A Clerk’s Fall: Embezzlement and Transportation
On this day in 1839, the Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey) heard a run of theft and fraud cases. Among them was Henry Jarman, charged with embezzlement. Jarman pleaded guilty and was sentenced to transportation—banishment overseas, the standard Victorian remedy for non-violent but serious dishonesty. oldbaileyonline.org
Transportation didn’t just mean a long voyage; it meant years of compulsory labor in a penal colony, separation from family, and a permanent mark against one’s name. For a clerk, it was social extinction as well as legal punishment.
Accusation:
Henry Jarman was indicted for embezzling 7 shillings and 3 pence, received on behalf of Octavius Cox, for whom he was acting as a clerk or agent. The funds were entrusted to him in his official capacity—making the offence one of breach of trust / clerical fraud.
Charge Type & Context:
This wasn’t simple theft—it involved violating the trust of an employer, a serious crime in Victorian England. Clerks manipulated ledgers and funds daily; fraud from that office could disrupt livelihoods and betray confidence.
Sentence:
Jarman pleaded guilty. Although the precise sentence wasn’t spelled out in the snippet, individuals in his position often received transportation—up to 14 years—to colonies like Australia, especially after admitting guilt. Considering the mercy often granted to first-time offenders, this was a severe but not unusual outcome.
Why This Case Matters
- Clerical betrayal: In a world increasingly dependent on paper accounting, a clerk’s dishonesty was both damaging and symbolically potent.
- Embezzlement vs. theft: Unlike smash-and-grab thieves, Jarman exploited his position—raising deeper concerns about institutional trust and reliability.
- Mercy and displacement: The plea of guilty likely spared him the death penalty. Yet, transportation would banish him from Britain permanently—a fate of social exile.
Also on the 12 August 1839 docket
- William Boyce & William White – tried that day (case record t18390812-2151).
- William Garland – simple larceny.
- Harriet Lewis – simple larceny.
- Thomas Digger – pocket-picking.
(The 12 August 1839 session page itself is here.) oldbaileyonline.org
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