Swindlers, tricksters, thieves and petty criminals

 

TALES CULLED FROM THE ARCHIVES OF OUR

LOCAL NEWSPAPERS AND ELSEWHERE

 

BEWARE OF HIGHWAYMEN AND FOOTPADS

A FEAR OF BEING ROBBED on the highway was widely prevalent in years past when there were no street lamps on country roads and a journey outside town after dark was a dangerous undertaking. Thieves abounded, footpads and highwaymen, and anyone carrying money or valuables was at risk. The highwayman has aroused much romantic interest and as a few were of good family and education, avoided physical harm to their victims and were renowned for their courtesy and chivalry, they have even enjoyed a reputation as gentlemen of the road although the best remembered of them, Claude Duval and particularly Dick Turpin, who may have operated in this area, were little more than ill-mannered ruffians.
Danger on the road was ever present for those who did venture out at night and this was very much in the mind of Mr V Stapleton, a solicitor who lived at Thurlby, while on his way to Bourne by horse and gig to attend a property sale at the Bull Inn [now the Burghley Arms] on the evening of Thursday 15th December 1864. As he passed Elsea Wood, a man suddenly darted out and attempted to stop the horse but Mr Stapleton urged the animal forward and as it went, he felt the wheel of his gig pass over something which he thought to be the person who had attempted to stop him. On arrival at Bourne, he reported the incident to the police and a constable was sent to the scene to investigate. He found the spot described by Mr Stapleton and there were signs that a man had been lying on the ground but there was no one about. 
The matter remained a mystery for several days and rumours that a highwayman or footpad was preying on travellers abounded in Bourne. But the case was subsequently solved when a gentleman on horseback who had also been on the road at that time was subsequently interviewed by the police. He said that he had overtaken a man who claimed that he had been run down by a horse and gig but it turned out that he was not a criminal but a drunken tailor trying to find his way home to Braceborough after a day out at Bourne market. He suffered extensive bruising but amazingly was not seriously hurt.

TRICKSTERS  BY ANY OTHER NAME: The confidence trick is a crime whose origins date back to the earliest times when the doctrine of caveat emptor, or buyer beware, prevailed and is the name given to a swindle involving money or possessions in which the victim's trust is won by the perpetrator. Such crimes thrived particularly in the United States where they were less often brought to light because those caught out, the suckers in American parlance, were often ashamed to admit that they had been a party to such larcenous intent.

The confidence trickster needs to be a plausible person who can wave under his victim's nose the chance of easy or quick profits, or to obtain services or money by fraudulent means, without giving away the true nature of his character. These people thrive today at all levels of society, in the world of business and industry, in politics and the professions, and where we are most likely to encounter them is in the shops, hotels and public houses of our towns and cities.

At one time, these artful swindlers were known as "Jeremy Diddlers", after the chief character in a play by James Kenney called "Raising the Wind" (1803) and the name was subsequently applied to any needy, tricky, constant borrower, or a confidence man, as this news report from the Stamford Mercury of Friday 12th May 1854 testifies: "Two Jeremy Diddlers were staying at the Bull Inn [now the Burghley Arms] last week. They talked very largely and fared sumptuously at the expense of the landlord. When they started, they said they were going to Stamford market but they have not returned to discharge the liabilities they left behind them. They had with them a horse and gig which had been hired at Wisbech and the owner has since sent to Bourne to inquire after it, but too late."

The following year, a more sophisticated confidence trick took place and was duly reported by the Stamford Mercury on Friday 5th June 1855: "This town has lately been visited by a person whose mode of conducting business is of a very questionable character. About five weeks ago, George Skinner, alias John Brown, took the shop and bakehouse in West Street recently in the occupation of Mr Daniel Ormond. He intimated his intention to carry on the baking business and also to enter into the corn and seed trade. He professed to have independent means and made high pretensions by having the gas laid on and the shop papered and painted and giving sundry orders to different tradesmen in the town and neighbourhood. Of one, he ordered a new cart, though he had no horse; with another, he arranged for the conveyance of his furniture to Bourne though it is now quite clear he never intended it to come, if indeed he had any. He went out on the Saturday before Christmas Day and took with him a stone of cheap beef to keep Christmas, leaving the journeyman in charge of the business, and he has not yet returned. When at Bourne, he was dressed as a respectable working miller or baker; he is rather beyond the middle stature, has a very shuffling gait and is over 60 years of age. Though he went in the name of Skinner, his letters were addressed to him at the post office in the name of Brown. By his plausible manner and promises, he succeeded in obtaining goods from several tradesmen. The stock in trade being sold out, the journeyman closed the shop on the 27th ult., since which time no business has been transacted there."

One of the most successful confidence tricksters during the 19th century was a man called James Partridge who travelled England without a penny to his name yet living a comfortable life at the expense of others. On Tuesday 21st November 1865, he booked into a lodging house in West Street, Bourne, run by William Taylor, and agreed to pay one guinea a week (over £50 at today's values) for board and lodging, plus extras. He said he was a professional man from the Crystal Palace who had come into the country for two months for the good of his health and that he was not without means, receiving 18 shillings a week from an association in London and in addition, a gentlemen from Bedford, a brewer known as Mr T, had married his daughter and allowed him three guineas a month. He also said that the gentleman referred to would remit by post office order, one guinea a week to Mr Taylor during the time he was staying there.

James Partridge fared sumptuously every day at the lodging house for the next week and this situation continued until the afternoon of Monday 27th November when Mr Taylor, returning home about 4 pm, discovered that his guest had gone out for a walk and an examination of his room upstairs soon gave rise to the suspicion that all was not right, two shillings having been borrowed from Mrs Taylor on his departure. William Taylor realised that his guest had left without notice and without paying his bill and went off in pursuit, overtaking him halfway between Bourne and Stamford, and brought him back forcibly to his house where he kept him in custody until he wrote a letter to the gentleman at Bedford, to whom he had referred, and had received a reply. But the midday post on Wednesday brought the following letter, addressed to Mr Taylor, saying: 

Sir: The person you name in your letter received this morning has no claim whatsoever upon me and he is quite aware that I should not remit him any money. This is not the first time that he has had the impudence to send people to me. If you take my advice, you will confine all your transactions with him in cash. - Yours etc Mr T. 

Partridge then admitted that he had no means of paying his bill and left Bourne in the direction of Stamford. He was described as being over 60 years old, about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches tall, stooping a little, and had rather a clerical cut, a shuffling gait, and dressed in a suit of shabby black with a white necktie, and carrying a bag which had something of the appearance of having once belonged to a lawyer. The following week, a similar occurrence was reported in Stamford, but by then, James Partridge had moved on yet again to the next town.

THE SCREW TRICK: Confidence tricksters who preyed on tradesmen were quite common during the 19th century and in 1866, such a proposition was presented to various shopkeepers in Bourne in what became known as "The Screw Trick". Wood screws were first made commercially in this country at Birmingham in 1854 and were therefore still a novelty twelve years later when a man professing to be from the ironmongery trade and specialising in screws, arrived in Bourne and began making calls soliciting wholesale orders and he presented a card upon which was printed: "Richardson and Sons, patent screw manufacturers, Broad Street, Birmingham." He then produced a sample of his wares and the prices he quoted were very reasonable. Then, having obtained an order, his plan was to deliver the screws in a few days by horse and trap, stating that the terms of sale were cash on delivery for the first journey and four months' credit thereafter.

One of the tradesmen who took up the offer received a bill with his first bag of screws saying: "Broad Street, Birmingham: Mr ------, bought of Richardson & Sons, Patent Screw Manufacturers: 1 bag of patent screws, 120 gross, ¾ to 3 inch, Nos 7 to 16, at 6d., £3 paid, May 18, 1866, William Richardson." Shortly afterwards, the buyer discovered that the bag contained only 45 gross instead of 120. Another tradesman who purchased 60 gross, obtained only 45. The quality and price therefore were enticing but the trick was to supply a short quantity.

The police were called in by the victims and they were soon in contact with the authorities in Birmingham where it was found that no such firm of patent screw manufacturers existed but similar inquiries had been received from several other parts of the country which revealed that the swindle was widespread. A warning was issued to all shopkeepers and tradesmen in the Bourne area to be on their guard when offered similar products purporting to come from the same firm and a description of William Richardson was circulated and printed by the local newspapers. He was described as being about 30 to 35 years of age, 5 ft. 7 or 8 inches tall, rather stout, a dark complexion, little (if any) whiskers but a slight moustache and wearing a black coat, a hat with narrow brinks and an Albert guard [watch chain]. But by then, the enterprising Mr Richardson was busy with his endeavours in another town.

AN EXTRAORDINARY AUDIENCE: Handbills were issued recently announcing that on Friday evening, the 28th ult., a lecture would be delivered in the Victoria Hall, Eastgate, subject "The chronology of the world from the creation of Adam to the present time, and the second coming of Christ." A man calling himself "the agent in advance" called on the printer on the morning of Friday and stated that the lecturer (E Santon Esq., formerly of Her Majesty's service) was taken ill and that he was instructed to deliver the lecture in his stead. At the time appointed, two persons presented themselves as an audience but were disappointed, as the lecture was not given. The first train in the morning carried away the stranger, leaving several creditors behind him. - news report from the Grantham Journal, Saturday 5th June 1875.

THE WEALTHY MEAT SALESMAN: A "gent" of the Jeremy Diddler class, styling himself John Smith Esq., recently visited Bourne. He represented himself as being connected with a large firm of London meat salesmen, and set forth in glowing terms the extent of his means, holding out very liberal promises to all who assisted him in his "business". As a commencement, he made the acquaintance of a kind-hearted elderly gentleman in West Street, who, living on his own and owning the house adjoining,  was thought an acceptable friend for this illustrious stranger, said to be worth "nine thousand pounds". With this introduction, suitable lodgings were produced with a "son of Saint Crispin" in the West Street where his worthy landlady for some days did her best to provide suitably for so distinguished a guest. During the day previous to Mr Smith taking his departure, he again visited "his congenial old friend", taking lunch with him and apparently much enjoying the strong ale for which his host's cellar is noted: he also took tea with the family. For the kindness of his friends in procuring him such good lodgings, he said he should treat the gentleman's niece with a new silk dress and patterns were obtained for the purpose. After tea, he asked to be supplied with writing materials, which were accordingly brought, including 18 postage stamps. Two letters were written, one addressed to the Bank of England and the other to a company in Manchester, he "taking care" of the remaining stamps for another occasion. Shortly afterwards, he went into the town to purchase the silk dress but "he never returned". On the following morning, his landlady becoming urgent for payment of her account, and Mr Smith's remittance of £60 which he expected from London not having arrived, he somewhat hastily left Bourne to look after it and has not since been seen here. He is apparently between 60 and 70 years old and rather above the middle stature. It would appear that the same person has lately been paying a visit to the inhabitants of Billingborough. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 23rd November 1877.

A CLEVER CAPTURE: About four o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, Mr George Coales, butcher, Market Place, Bourne, missed a loin of mutton that had been exposed for sale in his shop. He at once gave information to the police. At first, no clue whatsoever could be obtained as to the delinquent as no one had been seen about this time in the locality. Police Constable Fowler, who is well known throughout the district as an astute detective, speedily instituted a searching examination. At twenty minutes past four, he entered the Royal Oak inn and noticed four navvies busily engaged roasting a fine joint of mutton. By cautious inquiries, his suspicion fell upon one of them. Indeed, the chain of evidence was so complete that Constable Fowler charged him with the theft. The navvy frankly admitted it, saying it was no use denying his guilt as he had been fairly tracked down. At 4.30 pm, the prisoner was received into custody at the Bourne police station. The case deserves record as a smart piece of police work. - news report from the Stamford Mercury, Friday 17th July 1891.

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