The Press. — London, England, 1856-11-15 00:00:00

THE PRESS. 1090 greatest good fortune he was caught by the shackles, and by some• means, which will ever re main a mystery even to himself, he succeeded in extricating himself from his perilous position and gaining a safe foothold. The shock lie had received was so great that he was relieved from duty at the first opportunity. THE RIGHT HON. SIR JOHN BAKINGTON. BART., M.P., accompanied by his son, will arrive in Man chester on Monday next, and during his stay will be the guest of James Watts, Esq., the mayor, at Cheadle. On Monday the mayor will give a banquet, and on Tuesday Alderman Nicholls will entertain Sir Jahn and a select party of friends to dinner at Eaglet'-house, Ardwick. In the evening the right hon. baronet will deliver an address to the members of the Manchester Athenaeum, "On National Education." A FATAL EXPLOSION OF A NAPHTHA-LAMP is re ported in an Edinburgh paper. Mr. Cranston Waddell, while conversing with his sister in the sit• tng room on Wednesday week, noticed that the supply of naphtha in the lamp wasalmost exhausted. Mr. Waddell, at once, according to his wont, but directly contrary to printed instructions, proceeded while the lamp was burning to fill the receiver with naphtha. In a moment a terrific explosion took place. The bottle containing the naphtha, the lamp—everything around wag dashed t) pieces. The windows were demolished, the door of the sitting-room blown into the passage, and Mr. Waddell and his sister covered with the blazing naphtha. Mr. Waild€ll lingered in intense agony till Friday morning, when death terminated his sufferings. His sister, up to the last accounts, lay in a most precarious state. misapprehending his instructions took the parcel he received from the bank to the Great Northern Rail way, and tile officials of the company have taken pos session of it, and notice has been given at the bank to withhold his balance until further inquiry. As soon as the discovery of the frauds was made, direc tions•were given to the police to take possession of Redpath's house in Chester place. This was done, and almost simultaneously Inspector Williams arrested Mr. Charles James Cumming Kent, a young man, aged 25,wh0 was a clerk in the register•ofce, over which Mr. Redpath presided. Mr. Kent, who is supposed to have been the dupe of Redpath, was arrested at his residence in Castle-terrace, Hamp• stead•road, and he immediately afterwards underwent a private examination at Clerkenwell Police Court. He was remanded till Tuesday next, and is now in the custody of the governor of the House of De tention. The efforts of the police were now directed to secure Mr. Redpath. Every exertion was made, and at last, in the course of yesterday morning, he was hunted down and caught at the house of a friend in Ulster-place, Regent's-park. It appears that after leaving the office of the Great Northern Railway, on Tuesday, he proceeded direct to his house in Chester terrace, Regent's•park, where he made anxious in quiries in reference to the parcels, for which he sent a ticket porter to the Union Bank in Argyle.p . ac?, under the circumstances detailed aboNe. Alter expressing much surprise and indigna tion that the porter had not arrived, he left home, and proceeded by the South-Eastern Railway to Paris, whence he sent telegraphic messages to his friends in London. These messages were intercepted by the police, but too much reliance was not placed upon them, inasmuch as they thought that they might be a ruse to throw the officers off their guard. Mr. Thomas Williams, an officer connected with the Great Northern Railway,to whom the warrant granted by the magistrate was intrusted, proceeded to Paris, where he hoped to effect a capture. Meanwhile, Mr. Richard Williams, an inspector connected with the Great Northern Railway, by means of remarkable vigilance and astuteness, obtained a clue to the prisoner, who by this time had returned to London. He traced Red path from place to place, and yesterday morning sue • ceeded in capturing him at No. 4, Ulster•place. Mr. Redpath gave himself up easily, said he was sorry for what had occurred, and conducted himself with perfect calmness and composure. It appears pro bable that Redpath heard of Mr. Williams's arrival in Paris, as he lett without his luggage. At one o'clock in the afternoon the prisoner Red path was placed at the bar of Clerkenwell Police court before Mr. Tyrrwhitt. Mr. Humphreys, on the part of the prosecution, briefly stated the nature of the charge and the evidence given on the examination of the clerk, Kent, who is charged with being implicated with Redpath in the extensive frauds and forgeries. Tho prisoner Kent stands remanded until Tuesday next, and on the present occasion he (lid not propose to go into the whole of the case against the prisoner, but offer sufficient evidence to justify his asking for a remand. Several witnesses were then examined for that purpose. Mr. Williams, an officer of the Great Northern Railway, detailed the circumstance of the capture of the prisoner : He accompanied Mr. Mowatt this morning to 4, Ulster place. ltegent's•park, where he found Mr. Redpath in the front room. He told Mr. Redpath that he held a warrant against him, and that it was his duty to take him into custody upon a charge of forgery and fraud. That was after the prisoner had seen Mr Mowatt. Witness then took Redpath away in custody. In the course of their journey to the Clerkenwell Police•court in a cab, prisouer said to witness, whom he had known before as an officer of the company—" I am very sorry," then there was a pause, and afterwards he said, " they have my place in Chester terrace, and if they sell it well it will fetch 30,01)01." Witness said, " T hope they will." He requested that Mr. Wontner, the solicitor, should be sent for, and witness pro mired that he should have every facility. Prisoner again said, " I am very sorry for it ; it is all my own fault I am here." Mr. Humphreys, upon the evidence, asked for a remand. After some conversation, Mr. Wnntner said that, as Mr. Redpath's legal adviser, he had no objection to a remand. Mr. Red. path was very anxious that the charges should be fully investigated. The prihnnerWas then remanded till Friday next. TILE GREAT GOLD ROBBERY OF '55. Tiii: two railway guards, Pierce and Burgess, arrested last week on suspicion of being concerned in the great robbery of 15,0001. of gold, while in transita from Loudon to Folkestone, in May, 1855, were on Thursday examined before the Lord Mayor at the Mansion-house. Mr. Bodkin, who conducted the prosecution, gave a brief explanation of the manner by which the SATURDAY, robbery was traced to the prisoners. In the robbery four persons were concerned, Pierce, Burgess, a check clerk named Tester, not yet in custody, and a convict, Agar. The robbery was effected in May, 1855. In October, '55, Agar was convicted of forgery. Upon his arrest, he intrusted his woman and child to the care of Pierce. Pierce soon after turned them both adrift without a penny, although he held in trust some 7,0001. of Agar's, and the woman, in revenge, told the railway authorities what she knew of the rob bery. The proofs she possessed were slight, but yet sufficient to give a clue to the police. Agar's atiection for his child, aroused by this gross bleach of trust, appears to have induced hint to turn Queen's evidence. On Thursday he was brought up from Portland prison, and gave a lengthened detail of the manner in which this great robbery was effected, which, as a specimen of foresight and ingenuity, stands almost unrivalled in this age, so remarkable for fraud. Agar opened his story by stating his acquaintance with Pierce and Burgess ; it had existed for sume five or six years. He was in the habit of frequently visiting the United States ; he does not tell us for what purpose, but " he travelled backwards and for wards several times." He then describes with charming simplicity how the notion of the gold robbery originated, and was finally arranged:— The last time I went to America I spoke to P;erce about a robbery on the South• Eastern railway, and when 1 - returned I met Pierce in London, by accident, somewhere at the West end, and spoke to him, which led to my seeing him several times. He afterwards asked me if I had thought anything more about the robbery. 1 told him I declined having anything more to do with it. He said he thought he could manage to get an impression of the keys if I would undertake to do it—the keys of the iron safe. I said, "Well, it would be a matter of consideration as to who was to be concerned in it, and how many." He told me it was to be divided into four if I would undertake it. I said "Yes, I would have no objection," and an arrangement was made to meet a party to get an impres sion of the keys, Pierce saying he knew the man. This being settled, Pierce and Agar go down to Folkestone for a fortnight or three weeks, in order to acquaint themselves fully with the details of the gold-train's arrival, to get a sight of the bullion chest as it was carried from the train to the boat, to observe how and when it was opened before passing the Custom-house, and above all to discover where the keys were kept. The time passed pleasantly at Folkestone ; they lived in private apartments, and played billiards of an evening. The policeman at the station at length noticed them, and Pierce imme diately returned to town. Agar remained for another week, got an introduction to the railway officials who kept the keys of the bullion chest, and of an evening drank or played at billiards with them, but after a week failing to obtain any information from them he returned to town in despair of getting an impression of the keys just then. At that moment, however, something " turned up" which revived his hopes. One of the keys was lost, a fresh key had to be made, the safe was sent up, and the person in whose charge the key would be left when the safe was repaired was the clerk Tester. Pierce knew Tester, and an appointment. was made at a beershop at the corner of Tooley.street:— Tester brought one or two keys—l forget which. They were new keys. I took three of tour impressions in wax of one key. I went upstairs to a bedroom to wash my hands, to do it there. The chambermaid showed me up. I took the impression, and returned the keys back to Tester. I gave the chambermaid sixpence, or something of that sort. An impression having been obtained of one key, the question was to get the impression of the other kept in Chapman's drawer at Folkestone. It was arranged that Agar should go down, that Pierce should send him some money which would come in the bullion safe, and that while Chapman was busy examining the papers Agar should endeavour to get an im pression of the key. This plan, however, did not succeed. Afar went down and stopped at the Pt.vilion as Mr. Archer. A day or two afterwards a letter of advice and the money arrived I saw the train arrive at the upper station. I saw the iron safe. I then came to the lower station and saw Chap man and showed him the letter. I saw the iron sate opened by him with a key from the cupboard in his own office. The box was in the safe. He told me to fill up a form of receipt. I said I had a bad finger and he must excuse me, and I must get him to do it for me, and I signed it in the name of Archer. There was about 2001. in gold in the box, and there were some papers to fill it up. It was my money in the box which I hail given to Pierce before I left London. I don't recollect where I got the gold from. I believe it was at the Bank. I had not then any account at any private bankers. As this attempt failed, Agar returned to town, and after a week or two he and Pierce arranged another trial. This time they were more successful:— It was proposed that Pierce and I should go to Dover, and get over to Folkestone from I ; and as we noticed that the clerks generally left the office when the boat arrived, I was to watch the opoortunity, and go in and obtain the key from the cupboard in Chapman's office. It ~.011 5 .4 ga.F.•,.., 1/1 - The windows were demolished, the door of the Argyll-p . ac?, under the circumstances detailed robbery originated, and sitting-room blown into the passage, and Mr. above. Atter expressing much surprise and indigna- The lust time I went Waddell and his sister covered with the blazing Lion that the porter had not arrived, he left home, about a robbery on the Soi naphtha. Mr. Waddell lingered in intense agony and proceeded by the South-Eastern Railway to returned I met Pierce in I till Friday morning, when death terminated his Paris, whence he sent telegraphic messages to his at the West-end, and spoke sufferings. His sister, up to the last accounts, lay in friends in London. These messages were intercepted him several times. He a most precarious state. Yak( aith Volitt. THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY FRAUDS. ANOTHER case cf commercial morality (?) has been disclosed this week. A Mr. Leopold Redpath, by the police, but too much reliance was not placed thought anything more at upon them, inasmuch as they thought that they might declined having anything be a ruse to throw the officers off their guard. Mr. Thomas Williams, an officer connected with the Great . Northern Railway,to whom the warrant granted , by the magistrate was intrusted, proceeded to Paris, where he hoped to effect a capture. Meanwhile, Mr. Richard Williams, an inspector connected with the Great Northern Railway, by means of remarkable vigilance living at 27, Chester-terrace, Regent's-park, a gentle- and astuteness, obtained a clue to the prisoner, who man of reputed unblemished honour, a largo sub. criber to public charities, a governor of Christ's Hos. pital and St. Anne's Society, and a man blessed with by this time had returned to London. He traced Red path from place to place, and yesterday morning suc - . ceeded in capturing him at No. 4, Ulster-place. Mr. Redpath gave himself up easily, said he was sorry so disinterested and generous a disposition that he for what had occurred, and conducted himself with undertook the management of the transfer stock P and the registrarship of the share department . ro- erfect calmness and composure. It appears p babe that Redpath heard of Mr. Williams's arrival thought i he could manag keys I I would undertake safe. I said, "Well, it wo as to who was to be comet told me it was to be divide it. I said " Yes, I wont arrangement was made to sion of the keys, Pierce sa, This being settled, Pi Folkestone for a fortni to acquaint themselves gold-train's arrival, to chest as it was carried f observe how and when the Custom-house, and the keys were kept. in Paris, as he left without his luggage. at Folkestone ; they 'iv( of the Great Northern Railway, solely from a At one o'clock in the afternoon the prisoner Red- played billiards of an love of employment, and a wish to render him- pat h was p l ace d at t h e b ar o f C l er k enwoll Police- ile station at length no self useful to the company at the small cost of court before Mr. Tyrrwhitt. diately returned to town 2001. a year, has been arrested on the charge of Mr. Humphreys, on the part of the prosecution, week, got an introduc ' committing enormous frauds on the Great Northern briefly stated the nature of the charge and the who kept the keys of th . Railway Company. Mr. Redpath had held his evidence given on the examination of the clerk, Kent, evening drank or played 7' office for some years. The directors of the corn- who is charged with being implicated with Redpath after a week failing to i pany, two or three weeks since, established a in the extensive frauds and forgeries. 'l'ho prisoner them he returned to t ' distinct department for the purpose of securing a Kent stands remanded until Tuesday next, and on impression of the keys • strict investigation of the accounts. The ofEcials o! the present occasion lie (lid not propose to go into however, something " t ' this new depait - tient met on Monday last, and on the whole of the case against the prisoner, but offer hopes. One of the key: Tuesday morning they re-assembled for the purpose sufficient evidence to justify his asking for a be made, the safe was of entering upon their duties. Soon after they met remand. whose charge the key Mr. Redpath entered their room, and said to the Several witnesses were then exami n ed fo r th a t . , was repaired was the chief clerk, " What are you going to do ?" The purpose. Tester, and an appoints chief clerk replied, "To go through all the accounts Mr. Williams, an officer of the Great Northern at the corner of Tooley. from the commencement of the company." Mr. Railway, detailed the circumstance of the capture of Redpath replied, "That is a perfectly useless pm- the prisoner : Tester brought one or ti were new keys. I took tl ceeding. You will find all the accounts right in the He accompanied Mr. Mowatt this morning to 4, Ulster- of one key. I went upsta gross, and it is of no use entering into details." The place. Regent's-park, where he found Mr. Redpath in the hands, to do it there. Thi chief clerk said, "We are bound to go into the whole front room. He told Mr. Redpath that he held a warrant I took the impression, at of the accounts, as the directors have given us ex. against him, and that it was his duty to take him into Tester. I gave the chaml, custody upon a charge of forgery a n d f rau d. Th a t was o f t h at sort. plicit directions to do so, and we wish to begin with the numerical register." Mr. Redpath took up one after the prisoner had seen Mr Mowatt. Witnes s then An impression having bi took Redpath _awa l 3 c r in custody. In the course of . their of the books and then threw it down again, saying,question was to get the : journey to . the CI enwell Police court in a cab, prisoner "Well if that is your intention, I will have nothing to in Chapman's drawer at said to witness, whom he had known before as an officer of do with it." He then said to one of the officers, " I the company—" lam very sorry," then there was a pause, that Agar should go do am going'out for a few minutes." He went, and and afterwards he said, " they have my place in Chester. him some money which never returned. The inspection of the accounts at terrace, and if they sell it well it will fetch 30,0110/." safe, and that while CI once proceeded, and it was soon found that trauds to Witness said, " T hope they will." He requested that Mr. the papers Agar shou the amount of 150,0001. had been perpetrated on the Weidner, the solicitor, should be sent for, and witness pro- pression of the key. T company by Mr. Redpath. As principal registrar of inked that he should have every facility. Prisoner again succeed. Afar went stock, Mr. Redpath had, of course, the entire control said, "I am very sorry for it; it is all my own fault lam Pavilion as Mr. Archer. " of that department of the company's business. When here. letter of advice and the ... . he had to issue a 1001. stock, it appears that he Mr. Humphreys, upon the evidence, asked for a I saw the train arrive at aided a "0 "to the amount, thus making it 1,0001. remand. iron safe. I then came to on the company by books. This operation was not After some conversation, man and showed him th confined to 1001., but extended to stock of 2001., Mr. Wontner said that, as Mr. Redpath's legal opened by him with a key 3001., and 5001., so that out of every 1001. stock trans- adviser, he had no objection to a remand. Mr. Red- office. The box was in t path was very anxious that the charges should be a form of receipt. I said ferred he gained 0001. The directors appear not to •fully investigated. excuse me, and I must gi • have made any examination into the accounts, pro- li signed it in the name of bably because they never had any suspicion of their The prisoner was then remanded till Friday next. in gold in the box, and th • officer, and it has been to them a mystery for some up. It was my money it • . years past that they were called upon to pay dividends THE GREAT GOLD ROBBERY OF '55. Pierce before I left Londo upon 15,0001. or 20,000/. more than according to their . 1 . . . two railway guards, Pierce and Burgess, the gold from. I believe it audited accounts they were li a bl e f or . T tit; his mystery any account at any private is now explained. Mr. Redpath, disinterested soul, arrested last week on suspicion of being concerned As this attempt failed, pockeii tg this 20.000 a year. Previous to leav- in the great robbery of 15,0001. of gold, while in after a week or two he ing the office, Mr. Redpath sent one of the transita f rom L on d on to Folkestone, i n May, 1855, tr i a l . Thi s t i me they w ticket porters, belongin g to the railway, to the Union we re on Thursday e xam i ne d b e f ore t h e L or d Mayor Bank, in Argyll-pl ace ,f or t h e t i tle deeds of h i s house It was proposed that Pi in Chester-place, and for other securities which were at the Mansion-house. and get over to Folkestone lodged there in hi s name, di recting him to meet him M r. B o dki n, who conducted the prosecution, gave that the clerks gene ra lly I arrived, I was to watch I with the documents at Chester-place. The porter a brief explanation of the scanner by which the obtain the key from the et :a)xrant Alxce. THE GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY FRAUDS. ANOTHER case cf commercial morality (?) has been disclosed this week. A Mr. Leopold Redpath, living at 27, Chester-terrace, Regent's.park, a gentle man of reputed unblemished honour, a largo sub criber to public charities, a governor of Christ's Hos. pital and St. Anne's Society, and a man blessed with so disinterested and generous a disposition that he undertook the management of the transfer stock and the registrarship of the share department of the Great Northern Railway, solely from a love of employment, and a wish to render him self useful to the company at the small cost of 2001. a year, has been arrested on the charge of committing enormous frauds on the Great Northern Railway Company. Mr. Redpath had held his office for some years. The directors of the com pany, two or three weeks since, established a distinct department for the purpose of securing a strict investigation of the accounts. The ofEcials of this new department met on Monday last, and on Tuesday morning they re-assembled for the purpose of entering upon their duties. Soon after they met Mr. Redpath entered their room, and said to the chief clerk, " What are you going to do?" The chief clerk replied, " To go through all the accounts from the commencement of the company." Mr. Redpath replied, "That is a perfectly useless pm ceeding. You will find all the accounts right in the gross, and it is of no use entering into details." The chief clerk said, "We are bound to go into the whole of the accounts, as the directors have given us ex plicit directions to do so, and we wish to begin with the numerical register." Mr. Redpath took up one of the books and then threw it down again, saying, " Well if that is your intention, I will have nothing to do with it." He then said to one of the officers, " I am going'out for a few minutes." He went, and never returned. The inspection of the accounts at once proceeded, and it was soon found that trauds to Vie amount of 150,0001. had been perpetrated on the company by Mr. Redpath. As principal registrar of stock, Mr. Redpath had, of coarse, the entire control of that department of the company's business. When he had to issue a 1001. stock, it appears that he aided a "0 " to the amount, thus making it 1,000/. on the company by books. This operation was not confined to 1001., but extended to stock of 2001., 3001., and 5001., so that out of every 1001. stock trans ferred he gained 900/. The directors appear not to have made any examination into the accounts, pro bably because they never had any suspicion of their officer, and it has been to them a mystery for some years past that they were called upon to pay dividends upon 15,0001. or 20,000/. more than according to their audited accounts they were li a bl e f or . This mystery is now explained. Mr. R e dp a th, di s i n t eres t e d sou l, pockeii ig this 20.000 a year. Previous to leav ing the office, Mr. Redpath sent one of the ticket porters, belonging to the railway, to the Union Bank, in Argyll-pl ace ,f or t h e t i tle deeds of h i s house . Chesterplace, and for other securities which were lodged there in his name, directing him to meet him with the documents at Chester-place. The porter %) II