The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-11-08 00:00:00

THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY MURDER.

TRIAL OF LEFROY.
The trial of Lefroy for the murder on the Brighton
Riplway, commenced at Hailstone on Fab,. before Lord
Chief Justice C.leridge.
The indictment is that he did wilfully and of his malice
aforethought kill and murder F.ederick lithe Gold at
Balcombe. on the 27th of June, 1881. The name of the
committing magistrate was Mr. J. M. N groan,. of Cock.
field. Frowner was also charged on tie remadei inqinsi.
non with the wilful murder of the sdd Frederick Isaac
Gold. Prisoner is described as being • journalist. aged 92.
well educated.
Percy Lefroy Mapleton, otherwise Arthur Lefroy, was
called for, and in response toe prisoner, conducted by two
gaolers, stowly emerged to view from the passage leading
I* the dock. Amid solemn silence, the prisoner, nervous
but self.poesessed, bowed respectfully to the Hooch. Be
. was neatly dressed in a black frock coat, and altogether
bore himself as • person of good breeding. His face Is of
a more intellectual east than persons Only acquainted with
photographs of him could base been prepared for. Be
was provided with a chair and sat down, and, folding his
arms, disposed himself in • hay-like attitude; but it was
apparent that be gave close attention to the proceedings.
. In reply to the Clerk of Arraign., the prisoner Pleaded
I "Not guilty." No exception was tthen to the names of
1 the Jury.
The Attorney-General, Mr. Tolland, and Mr. A. L
South appeared for the prosecution ; sod Mr. Montalto
Williams, Mr. T. Fultoo, and Yr. Kisch defended the
prisoner.
The Attorney-General, in opening the case, expressed •
hops that the jury would dismiss from their minds any of
. the excitement or prejudice which the murder of Mr. Gold
,lat the time created, and e online themselves str:etly to the
lame which he should have to lay Wore them. Mr. Gold,
be might Inform them, Was in the tutoit of travelling to
'London from his resideace, near Brighton, every Monday,
I sod of returning by • particular train. He t &Yelled to
London on toe morning of the murder, and v.eite I a shop
in Walworth, where he was in the habit of calling to
receive money. Be received about La and banks I anout
the same amount at his bank in Whitechapel. He then
retained to Loadoo-beidge stetter' for the express train,
and was seen to take his seat in a firs -clue um thing com•
partineat It was subsequently fount that the prisoner
bad Wien his seat in the seine compartment. Only three
illat-Clats tickets were issued by that train, and they would
aU be spoken toss having been returned in the usual way.
It would seem that whilst peeling Hurley. a woman,
emoted Brown, and her daughter saw • struggle going oa
in en. train. That had protesily been proceeding all the
• way Irma thersthaui tunnel, a dietan os of some eight miles,
for on entering that tunnel Mr. Gibs)°, • chemist of
ligiststoo, kmera the rep.ot of firearms in the next own-
! pertinent to that in which he was sitting. This was the
Othipartoteut in which Kr. Gold was travelling- Mr.
Gibson, however, mistook the reports for fog signals. Mr.
Gold was nevi r seen stain alive. The trail proceeded with-
out stopping, sad with oaly a brief slackening of speed, to
Preston, wnere the prisoner, who was then alone in the
compartment, was found smeared with blood. He first
complained that he had been assaulted whilst sitting with
two other persona, the elder of whom he said attacked
atm. Tien they had the feet that Mr. Gild carried a
gold watch, and this watch was discovered In the
prisoner's shoo but was returned to him at Brighton,
because it was thought that he had been the injured
The story or his visit to Brighton might easily be
tall. Its was toasted throughout as an injured men, and
be that meths was enabled to reach his own home at
Wallington, when he immediately disappeared. The WI
if Mr. God bad been booed in flalcoulbs tunnel, and some
articles bemaglog to him were mood at different points
along the Hos for some miles assatir Brighton. A shirt
collar was also found near the railway, and other articles
which he believed he should thew were the prisoner's. The
collar WY covered with blood, and these bets showed teat
a murder had been committed by someone, and that the
murderer had been destroying as far es he possibly could
ell traces of the struggle. Mr. Gold bad undoubtedly
bees snot. for • pistol bullet had been discovered in the
murdered mane head. Now he should be able distinctly
to prove that upon the day of the murder the prisoner had
possessed himself of • pistol at • pawnnroker 5 in S ,uth-
week, with whom he was in the habit of pledging ;sod'.
He had pledged many articles from time to time in the
name of Los, Varying the Caristian name and the address,
and upoo the very day of the murder a pistol was redeemed
which bad been pledged in the name of Lee, and the
pawnbroker's assistant would say that the prisoner was
the man who redeemed the pledge. Toen they Umnd the
prisoner at L ondon Bridge, hastily scanning the passengers
in the train in watch Mr. Gold was seated. There could
be no doubt that he travebel in the carnage where the
violence had been going on before the train resoled
Brighton: and it would be shown that only two persons I
were seen by the ticket collector in the compartment. The
action of the prisoner after his rotura to Wallington was
then lobe noted. He was in possession of a watch which
bail since disappeared, end which, by means of a wassailer,
would be shown to be Mr. Gold's. HI remained in his lode
lags for a few minutes only—just time enough to change
his blood-stained clothes—and saying he was going to See
• doctor to have his wounds dressed, disappeared alto.
getber. Hen sot to the doctor he sp its iii, but some
dos afterwards took loagiogs at Stepney, under an
assumed name, and was then discovered and apprehended,
after be had been keeping, as it were, in hiding for some
days. The Attorney-C nasal said he would not refer to
the minor in odeuti of the evidence, but it would be
clearly established that the pris oiler was is the railway
carriage at the time the murder was committed. He him-
self sea he bad been struck down, but if so how did he
come in possession of the murdered man's property I How
did he come to place Hr. Gold's watch in his Shoe I And
being in possession of it, where was it now f There was no
trace whatever of • thud party in the compartment,
although he believed that would be the line of defence
which would be taken; and If there was a third party way
did not the prisoner give up Mr. Golds property, and hurl
his accusation at this third peril and assist in his discovery
Instead of disappearing altogether I He believed his die-
appearance would be attributed to other causes, but this
be would not refer to at present. AI be would ask was a
close consideration of the facts as they would appear in
evidence, and of the chain of CinnitnitanCes Which would
be related to them. The Attorney•Generais speech
occupied an hour and five minutes in delivery.
The fret witness called was Joseph Goldsmith, assisttht
engineer on the Brighton Railway, who put in plans of
the line, and gave details as to the &Memos between the
various points.
Mee Lydia Gold, the widow of the murdered man, was
then sworn. She was in deep mooring, but her evidence
was given with composure and in • clear, distinct voice.
There was • faint flash on the prisoner's face when be
heard her num) called, but he refrained from looking at
her. Mrs. Gold said that her husband was in the habit of
travelling regularly to London on Monday mornings, and
returning by • parameter tram. He had • shop la
Walsworth. when) be called to collect money on Mondays,
and at stated period' he received dividends which
belonged to him, anti were payable in London. He went
to London on the Monday of the murder, being then in
good health. He was a hearty man. Wien he went to
London he took an umbrella with hint, which he usually
hung en a button under his coat. He did so on the
Monday in question, and the umbrella protuoed was the
same. Her husband also wore an eyeglass (the fragments
of which she identitiedi. and carried • watch method with
the name of Griffiths, of Mile End, elicited to an old-
fashioned chain. The watch hart • white face, and had
recently been repaired by Mr. Boren, of Brighton, who
brought It home Only • few days before the murder. She
Identified the articles found upon and near toe body as
throe belonging to her husband, and also several things 1
which had been picked up at various points along the
line, including an umbrella and hat.
Kate BMW, daughter of • watchmaker in Brighton,
said she knew Hr. Gold, who hid his watches repaired at
her father's shop. He left a watch there on the 31st May
to be clouted and adjusted. Her entry in the day boos
showed that it was numbered "l 61 and she believed
that the maker was Griffith. It dad a white face.
Matilda Sayan said she was present when the watch
was brought in by Mr. Gold. She handed it to her father.
Joseph B oven said Mr. Golii was a customer of his. He
knew the watch referred to by the last witnesses. It was
an epee-tooth watch. He repaired it and took it to Mr.
Gold's house. Mr. Gold was not at home at the time
but shortly afterwards called and paid for the work.
Catherine Crook of Etat-street. Walwoeth, said her
husband managed • shop there for Mr. Gold, who called
every week for the takings. He called on Monday, the
17th June, sod received .1:38 in gold. Si. in silver, and a
peens,. Tbe Money was in • smell hoot and she gave him
the amount written on a small Piece pink pegs,
Alfred Gilbert, cashier in the London and Westminster
Bank, Whitechopel Branch, said Mr. Gold pill in £3B in
gold on the 27th Jane, and drew nothing out. That was
about half-pest one o'clock.
William Frederick Franks, ticket colleo'or at London
Bridge, said he knew Mr. Gold as • regular traveller on
the line. He saw him about ten minutes to two o'clock on
the platform. The train for Brighton was being them made
up. He saw Mr. Gold enter • liratoclass smoking cotopart.
meat la the train about tire minutes to two o'clock. The
train sterted at two. Just before the train started the
prisoner came hurriedly on the platform, and took a that
in the same compartment as Mr. Gold. Mr. Gold faced
the engine, and the prisoner eat with his back th it. He
could not say whether the door on the of side was unlocked
or not, but that on the near side was unlocked wean the
train started.
Mr. H. B. Sewer, booktrigmlerk at the London-bridge
station, deposed: I issued the tickets for the Brighton
express. I issued two filet-class return tickets to a lady,
but they were afterwards returned. About Ave minutes
alter I issued one to another tenon, who, to the best of
my belief, was the prisoner. There were no others issued
for that train. The third ticket was numbered 3,181.
The Attorney• General said be wished to explain that
this was the ticket found in prisoner's possession at
Brighton.

SATURDAY.

The trial of Percy Lsfroy Mapleton, whim is charged with
the murder on the Brighton Railway, on the 27th of J.
of Mr. Frederick lariac Gold, was resumed at the
Maidstone &seise on Satorday, before the Lord Chief
Justice. The prisoner still seemed calm and self. pos reseed.
The following stances« were culled:—
Mr. Henry Anscomhe, station superintendent at the
Brighton station, said-1 was at the station on the after-
noon of the 27th June. The prisoner was brought to the
office. When I ea ir him, I saw that his fa. WY
bandaged. I inquired whet was the matter, and he said
that he had been assaulted. He said that there were two
other parsing in the train; that he was senseless, and
did not know what had become of the other persons.
Ile also sail, "I want • lawyer, and I shall offer •
reward." I told the prisoner I would see what he had
about him, and he said, "What do you mean r I said
I wished to see whether he had • pistol or • knife, and
he said he had not. At this time he had a light overcoat
_._ on his arm. Rubies and Howland came into the office, The following
advertisement appeared in last week's
and Holmes procerded to search him. I saw son. 19 or Guardian :-
11 shillings taken from his trousers pocket. I also saw Guam. Wanted, for Ermine. Surrey, • decided
a smell sold wateb. which 1 think came from his pocket Protest int, free from Ritualistic follies: gown used in th•
also. There was no chain attached. The watch was pulpit; no intoning ;no hieephernom hyrnrn ;no E totssmd
taken Dona his trousers pocket. I think there were also position Mak. viii. DP. evening Communion. Choir
three Hanoverian sovere,grus taken from him. I said, not surpliced. Good organ and clever organist Stipend.
" That looks queer, as others hare been found in the £l5O.
carriage" The Prisoner said, "I know nothing about BILNDING FOOD TO AMIMICL—A novel feature of the
them." The watch bat a white fem. About a quarter. imports is the arrival from Kirov., of beans, cabbages, awl
past seven o'clock I heard that the body had be m
en found. potatoes. Forty barrels of Coaplem and other varistiee of
William John Howland corrob 'rated potatoes grown in the north of Ireland were offered for
George II dons, a deiecrive officer, employed by thesale on Thursday. In sits and quality they were Inferior
London. Brighton, and South Coast Railway, and attached to American potatoes. One firm Importet 2,400 barbels 4
to the iletrofrten. Polices searched the prisoner, and tubers, grown In the vicinly of Liverpool, and haa 4,500
found in his left-Dana trouser, pocket a gold watch. There more on their way hers. There can I e sold here from two
was no chain attached to it. He said he had lost the to two-and-a-lialf dollars per barrel, whereas' native
chain- He said he had lost it In the carriage, and about potatoes briny three and three-and-a-half. Llv,rpoot
itea, in silver. In the asseend Pocket of the overcoat be varieties compare favourably with the native. °wine to
bonds pocket-book similar to that produced. The the drought, both the potato and cabbage crops are short
o=a hand upon it and said "Teat is a private year. ter ljupoti te this h
pun that he ears it back to him. Something DA.111,0211 £0111157 A RAILWAY COSIPAST.—AO ICIAOLI
mm gal& about his reroaining, and he said he wanted to 110 was tried in the Court of Common Pleas. on Thursday,
beck. He went with the Pdeoner by the train which befit against the London aid SouthMeeteen Railway, to de-
Brighton at ten minutes out six. When they got t termitee what daelegee ohm" be ewerdad
ttoheadPr""ndint
Graydon scab was taken to Wallington, and the prisoner, for ininries sustained in an accidentgon
mid la for it He drove up to No. 1, asulitits prisoner and company's Ilne, December 27th , 1 Plaintiff, Mr,
he entered li is home. The prisoner said in the cab that Wolfe, was in the employ of • tailor and outfitter, awl
be hoped the parties who had assaulted him would be his chief occupation was to stand at the door of the Acaugm
ht. He asked him as to the number of his watch In and solicit customers. The Jury awarded the plaintiff
the drawing-room. Mr. Clayton was in the room £4OO damages. a, tho time. The prisoner g ive him the numher 56,312. It is stated that the Duke of Connaught will go to one
He said he should like to see It again. He tried to open of the Mediterranean fortlemee next year, & me
it, and at last did so. He then found the number upon it after that to India. His Royal Rightism is, ta
kwa no to be
to be 16.961„ and he said to the prisoner "You have made most anxious for 10551(010551(0service andandhas often
tried to
• mistake." His reply was "Yes, I forgot." He asked obtain leave to go. As a soldier he is on, of the
him if he knew the maker's name, and he said "No ; I working at Aldershot, and he Is
everywhere norairg;
bought the watch from a friend of mine some time mo." the reason that he Is no pimer, hitt a studentyeimeleg"i "ol
He saw the maksee nano—" Griffiths, Mile-end.road, the art of war. beeenwlWa It is noderetood that i
London." He said be would be at Wallington up to the year the Duchess will add to the already long ;.an
twelve on the next day. prMe to which time he would be lifer Majesty's grand children. Settling down am-onrat es
found at a club in Savoy-street, Strand, The prisoner as she has. and identifying herself thoroughly
with the
offered every facility to be marched, natives abs bas merle her awn, the wife of Prince Arthur
Thomas tannings, a labourer in the service of the hasbecome one of the most popular member of the R ',al
Brighton Railway Company, proved finding In the middle family, and the crorniged
t will be ground foe
of a, tome' the body of • man Wag in the six.roat hearty
Tne hety coneratulation. By the way, we hear that prime
body was on its back, and the heat was toward. Brighton. Leopold has settled upon • German beide, en& that tie;
A portion of the coat was over the face, and he noticed mission of (Wawa' Miesdhees to tvAnalyscli!lieved
blood upon it. The fees was very much knocked about The have • satisfactory concluelon. be likely to
°emu clie
right lag was awed over the sit, and the right arm was foes, If all be wen. be UIS 110elle el Meek phew in saw,
oast the Mut. Tlas bads was gaits otos of Vas talk in winta sod sort%