The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-11-15 00:00:00

THE BRIGHTON RAILWAY MURDER.

CLOSE OF THE PROSECUTION.

NONDat

The trial of Percy Leroy Mapleton, alias Arthur Lorre,,
was resum.d the WWI Irfore the L ,rd Chief Justice.
}Award Creak, menaner toM arra Adams. pawnbr.,kon,
London-bridge, produced his pledge Woke. I. reply to the
A torney•General, he said the pledges are entered in the
books, not as they are taken in, but at various times during
tee day, but always in the numerical order in which they
we.. trued.

—Wow inZy pluton did you take ln oaths 214 ol June
—Nlnet.eu. _ _

e• •
And on the 19th of June I—Forty.
Can you, from that entry, tell us about what time the
pistol was pledged I—lt is needy the met entry in the book,
so I should say about seven o'cl,eck. No entry in the book
wou.d give • clue to the time of redeeming.
A. to this mound pistol. Wnen was that pawned —Oa
the 13th of July.
; That would be alter the prisoner was in custody I—Yes.
(Pistol produced).
Do you know the person who pledged ill—Yes. It vu
• young man named William Watson, of the calming
offlce, L .cultn•bridie.
Jarvis waa in your shop at the time /—Yes. When
Watson brought it in I showed it to Jarvis, and asked
him if he knew anything about it. He geld "No. I
asked the man if it were Ina own. He said " Yes. '
Is this pistol similar to the one pledged en the 2Lit of
June I—Yer.
Serah Bickers: I live at 33, Smith-street, Stepney, and
have lived there for nine years.
Upon Thursday, the 30th June, did you have a lodging
bill in your window I—Yee, sir.
Upon that day the priso.er at the bar called at your
boom!—Yes.
About what host In the day I—A little after 11 o'clock
In the morning.
When be called what did he say I—He asks/ for the
apartments, and how much they were.
Did you make any inquiry as to who he wasl—He said
he cams from Liverpool.
What was hia name I—l asked him his name, and he
said it was Clerk.
What occupation did be say he followed 7—That of an
*Dilater.
Yoe asked him if Its liked the rooms I—Yea, and he said
be did. He said also that he should take them. I Asked
him when he would like to have them, and he said that
day. He went away then, saying he should return at two
o'olook.
Had he had moustaches on his face at that time I—l did
not notice any.
Was anything said abut his luggage, —lle said his
luggage was coming from Liverpool next day.
Did he pay 3/. I. on account of the rentl—Yes, he
did.
In the evening he want out for a short time I—Yes.
On the next day did be go out I—lie went out after
bn-akiast and came back about 2.
Did ho go out on Saturday 7—Not in the daytime.
Di yoti know whether he went out from the Friday
until the du of his arrest I—He may have gone out in the
evening. but I did not hear him. On Sunday he took
the Sunday newspaper up to his room.
WU any observation made at all se to the news of that
weekl—Wbon he took away the paper I said "I bear
there ls • murder." He said "I behave there is."
Was there any other observatioo made I—Yea. I
asked him if the man was caught, and he said be believed
not.
On the morning of the 7th July (Thursday), did a letter
coine for him I—Yes.
What did you do with itl—l took it up to him and put
it under his door.
After he had received that letter did the primmer read
t you something written upon a piece of paper I—Yes, on
the Thursday morning.
Did he elk lOU to do anything for him I—He asked
toe ti go in a cab and get some money for him. I
declined to go, and /Liked him why he did not go him-
self.
What did he say to thatl-111/ said he had sprained his
anti..
Oil you syt some one to go for him I—Yes; Mr Doyle
took a rues. Age to the telegraph dace for him. 1 saw toe
primmer give him money and a piece of piper.
next day (Friday) be was /wrests(' I—Yee.
Donald Sutherland Swanson, examined by Mr. Poland :
I aim one of the inspectors of the metropolitan p dice.
On Friday. the fl".ti July, did you go to Mrs. Bickers's I
I lid.
DA you see the prisoser there 7—Yes.
What did you say to him 7—Addressing hint, I said,
" Po-ey Leroy Mapleton I" Ile replied. " Yes, 1 expected
you
What di I you soy to him then 1-1 told him I was •
Police ofticer, and shoold arrest him on the cha,ge of ell.
hilly murdering Mr. Gold in • first-clue culla& on the
Bro,ht on Railway, on the 27th June. At the same time I
told him that what he said I should take down in writing
ant use it in evident*.
What did be nay then I—He sold, "I am not compelled
to niske any reply, and I think it better to mate no
answer."
Well I—lnepect r Jarvis then came into the room, and
to him, to prisoner's pretence. I said, "This man admits
b tog Livroy." I put this d own in writing. I ttdd him
Vie charge. awl read t him what I bad written. Waen I
hod done so prisoner said, "Well, I will qualify that by
saying I am not multi.
Dit Jarvis then proceed t search the room 7—Yea.
W. h ore • drawer th-re which was lurked I—Yea.
Did y u ark the prisoner for • key I—Yee.
What did be say I—That toe lock could not be opened
with • key. There wag • key, but it would not open it.
Wan the dr•wer bro it n open I—Yee.
D.d you see Jarvis find • black cloth waistcoat 7—Yes.
thot appear lobe stained 7—Yes.
What with 7—Blood. (Waistcoat produced.)
Was there els o • black scarf 7—Yes. I did not observe
whether it was stained.
D we it appear to be stained sow I—Yer.
Were there three shirt collars I—Yea. One of Diem is
muted 14, another 144.
.and the third is not marked. One
of them has a alight stun.
There was also • portion of • woollen shift, in parte cut
sear !—Yes. (Shirt produced)
Were the pieces cut away fo i und n • cupboard in the
room I—Yes. (Produced.) 8 nee bear stains.
Were there too cloth cape I—Yes. (Produced.)
And woe there a pair or Wu wbisken and moustache
In one !—Yes.

.
Are time, cape new (—Y. a.
Pertly worn, I think i—Yee. a IPtle.
Ftederick Smith J4IIIII. ex mined by M. P .n
Mid: I am On-, of the inspectors of the Metropol tan
police.
On your way to the station d d tie prisoner make •
st.temsnt to 7..0 I—Yee.
What was it I—ile said " I am els I you hive found me:
601 seek of it. I shou d hers sires myerlf up in • day
or two, but I could not bear the sive.) I feared certain
inciters in connection with my Near would be mad*
public. I have regretted it seer since that I ran away ;it
puts such • different complexion on the case." He then
said, "I Bolcom I shall be able to in. • lawyer r I
replied, Certainly." He then said, "lam glad you did
not bring any of my so-041*i friends from W
with you." Els was thoi taken to the station.
Did you afterwards make • further search! Yea. I
found only two or three little pieces of cloth (produced).
Mr. Thomas Doyle, examined be the Attorney-General,
1101 a neighbour of Mrs. LUckers.
On Thursday, the 7th July. were you at beg house
Yes._ .

-.LTA the prisoner give you this piece of paper with the
ting upon i t?—Yrs.
( rhe telegram we. as follows :—"From G. Clerk, 31.
Setiiii Street, tepo•y, to 8. Seel', J. T. Human:loon sod
Ci., 56. Groattamstreet, Memo bring nu my wages this
evening before eight Shall bays the dour tomorrow.
Not tbirty•threri
Did be then it,, you some silver I—He gave me Is. It,
and told me to take it to the telegraph °files. I than seat
the telegram.
This closed the case for the prosecution. and Mr.
Montagu Williams adireesed the jury for the defence.
Ile dwelt with much emphasis on the total shoelace of anr
evidence that toe prisoner knew Kr. Gold or anything of
his habits, and contended that there was a third men in
the compartment, who, having committed the craw.,
escaped as the train alankened 'peed on approaching
Preston Park Station. Ths Attorney•Genoral replied.
'plait over the main points of the evidence, and argoing
that it sufficiently established the guilt of the prisoner. He
must have gone down with no other object than that of
robbery, and there wee nothing whatever shown to
justify the theory of a third pereon. Sr Henry James
referred to the feet that no object bad been shown for the
prisoner's visit to Stigrtoo, an remarked upon his intone.
anxiety to return to London when he kne• what bad
taken place end that he stood in danger of being charged
at any moment with murder.

TIJUDAT.

The Judge commenced bis summing up this morning.
He, in an elaborate address, dwelt petticularly upon
the evidence against I.erfroy as to the redeeming of •
pistol on the day of the murder, hie present* in the train
with ter. add, and his: Tival at Preston when Mr. Gold
wits sleep., and, as it turned out, had been murdered on
the way. lite theory of the third party was diecuswid. and
the iu tie pointed out that thPre had never been a eingle
piece of evidence adduced to show that • third party could
have existed except in statement of the prisoner himself.
A further statement put forward by the deletes was that
orisoner went to Brighton to me • young lady, but his
lordship said if that were so it was libel on &whelk women
to itay that the gir would not have ipresent d herself to
eve evidence. Ile pointxl out to the Jury that it WY
maim° anyone saw • murder actually committed, and
s•ked them how they t. old reconcile the stories which
prison. r had told with the circumstantial facts which
had b,en put forward. He concluded as follows:—
It is your duty to hold the scale of justioe between the
prisoner—who is entitled to be acquitted if not Proved
guilty—and the Queen, who in this cage represents the
country, and who has the right to claim at your hands the
repression of unbridled violence, and the punishment of
atrocious crime. The question here le—ls it Proved that
this unbridled violence has been committed by the
prisoner :1. it proved or not that this atrocious chime was
done by him I If not, be is entitled, to be acquitted if
otherwise, be picot be found guilty and, gentlemeo,
trust it is not. In the case where the life of • man is at
Well% taking the awful name of God in vain to hope that
He will guide you rightly.
THE VERDICT.
The Jury retired at 25 minutes to three o'clock, and
after an absence of about 10 minutes returned. Lefroy
steeped to the front of the My, looking yerr pale sad
agitated. no wined his mouth in • nervous manner with
his handkerchief, and controlled himself with an evident
effort . _

. _
Tho Jury baring taken their places, the Clerk of
Arraigns celled over their names, and each answered in
his turn. Then be esid--Geniletaan of the jury, have you
all agr•ed UDOU your verdict?
The Foreman replied—We hare.
The Clerk of Arraign.: Do you And Use prisoner at the
bar Guilty or Not Guilt,?
The Foreman: We !Ind him GUILTY.
The Clerk of Arraigns: And that IN the rardiot ol YOU
all