The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1867-08-20 00:00:00

THE POST-OFFICE ROBBERY.

James Burgess, poet-office clerk, was brought up on
vemend but Friday, before the Mayor (O. Curate, lisq).,
J. Gslpin, U. Deceitlab, It. Davis, J. P. Aldridge,
nd J. Eimer, Rsqn., charred with stealing letters of
Her Majesty'e Postmaster-General, at the 'Dominator
put-office. The court was again thronged. Mr.
Weston appeared for the prosecution; the prisoner
vu undefended.
appeared
was calm throughout the
hearing, but he a greatly dejected. He declined
to question any o the witnesses.
The evidence of Mr. Howson given at the last court
was read over. The Town Clerk observed that the
marks on the half soveriegns were not described. Mr.
Weston said be declined to make known the marks
publicly as they might apply to other oases, but he
should be happy to tell them to the Bench. P.C.
Bingham's evidence wu also read over.
Mrs. Annie Derby, wife of the Pools postmaster,
said , I recollect seeing Mr. Howson at the Poole
post-office on Tuesday afternoon, August 6th. He gave
me a pared made op in an official envelope, addressed
to the postmaster of Poole. The envelope was ea:rarely
fastened. My husband was from home at the time.
He returned about seven o'clock the same evening,
when I handed our to him the package as I received
it from Mr. Flowson. The letter was in my possession
from the time 1 had it from Mr. Howson to when I
delivered it to my husband.
Joseph Darby, paatlaaatar at Poole, said on Tuesday
6th, my wife delivered to me an official letiter
from Mr. Howson, directed to the postmaster
at Poole. The letter was maturely fastened. I
opened the envelope and found some written
instructions and three letters, one of which was
addressed to Mn. Morris, Liberty-plaoe, East Over,
Bridgwater, Somerset. The letter addressed to Mrs.
Morris was securely fastened with gum. In pummels
of instructions, on the night of the 7th. I stamped the
letter with the Poole official stamp for that day, and
placed it in the bundle with the "Dorchester forward
letters" letters beyond Dorchester the bundle
wee immediately afterwards tied, and put into the
Dorchester big, whereupon I sealed the bag, which was
despatched from the office in the ordinary way about
10.10 p.m. The letter remained in my possession from
the time I received it from my wife till it was put into
the bag, and, saving the post-mark, it was in the same
condition as when I reeeived it.

William Thome, Mishell, postmaster at Bridgwater,
said: In pursuant* of instructions I carefully examined
the (mutant& of the Dorchester bag arriving at Bridg-
water at 9 o'clock on the morning of the Bth. The bag
was properly tied and sealed with the Dorchester office
seal. The letters were tied up in the ordinary way, and
I looked for • letter addressed to Mrs. Morris, but there
was no such letter. I telegraphed the fact to Mr.
Howson, at Wey mouth.

Charles Parsons, poetauster at Dorchester, said : The
prisoner was a clerk in Dorchester poet-office on the Bth
August, appointed by me. It was his duty to be in the
office between the hours of three and sic that morning.
I know he was there that morning. as be brought the
keys to my room shortly after sir, when be left. maw
him at that time. A bag despatched from the Poole
office at ten on the night of the 7th, would reach
the Dorchester aim on the Bth about 3.20 a.m. It
would be the duty of the prisoner to sort the letters so
arriving, and to send on any contained in it for Bridg-
water by the 8.15 a.m. train.
Mr. Weston said this was all the evidence he should
offer in the present ease.
Prisoner was then duly charged and cautioned. Being
asbed if he wished to say scything, he replied
"nothing."
A second charge was then gone into for stealing •
letter containing half It-sovereign. and 60 penny postage
stamina, which was directed to Mrs Tyrrell, 8, Bt.
Tboames-street, Radcliff. Bristol.
Mr. W. E. Howson of the missing letter branch of
the General poet-office, deposed to making up the letter
in caution, and ensilaging it in the official envelops I
spoken of in the previous case, end delivering it to Mrs. I
Darby. In consequence of something he heard, on the
morning of the Bth he went to Dorchester post-office
with P.C. Bingliala, and taw the prisoner. He
proceeded: I asked him if be was on ditty from four to
Ave yesterday afternoon. and he said "yea" I inquired
if sny one else wee on duty with biro, and he answered
1"no, I WIN on duty alone." I asked, did you
, sort the letters received in the bag from Poole
I arriving here about four o'alook. He replied '1 sorted
the letters, but the bag did not arrive till a quarter-past
four.* I said "You sorted and despatched the letters to
Bristol at Wiliest five 1" and he replied" Yes." I
mid in doing that do you remember seeing • letter
addressed to "Mrs. Tyrrell, 6, Bt. Thomas-street,
, Redeliff, Bristol." He answered "No, I don't." I
said a letter so addressed was sent to Dorchester pester-
; day, but hu not reached Bristol, and as you were 'done
in the offioe from the time the letter arrived at the
ofilos up to the time it should be despatched, you must
know something about it. He replied that he knew
nothing about it. [Half-sovereign produced by Mr.
Parsons] That hateovereign is the one I enclosed
in the letter addressed to Mrs. Tyrrell, with the Postage
stamps. I know the halfeovereign by a private mark
of my own upon it. The steams were also marked, but
I have not trued them.
Yrs. Darby spoke to delivering the letter she received
from Mr. Howson to her husband on the 6th.
Mr. Darby, the Poole postmaster, said he received
that letter, and found in it a letter •ddressed to Mrs.
Tyrrell, 6, St Thomas-street, Radcliff, Bristol, which
was securely fastened. He kept the letter for Mrs.
Tymell till 2.20 p.m. on the 7th, when he stamped it
with the Poole official damp, and pissed It among the
Dorchester letten whieh his assistant was just about
tying no. The bundle was then sent with the "Doc.
4eeter forward" prof.

Jima Hill, acting-superintendent of the Bristol
post-office, spoke to carefully examining the beg front
Dorchester on the 7th. There was no letter addrcued
to Mrs. Tyrrell.
Themes Banger, contractor for as well as driver of
the mail ear, from Dorehester to Melbury, said that on
the evening of the 7th he came into Dorchester about
nine o'clock. On his arrival at the post oBoe he
rneived from the prisoner SAO in payment of wages,
VIZ., iY in gr4.l, some 'sovereigns and some ball.
so.vreigns. On the ireorning of the Bth be lent Israel
Child, one of Lord flchester s out-door servants, half.
a.soversign. He hid at that time in his pocket one
hell-sovereign besides those received from tie poet.
office. Thtt he had received fro.o Mr. Stevens, house
steward it Melbury, the same day. It was • negrer end
brighter one than those be had from the poetofEce.
Could not swear which half-sovereign he lent to Child.
Next morning, in consequence of something that had
transpired between him and Mr. rufous, he went to
Child, and asked him to return his money. Child, said
he had not got rid of it, and gave him back half-a•
sovereign. Shortly after he saw Mr. Parsons at
Melbury stables, and took out all the gold he had in
hrperheat believe
svtaeicb etsb7st"mMelet;nry
his pocket and showed it to him. Mr. Parsons out of
nine lull-sovereigns selected one and be marked it.
The one
Child,
said Banger "put up" his horse at Melbur7 stables
daily. 0.1 Thursday, the Bth. Banger lent him half a
sovereign, and be kept it till next day, when he re-
turned the some half sovereign to Banger at hi. request.
Knew it was the same, as he had no other. house,
. .

Charles Parsons, the Dorchester postmaster, said
prisoner had been employed at the Dorchester poet.
office since the Ist of March hot, as obief-assiatant. In
the ordinary course of hie nusinees he would be in the
office on duty between the hours of 3.30 and 5.30 on the
afternoon of the 7th. Part of the time he would be ,
alone, and part with one other clerk. A bag fusm '
Poole would be due at 3.45, and it would be the
prisoner's duty alone to sort those letters, and forward
any tot the Bristol bag by the &30 train. Banger, the
mail contractor, nroeiVed • warrant for payment front
the General Post-office, and upon its production at the
Dorchester post-offioe it was his duty to pay the amount
of it, or, in his absence, it would be paid by the prisoner
oat of eaab in the post-offire tilL In consequence of
information received he went to the stables of Melbury
borne on the morning of the 9th, and there saw Thomas
Banger, who showed him the contents of his purse,
from which he selected one half-sovereign, and Banger.
by his request, markedllt. He then took possession of
It, and subsequently Wallowed it to Mr. Howson. The
balf.sovereign be now produced was the same he so
received.
This was the whole of the evidence offered. Prisoner
again declined to say anything.
A third charge was then partially gone into. On the
omission of searching the prisoner • letter was found on
trim, which had evidently not reached it. proper
destination. After some difficulty it was found that
the letter WU written by • person at Beer, near Beaton,
and addressed to a person at Litton Cheney. The
envelope was not forniri, but Mr. Weston thought he
should be able to trace it through the various post.
offices to the prisoner. He asked for • remand till
Wednesday next.
The prisoner was accordingly remanded, bet emend
of the witneues in the two other eases, who will not
give evidence in the third, were bound over to give
evidence at the triaL He will, therefore, be committed
next Wednesday for trial at the March mese%