| Name |
James BEAR |
| Birth |
Abt 1832 [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| Conviction |
16 Aug 1847 |
Old Bailey, Central Criminal Court, London, England, United Kingdom  [1] |
| Theft from a Place, Sentenced to 6 Months Confinement |
- 1930. JAMES BEAR and GEORGE BLERTON were indicted for stealing at St. James, Westminster, 1 snuff-box, value 2l., 1 purse, 9s., 1 sovereign, 1 half-sovereign, 4 half-crowns, 11 shillings, 1 sixpence, and two 5l. Bank-notes; the property of James Harmer Ivatts, their master, in his dwelling house.
JAMES HARMER IVATTS. I am a billiard-room keeper at 218, Regent-street. The prisoners lived in my service as errand-boys, and attended to the rooms and to the playing—I had a box in a drawer in the kitchen, containing a small box with the notes and money stated in the indictment—I went out on Sunday, the 25th of July, and left everything safe—I did not leave either of the prisoners on the premises—when I returned I found the kitchen door fastened inside with a chisel—I pushed it open, and found the box on the kitchen table, opened, and everything gone out of it—I went into the area, and found the steps placed against the gate, and the gate open—I called in a policeman, and the prisoners were afterwards taken—Bear said he was induced by Blerton to go down the area with him, and it was him that opened the box with the chisel.
Blerton. I did not force the box open, neither did I go down first.
Bear. You did; I was going down, and you pushed me down; you went into the kitchen, and forced the box open, and helped me to take the money out.
Blerton. It is false.
WILLIAM CARROLL. I am servant to Mr. Drummond Woolf, of Half-moon-street, Piccadilly. On Sunday, the 25th of July, I was walking with the prisoners up Regent-street—Bear left me, to go down to see if his master wanted him, and he went down the area—Blerton said, "We will stand here"—we stood on the other side of the railing, a little way off—I thought I heard the door open, and I said to Blerton, "What is that?"—he said, "It is the kitchen door"—presently Bear came, and called, "George"—Blerton went to him on the other side, and I saw him hand him a box—Blerton then got down, and I thought he lifted up a ladder—they then both came out, and ran across the road—I asked what they were running for; if they had been doing anything—they said, No, they were only running out of the way of the carriages—we went down by the corner of Hanover-square—Blerton turned to see if anybody was behind him—I said, "What have you been doing, have you been robbing the house?"—he said, "No," and he was going to punch my head for saying so—we got into Brook-street, and Blerton said, "I am going out of town"—I said, "What a storyteller you are; you said you had but 1s. 6d., and wanted to borrow something of me"—he said, "Yes, but Bear has been down and got some money"—he pulled out a box and gave Bear a sovereign and a half, and some silver—Bear had some silver before that—when we got into Curzon-street, Blerton said to me, "I will give you 30s. if you will change a bank-note for me where you change your master's checks"—I said, no, if it was stolen I should have to abide by the consequences—he said, "If you will, I will give you 30s. each"—I said, no, I would not—we got into some mews in Park-lane, and Blerton offered me a sovereign—I refused it, as I thought it had been stolen—Blerton took out a knife, and said he would stick it into my ribs if I ever said such a thing again—I did not receive the sovereign—I do not think this is the box that was taken—I thought it was a box with the corners rounded off, and larger—it was mounted in gold—I saw Blerton with two bank-notes.
Blerton. He did receive the sovereign, Bear gave it to him. Witness. Bear said he did not give it me, but that Blerton did; but I did not receive it.
Bear. We saw him at the bottom of Windmill-street; Blerton said we were going to rob our master, and he said he would get ready and come with us; he said he would go to the door and ring the bell, and if anybody answered it he would ask if a Mr. Brown lived there; he came, but nobody was in the house; we went down and opened the area door with a key, and he was to have a sovereign; I can prove that he did have a sovereign, and he took my little brother to the play with it, but he has kept him out of the way for fear he should talk about it. Witness. It is false, my mother went with me to the play.
Blerton. There is a here who can prove he had the sovereign, and that he said he would trump up a fine tale about us. Witness. I t is false.
JOHN GRAY (police-sergeant C 10.) I took Bear into custody in Great Windmill-street—I was in plain clothes—I told him I was a policeman, and that I took him for breaking into his master's house, and stealing a box containing notes and gold—I asked where the box was—he said it had been left under the pillow at a lodging-house at Wapping, where they slept on the Sunday night—I asked where the notes were changed—he said at Reading, and that there was another boy in it, named Carroll.
Bear. He did not take me; I was sitting up stairs, and knew my master was coming; I intended to give myself up; I left Blerton on the Saturday
night, and would not go with him any more. Witness. Bear's mother wen to the prosecutor and told him her son had returned from the country, on purpose to have him apprehended—they were away a fortnight—I have not traced the notes—nothing was found on them.
ANN WRIGHT. I found this tortoise-shell box in the bed at No. 75, New Gravel-lane, Shadwell, the morning after two young lads had come, and had a lodging there—it was empty—I cannot swear the prisoners were the lads.
The prisoners. We are the lads.
J. H. IVATTS re-examined. This is my tortoise-shell box, which contained the money—I lost altogether 14l. the purse and the key of a private room were thrown over Waterloo-bridge.
Bear. No, over Vauxhall-bridge.
Bear's Defence. I lived with my master at first about eight months ago; I then left him and came back; he knew that Blerton was a bad character, but never said anything about it, but put me with him.
Blerton's Defence. He did not know that I was a bad character, and if he speaks the truth he can give me a good character; I had lived with him before for a long while; I lived with him this time for about six months; we had 5s. a week, and had to work from nine in the morning till one, and one week I was up four whole nights attending to the billiard-table while my master was playing, and I had to put the score on for him to cheat a gentleman; he won about 40l.
J. H. IVATTS re-examined. I deny the story—I do not play once in a month—I never won 40l. or 40s. at a time in my life, and as to the scoring, I have given them both cautions against that sort of thing.
Blerton. Yes, in the presence of gentleman, but not by ourselves; you won 14l. one night of a gentleman, and there were two or three others that you allowed to do the same thing, up in the top room, and in the middle room; Mr. Wigan and Mr. Thompson, don't you recollect? Witness. No, I do not; if I let a private room I do not know who is in it. Blerton. None know less than those that won't know. Witness. I know that he ran away from his ship and stole 25l., and I do not believe that Bear would have committed himself in this way without he had been induced by Blerton—my place is not a gambling-house, but a licensed place for the amusement of gentlemen—they very seldom play for money—these boys were to a certain extent acting as markers—they looked after the rooms and attended to the gentlemen when the bell rang—I am the owner of the house, and live in it, but I let the lower part—it is in the parish of St. James, Westminster.
WILLIAM CARROLL re-examined. I went with the prisoners because they asked me to take a walk with them—I never received the sovereign—I gave information to the police next day.
Blerton. He did receive it; two boys in Angel-court could prove it, and you told them you knew it was stolen. Witness. It is no such thing.
JOHN GRAY re-examined. I heard nothing from Carroll until I went to his master's house on the Monday, as Bear was apprehended on the Sunday—it was in consequence of Bear's stating that Carroll was concerned in it that I went there—he denied positively having received a sovereign, and I took him to the Mansion-house.
BEAR— GUILTY. Aged 15.—Recommended to mercy by the Prosecutor — Confined Six Months
BLERTON— GUILTY. Aged 16.— Transported for Seven Years
|
| Conviction |
16 Aug 1847 |
Old Bailey, Central Criminal Court, London, England, United Kingdom [1] |
| Theft from a Place, Sentenced to 7 Years Transportation |
- 1930. JAMES BEAR and GEORGE BLERTON were indicted for stealing at St. James, Westminster, 1 snuff-box, value 2l., 1 purse, 9s., 1 sovereign, 1 half-sovereign, 4 half-crowns, 11 shillings, 1 sixpence, and two 5l. Bank-notes; the property of James Harmer Ivatts, their master, in his dwelling house.
JAMES HARMER IVATTS. I am a billiard-room keeper at 218, Regent-street. The prisoners lived in my service as errand-boys, and attended to the rooms and to the playing—I had a box in a drawer in the kitchen, containing a small box with the notes and money stated in the indictment—I went out on Sunday, the 25th of July, and left everything safe—I did not leave either of the prisoners on the premises—when I returned I found the kitchen door fastened inside with a chisel—I pushed it open, and found the box on the kitchen table, opened, and everything gone out of it—I went into the area, and found the steps placed against the gate, and the gate open—I called in a policeman, and the prisoners were afterwards taken—Bear said he was induced by Blerton to go down the area with him, and it was him that opened the box with the chisel.
Blerton. I did not force the box open, neither did I go down first.
Bear. You did; I was going down, and you pushed me down; you went into the kitchen, and forced the box open, and helped me to take the money out.
Blerton. It is false.
WILLIAM CARROLL. I am servant to Mr. Drummond Woolf, of Half-moon-street, Piccadilly. On Sunday, the 25th of July, I was walking with the prisoners up Regent-street—Bear left me, to go down to see if his master wanted him, and he went down the area—Blerton said, "We will stand here"—we stood on the other side of the railing, a little way off—I thought I heard the door open, and I said to Blerton, "What is that?"—he said, "It is the kitchen door"—presently Bear came, and called, "George"—Blerton went to him on the other side, and I saw him hand him a box—Blerton then got down, and I thought he lifted up a ladder—they then both came out, and ran across the road—I asked what they were running for; if they had been doing anything—they said, No, they were only running out of the way of the carriages—we went down by the corner of Hanover-square—Blerton turned to see if anybody was behind him—I said, "What have you been doing, have you been robbing the house?"—he said, "No," and he was going to punch my head for saying so—we got into Brook-street, and Blerton said, "I am going out of town"—I said, "What a storyteller you are; you said you had but 1s. 6d., and wanted to borrow something of me"—he said, "Yes, but Bear has been down and got some money"—he pulled out a box and gave Bear a sovereign and a half, and some silver—Bear had some silver before that—when we got into Curzon-street, Blerton said to me, "I will give you 30s. if you will change a bank-note for me where you change your master's checks"—I said, no, if it was stolen I should have to abide by the consequences—he said, "If you will, I will give you 30s. each"—I said, no, I would not—we got into some mews in Park-lane, and Blerton offered me a sovereign—I refused it, as I thought it had been stolen—Blerton took out a knife, and said he would stick it into my ribs if I ever said such a thing again—I did not receive the sovereign—I do not think this is the box that was taken—I thought it was a box with the corners rounded off, and larger—it was mounted in gold—I saw Blerton with two bank-notes.
Blerton. He did receive the sovereign, Bear gave it to him. Witness. Bear said he did not give it me, but that Blerton did; but I did not receive it.
Bear. We saw him at the bottom of Windmill-street; Blerton said we were going to rob our master, and he said he would get ready and come with us; he said he would go to the door and ring the bell, and if anybody answered it he would ask if a Mr. Brown lived there; he came, but nobody was in the house; we went down and opened the area door with a key, and he was to have a sovereign; I can prove that he did have a sovereign, and he took my little brother to the play with it, but he has kept him out of the way for fear he should talk about it. Witness. It is false, my mother went with me to the play.
Blerton. There is a here who can prove he had the sovereign, and that he said he would trump up a fine tale about us. Witness. I t is false.
JOHN GRAY (police-sergeant C 10.) I took Bear into custody in Great Windmill-street—I was in plain clothes—I told him I was a policeman, and that I took him for breaking into his master's house, and stealing a box containing notes and gold—I asked where the box was—he said it had been left under the pillow at a lodging-house at Wapping, where they slept on the Sunday night—I asked where the notes were changed—he said at Reading, and that there was another boy in it, named Carroll.
Bear. He did not take me; I was sitting up stairs, and knew my master was coming; I intended to give myself up; I left Blerton on the Saturday
night, and would not go with him any more. Witness. Bear's mother wen to the prosecutor and told him her son had returned from the country, on purpose to have him apprehended—they were away a fortnight—I have not traced the notes—nothing was found on them.
ANN WRIGHT. I found this tortoise-shell box in the bed at No. 75, New Gravel-lane, Shadwell, the morning after two young lads had come, and had a lodging there—it was empty—I cannot swear the prisoners were the lads.
The prisoners. We are the lads.
J. H. IVATTS re-examined. This is my tortoise-shell box, which contained the money—I lost altogether 14l. the purse and the key of a private room were thrown over Waterloo-bridge.
Bear. No, over Vauxhall-bridge.
Bear's Defence. I lived with my master at first about eight months ago; I then left him and came back; he knew that Blerton was a bad character, but never said anything about it, but put me with him.
Blerton's Defence. He did not know that I was a bad character, and if he speaks the truth he can give me a good character; I had lived with him before for a long while; I lived with him this time for about six months; we had 5s. a week, and had to work from nine in the morning till one, and one week I was up four whole nights attending to the billiard-table while my master was playing, and I had to put the score on for him to cheat a gentleman; he won about 40l.
J. H. IVATTS re-examined. I deny the story—I do not play once in a month—I never won 40l. or 40s. at a time in my life, and as to the scoring, I have given them both cautions against that sort of thing.
Blerton. Yes, in the presence of gentleman, but not by ourselves; you won 14l. one night of a gentleman, and there were two or three others that you allowed to do the same thing, up in the top room, and in the middle room; Mr. Wigan and Mr. Thompson, don't you recollect? Witness. No, I do not; if I let a private room I do not know who is in it. Blerton. None know less than those that won't know. Witness. I know that he ran away from his ship and stole 25l., and I do not believe that Bear would have committed himself in this way without he had been induced by Blerton—my place is not a gambling-house, but a licensed place for the amusement of gentlemen—they very seldom play for money—these boys were to a certain extent acting as markers—they looked after the rooms and attended to the gentlemen when the bell rang—I am the owner of the house, and live in it, but I let the lower part—it is in the parish of St. James, Westminster.
WILLIAM CARROLL re-examined. I went with the prisoners because they asked me to take a walk with them—I never received the sovereign—I gave information to the police next day.
Blerton. He did receive it; two boys in Angel-court could prove it, and you told them you knew it was stolen. Witness. It is no such thing.
JOHN GRAY re-examined. I heard nothing from Carroll until I went to his master's house on the Monday, as Bear was apprehended on the Sunday—it was in consequence of Bear's stating that Carroll was concerned in it that I went there—he denied positively having received a sovereign, and I took him to the Mansion-house.
BEAR— GUILTY. Aged 15.—Recommended to mercy by the Prosecutor — Confined Six Months
BLERTON— GUILTY. Aged 16.— Transported for Seven Years
- Role: Co-Defendant
|
| Death |
Yes, date unknown |
| Person ID |
I1706 |
Australian Convict Ship Project |
| Last Modified |
29 Jan 2024 |
Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1832 - Yes, date unknown
