Beds Mercury Report on Bedford Borough Petty Session May 1842

Newspaper Report on John Catlin's Crime

Newspaper report of the Petty Session held on May 27th. At this session John Catlin was committed to trial at the Midsummer Quarter Sessions.

BEDFORD BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS

MAY 27
Present – Dr. Mesham (the Mayor) in the chair, G P Livius, Esq., Capt. Davis, and C Short, Esq.

ROBBING A CRIPPLE – John Catlin was charged with stealing 2s 6d from Samuel Allen, a cripple, who resides at Bamford Court, Harpur street, Bedford, and who is now confined to his bed with a dangerous illness.?Joseph Allen, brother to the prosecutor, stated that on the previous night about 11 o'clock, he was aroused out of bed by several persons, who told him the prisoner was cruelly ill-using his brother. The prisoner, he explained, and his son, a boy about 14 years of age, slept with the prosecutor, the prisoner acting as a sort of nurse and attendant to him, for which he received about 6d a day from the prosecutor. He (witness) went immediately to his brother's house and found the prisoner drunk and using most horrible language: his brother accused the prisoner in his presence with stealing 2s 6d of his money, which lay on the window sill; the money was subsequently offered to him by the boy, who said he found it in his father's waistcoat pocket, but he refused to take it, and it was afterwards given to Coombs, the Borough Chief Constable.- William Coombs corroborated the latter part of the above statement. – The prisoner stated he had been a ‘teetotaller' for about a month, and feeling so very faint he thought to recruit his strength by a slight indulgence in malt liquor, and having quaffed two pints, it so affected him that he really did not know what he was doing. He, however, thought he was entitled to the money, as the prosecutor owed him some for waiting on him. – The prosecutor being too ill to attend the justice chamber, the Mayor and Mr Pearse went to his house, and took his deposition. – The prisoner was committed for trial.

Bedfordshire Mercury 2 July 1842

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