upon the table and asked the company to buy them. He asked Myers the prisoner and Myers said he could have it for 18 shillings for ready money as 2 shillings ready money was better than 4 on trust. He told the prisoner he would have it and the landlady offered to lend him the money to pay for it. He then drank a pot of beer with Myers and went to his watching. He left the clock in the public house having given the prisoner a shillings and telling him it was on account. He told Myers not to ‘lay me in’ as he knew nothing about clocks. Myers said it was his own clock of his own manufacture. Myers put a piece of paper in his hand and said it was the place to go to get the clock repaired should it want it. He put the paper in his pocket. The clock was the only one of the 4 which had brass to hold the weights. About 10.30am he found it in his house. He had not seen the prisoner since the night he bargained for the clock. He had not paid the landlady yet as she had given him 6 weeks to pay it. Roman Hummell [further deposition]: the clock produced by John Robinson was the property of himself and his brother Joseph. The selling price for it was 34 shillings. He had it in his possession on 26 July in his room at the Peacock. He missed it the next day when the prisoner asked his leave to take clock out to sell. He wished him not to go but at last said he might do as he pleased but only into town and to come back soon. The prisoner went out but did not return. He had allowed him at times to take clocks to sell for him but had always told him where to go. The prisoner Myers had never paid him money for the clock which Robinson bought, nor for any of the 4 clocks. Myers was a journeyman employee of his brother and himself. They had not allowed Myers to take money for them. William Skinner: the prosecutor and the prisoner both lodged at his house, the Peacock at Bedford. He knew Mr Hummell to be the master and Myers to be the journeyman. On 27 July he saw Myers go out of the house in the afternoon with a clock under his arm and a bag of clocks over his shoulder. He asked Myers how he came to be going out as he was so poorly. The prisoner replied he was only going a little way into town. Myers never came back until he was bought back on 24 August. Statement of the accused: declined to say anything. Sarah Mayes: Myers appeared to have left a clock at Thomas Mayes’s at Wilden to be paid for at a shilling a week. He did not make regular payments. He got the clock back and returned the 2 shillings she had given. It was 4 August that he took it away. Sarah Horrell: she bought a clock at Ravensden on 24 July and gave 2 shillings ion account to the prisoner and another, whom he believed to be the prisoner’s brother. On 4 August the prisoner came to him again and asked for the money. It had been 3 days before the time but she went and borrowed 2 shillings and gave it to him. The prisoner was then alone.

item

Myers, Andrew,
Hummell, Roman,
Hummell, Joseph,
Robinson, John,
Skinner, William,
Mayes, Sarah,
Horrell, Sarah

St.Peter Bedford, HARROLD, WILDEN, RAVENSDEN, clock maker, clocks, embezzlement, stealing, victualler, Harrold Berkley Arms, Bedford Peacock