Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux/Volume 1/Chapter 11
CHAPTER XI.
NOTWITHSTANDING the promise I had given Mr. Presland, I could not reconcile myself to the S——shire journey; the shame I felt at having quitted my honourable station in the navy, as well as some other reasons, and perhaps, above all, the unavoidable destiny which awaited me, concurred to prevent my taking the salutary advice of my worthy and respected friend. Having, therefore, privately changed my place of abode, I began to consider how I should procure another employment in town, and for this purpose I carefully examined the advertisements in the daily papers, my intention being now to enter into a mercantile clerkship, or to engage as assistant in a retail shop, hoping thereby (with shame I confess it,) to have a better opportunity of realizing money by fraud or robbery, than I could expect in the restricted capacity of an attorney's clerk. At length I met with an advertisement, stating that a young man who had a general knowledge of business, was wanted in a retail shop, but particularly requiring an undeniable character for honesty, &c. This latter clause seemed to promise some difficulty, as I knew not where to give a reference, except among the lawyers, and I was fearful that I should not be approved of, if it was known that I had been chiefly employed in that profession. However, as I knew myself to have a talent for business, and that I should soon acquire an insight, let the branch be what it would, I determined to have recourse to stratagem, to surmount the obstacle of a recommendation.
I therefore obtained a reference to the advertiser Mr. Giffard, who kept a large masquerade and habit warehouse in Tavistock-street. This person, who was a grave elderly man, inquired in what capacity, and with whom I had been last employed; being prepared for this question, I answered that I had lived for the last two years with Mr. Drake, a general shopkeeper in High-street, Portsmouth; and that, in consequence of a family misfortune, my late master had declined business, and retired upon his means: that this was the only cause of my being out of employment, and that Mr. Drake had promised to answer any gentleman who might refer to him as to my abilities and moral character. I added, that having formerly lived in London with my parents, I had still a sufficient knowledge of the town, to render myself useful to my employer. After a few more questions, which I answered with becoming modesty and propriety, Mr. Giffard told me he liked my appearance well, that he would write that evening to Mr. Drake, and ordered that I should call again in two days' time, when, if he approved of the answer he received, he would immediately engage me.
Having proceded thus far before the wind, I had now to take measures for bringing my plot to a happy conclusion. My next object was to obtain possession of Mr. Giffard's letter, in order that I might answer it myself, Mr. Drake being a person who existed only in my inventive brain: this I accomplished in the following manner. I found out the guard of the Portsmouth mail-coach, who was to quit London that evening, and return to town the next day but one. I obtained the ear of this man, by inviting him to partake of some brandy and water, and then introduced my business by acquainting him that my name was Drake, that I had lately resided in Portsmouth, and that I had reason to suppose there was one or more letters lying at the post-office in that town for me, as I knew no such person was now to be found in High-street; I therefore requested that he would, on his arrival, make inquiry for such letters, and bring any he might find safe to me on his return, promising a gratification for his trouble: this commission he readily undertook, and we then separated.
On the day appointed, I met my trusty agent who delivered me the expected letter, for which I amply rewarded him. On perusing this epistle, it was such as might be expected on the like occasion, Mr. Giffard concluding his inquiries with wishing to know, if the applicant John Smith (which name I had now assumed,) was in every respect fit to be received into a respectable house. I had now half accomplished the business, and it only remained, to return a suitable answer through the regular channel; but to save appearances, and gain time, I waited immediately on Mr. Giffard desiring to know if he had received a reply from Mr. Drake. On his answering in the negative, I expressed much surprise, but accounted for it, by informing him that Mr. Drake was probably absent from home, on a visit to some relations a few miles distant, and that on his return, he would not fail to transmit an answer. Having thus satisfied Mr. Giffard, I departed, promising to wait on him every day until the expected letter arrived.
I now applied myself to frame an answer, which I at length completed to my satisfaction, having disguised my hand-writing as much as possible. In this letter, I made Mr. Drake apologize for his delay, by stating that he was from home when Mr. Giffard's favour arrived, and had taken up his pen the moment it came to hand, to answer his inquiries; that he felt happy at hearing the young man was likely to obtain so respectable a situation, and it gave him the highest gratification to bear testimony to his exemplary conduct on all occasions, while he had been in his service; that his abilities were such as could not fail to render him an acquisition, and that he should not himself have parted with him on any account, had he not, for private reasons, declined business. Finally, Mr. Drake declared himself glad that I had so soon met with a situation, as London was a bad place for a young person to be long out of employment, &c.
Having finished this epistle, and directed it in due form, I hastened to find out the driver of the mail-coach, as I did not choose to employ the guard on the occasion. I requested the coachman to take this letter to Portsmouth, and on his arrival to drop it in the post-office, giving some fictitious reason, which fully satisfied him, when backed by a small compliment in silver.
I continued to call every morning on Mr. Giffard, and expressed such well-feigned sorrow at Mr. Drake's delay, that I really believe the former would in a few days more have taken me without the required testimonials. However, the long expected answer at length arrived; and on my calling as usual, Mr. Giffard told me with great marks of pleasure, that he had just received a letter from Mr. Drake, who gave me so excellent a character, that I might come that very day if I was prepared. Mr. Giffard further informed me that he was on the point himself of leaving the business to the management of his two partners, (Fisher and Pettit) and should retire to a country-house he possessed at Hammersmith: that as one of these partners only resided in the house, and he was a bachelor, it would be necessary that I should board myself, for which expense I should be allowed fifteen shillings a week, and for my services twelve more. Though this allowance was comparatively trifling, I agreed to the terms, as my only intention was to purloin all I could lay my Hands on, and in two or three months to abscond, and change the scene of action. As to my duty, it was to attend the shop, to make out bills of parcels, keep a set of books, and occasionally to carry out light packages.
I immediately brought my trunk of clothes, &c., to the house, and had a small bureau bedstead assigned me in a little room behind the shop; in which room during the day, a number of young women were employed in making up fancy-habits, character-dresses, dominos, &c. In a few days Mr. Giffard, with his family, left the house, and there only remained Mr. Pettit, the junior partner, myself, and a woman servant. The second partner (Fisher,) was a tailor, who superintended thirty or forty men, constantly employed in a large workshop on the attic story, in making gentlemen's clothes, and ladies' riding-habits. The stair-case to the upper apartments communicated with the shop, and had a door at the bottom, which when Mr. Pettit and the servant were gone to bed, I could fasten with a bolt so as to leave me at liberty to range the shop, and examine every part of its contents. Of this opportunity I soon availed myself, and the keys of the various drawers, &c., being left below, I proceeded to reconnoitre the different articles they contained.
I found these to consist of black and white lace, of various breadths and descriptions; ribands, silk, and other haberdashery; a large quantify of mode, Persians, gauze, muslin, &c. &c. There were also masks and dominos of every kind for the purpose of hire on masquerade nights, but these articles were of no value to me. As to the cloths, and other materials for gentlemen's clothes, these were always sent for, together with the requisite trimmings, from various shops in the neighbourhood, at which tailors are supplied with such goods, as they have need of them; and it frequently fell to my lot to fetch these articles, on which occasion I had only to take the pattern-books, and point out the quantities of each kind wanted, when (after it was known that I lived with Giffard and Co.) the same was immediately measured, booked, and given to me.
Having found out a Jew salesman resident in the Neighbourhood, who agreed to purchase whatever goods I brought to him, I began my depredations by taking a piece of elegant black mode, and several cards of lace, which articles I concealed in my bedstead, until I went out to breakfast the ensuing morning, when (this being the winter season,) I buttoned them up under my great-coat so as not to be perceived. On going to the Jew receiver, this conscientious Israelite, who no doubt suspected how I had obtained these articles, and my ignorance of their real value, offered me a guinea for each card of lace, (containing above twenty yards,) which was probably about the selling price of a single yard; and an equally equitable price for the mode; protesting "as he was an honest man, and hoped for salvation," that he could not afford sixpence more. As I had no alternative, I was obliged to accept the proffered sum, and promised to let him have more goods of the same kind, at every opportunity. I continued this course of pillage for several weeks, taking care, however, not to meddle too freely with any one species of property, so as to cause a discovery. As to money, I had not the means of getting any, for there was very little retail trade in this shop; and that little was confined to a few persons of fashion, who came in their carriages, and were always waited on by Mr. Pettit; besides this class of persons seldom pay ready money for the articles they select, but have them booked. The various goods I have mentioned, were chiefly kept for the purpose of making up, and ornamenting the masquerade and fancy-dresses, which were from time to time bespoke for extraordinary occasions.
I was frequently sent home with a suit of clothes, a lady's-habit, and other articles, to the houses of regular customers; most of whom kept an accompt, which was settled once a year: but on many occasions I was desired by the parties to give a receipt and take the amount of the goods delivered. After being about two months with Messrs. Griffard and Co., I began to form the design of quitting their service, and from that moment I suppressed all such sums as I received, booking the articles on my return, for the satisfaction of Mr. Pettit, who conducted this department. I now bespoke a very large chest of a neighbouring carpenter, for the purpose of depositing my own clothes and other effects, which I knew must be removed by degrees from the house; and that whenever I absconded, I must leave my trunk behind me. I therefore had recourse to the old stratagem of substituting brickbats for the articles I took away, to prevent any suspicion from its lightness. When my chest was completed, I ordered it to be sent home to a lodging I had provided in a distant part of the town, of which I had obtained the key, and paid rent in advance. I removed my effects at every opportunity from Tavistock-street, to this new receptacle. Every thing being in readiness for an elopement, I prepared to execute my last design upon my present employers. I have before observed that I kept a set of books, in which were the accounts of many persons of fashion for clothes, &c. My intention was to transcribe from the ledger a number of these accounts upon the copper-plate bills of parcels, which I had in my desk, belonging to the firm, and to present these bills for payment, immediately after I quitted the house; not doubting but many of the parties would pay them on the first application, by which I hoped to realize a good round sum. But circumstances not favouring this part of my design, I had only an opportunity of transcribing five or six persons' bills before Saturday night, at which period the books were delivered up to Mr. Pettit, who uniformly retained them until Monday morning; and, as I had reason to fear my repeated depredations on the shop would soon excite suspicion, I had pre-determined to quit on the day last mentioned.
The last commission I received on the Saturday was to take a parcel, containing a riding-habit, to the Bell and Crown inn, Holborn, where I was to see it booked for the Clapham stage, at which place the lady resided, for whom it was made. As I was going along, it occurred to me that I might as well embezzle this article, the price of which to the lady was 5l. 15s. 6d. Instead, therefore, of going to the Bell and Crown, I took it to my old acquaintance the Jew, who, I expected, would give me at least two guineas for it; but he had the conscience, to offer me one pound which I considered so unfair a price that I refused to let him have it, and, leaving his shop, I proceeded to a pawn-broker's a few doors further, where I requited two guineas upon it; but the shopman assured me these articles were so liable to the caprice of the fashion, that it might scarce be saleable at all in a years time, except to convert to some other use; he therefore offered to lend me thirty shillings, which I accepted, to save further trouble. This was the most impudent act I could have been guilty of, as this pawnbroker's was in Drury-lane, and within a minute's walk of my employer's; and I had better have taken ten shillings from the Jew, where it would have been placed beyond the reach of discovery, than have pledged it for five times the sum. The consequence of this imprudence will be seen by-and-by.
On my return to Tavistock-street, I informed Mr. Pettit that I had seen the parcel safely booked. The same night after he had retired to bed, I selected a few of the most eligible articles in the shop as my farewell adventure, which I concealed in my bed till the next morning, Sunday, when I conveyed them to the usual place of disposal.
Monday being come, I attended in the shop till the hour of breakfast, when I went out as usual, but with no intention of returning. I had previously procured several patterns of fancy quilting for waistcoats, and of the most fashionable articles for breeches; with these I immediately went to the houses, at which we were usually furnished with such goods, and shewing my patterns, (my person being well known,) I was immediately supplied with what I asked for, and the articles booked to Messrs. Giffard and Co. I proceeded in like manner to a woollen-draper's, where I obtained a few yards of superfine cloth; and afterwards to a trimming and button warehouse, at which I procured suitable materials for making up the whole as I intended these articles for my own wear. All this was executed within the hour I usually allotted for breakfast.
I next visited my lodging, and, depositing my newly-acquired property in my chest, informed the landlady I should come to sleep in the apartment that night. Having taken some breakfast, I hastened to present my bills at the West end of the town and was so fortunate as to receive about twenty pounds, besides an order at another house to call again the next day, which, as I had no immediate danger to apprehend, I, in fact, did, and received a few pounds more. For the whole of these sums, I gave receipts on account of Messrs. Giffard and Co.
Thus ended my engagement with Mr. Giffard, after a duration of about ten weeks. I was now possessed of a pretty good stock of clothes, and about sixty pounds in money. I had lived well during the whole period of my service; and I now determined to enjoy every amusement die town afforded, as I had lately been debarred from attending the theatres, &c., on account of my being restricted to early hours.
About a fortnight after my quitting Tavistock-street, I called at the pawnbroker's, at which I had pledged the riding-habit, for the purpose of buying some fancy silk-handkerchiefs, of which they had a very extensive assortment, being unredeemed pledges. On entering the shop, I found it very full of people, (this being Saturday evening,) and the shopman desired I would wait a short time, and he would then attend to me. In a few minutes I heard the latter desire an apprentice to take a bag and go to a neighbouring liquor-shop, for the purpose of procuring ten pounds worth of silver. I thought I perceived something significant in the shopman's manner of giving these directions, but as nothing is more common than such a proceeding on a Saturday night, when the pawn-brokers have need of a great deal of change, I had no apprehension of any deceit. When I began to grow impatient, the young man at length sent a boy up stairs to bring down the handkerchiefs, for my inspection; finding, however, that he was in no hurry to descend with them, and conceiving at last, that I was only kept in suspense for some sinister purpose, I declared that I would wait no longer, but call again another time. Turning about to leave the shop, who should I encounter at the door, to my great confusion, but my late master, Mr. Pettit, accompanied by a Bow-street officer, and the boy who had pretended to go out for the silver. I attempted to rush by them, but was overpowered and secured. The officer immediately proceeded to search me, but found nothing of a suspicious nature: he took, however, some loose money, and every other article I had about me; luckily I had some money (the bulk of my fortune,) in a private pocket, which he did not discover. Mr. Pettit then asked the pawnbroker if I was the person who had pledged the habit, and on his answering in the affirmative, I was given in charge to the officer, who conducted me to Covent-garden watch-house, where I was to remain locked up until the magistrate sat in the evening, at the public-office, Bow-Street.
Shortly after my confinement, I received a visit from Mr. Pettit, who, after expatiating on the enormity of my conduct, told me he had detected the frauds I had practised at the neighbouring shops, and demanded what I had done with the property so obtained. This, however, I refused to tell, not supposing that he had any idea of my place of abode: but in this I found myself unhappily mistaken, for he informed me that he had discovered it by means of the porter employed to carry home my chest, who, it seems, was well acquainted with Mr. Pettit, and had seen me frequently in his shop. On receiving this unwelcome information, I told Mr. Pettit to take what steps he pleased; and refused to answer any interrogatories, which I knew would avail me nothing, without a full restitution, which I was unable to make.
About six o'clock I was taken before the sitting magistrate, and Mr. Pettit, being duly sworn, related the whole story of the riding-habit, and stated that a few days after my elopement, he was surprised at receiving a message from the lady, respecting the delay in sending it home; and having inquired at the office of the inn, he was assured that no such parcel had been booked or brought there; that having reason, from my sudden disappearance, to suspect my honesty, he had made inquiry at the surrounding pawnbrokers, and had found the habit pledged at the shop of Mr. Lane, in Drury-lane, who, on his application, had immediately restored it. The shopman of Mr. Lane deposed, that he had taken in the article of me, and the magistrate observed that the evidence was so clear, that nothing now remained but for Mr. Pettit to produce and identify the property. The latter replied that he had it not in his possession, having sent it home to the lady, who was urgent to receive it. At this the magistrate expressed great displeasure, informing the prosecutor that all he had said was to no purpose, without the property being produced, and that he was therefore not warranted in committing me. Then turning to me, he said, "Young man, you have had a very narrow escape; I hope this will be a warning to you in future. Officer, let the prisoner be discharged." My joy at this deliverance was but momentary, for before I could reach the door of the office, Mr. Pettit acquainted the magistrate, that he had several other charges of fraud against me, but the parties were not then in attendance; upon which his worship ordered me to be detained, and directing that the witnesses should attend on that day week, ordered my mittimus to be made out, and committed me to the house of correction for another examination.
- ↑ The cant name for the House of Correction, in Cold-bath-fields.