The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-11-15 00:00:00

SINGULAR ROBBERY BY A PAGE.

The *aunty magistrates of the Home Division, sitting in
Petty Bralons at Canterbury, on Saturday, conolud al an In-
quiry Into a remarkable robbery, committed by a boy
named George Henry Lippingwell, who we. In the gerrlce,
as page, of the Rev. P. B. Collings, Meer of Stony, near
Canterbury. The following facta were deposed to:—

On Sunday, the 2nd inst., the vicar, his family, and
some female domestics, quitted the house for afternoon
, service in the parish church, about half • mile distant,
leaving Lippingwell li, sole charge. On their return
the servants found the page lying on the hearth in
front of the kitchen tire apparently insensible. A
silver teapot belonging to the house, very much
battered in on one side, was upon the floor, and the
apron worn by the lad had many spots of blood upon
it. Attempts to arouse the boy hat Mg proved inane.
turd, Mr. Collings was apprised of the state of things,
and believing that his house had been robbed, and his
servant injured, instituted a search. It was found
that a sideboard in the drawing room lusd been
broken open, and the silver teapot awl tne con-
tents of a wine decanter abstracted. Four money-
boxes kept fur miesionary and other charitable ohjecte
had each been removed from their accustonied places,
broken open, and their holdings likewise taken away.
Upstairs • scene of almost indescribable confusion pre-
vailed. The contents of a jewel case. drawers, and
wardrobes were scattered upon the floors, affording
evidence that the object was plunder. Meanwhile
the boy had been aroused, and in answer to ques-
tions stated that during the afternoon a tramping
man called for • Mendicity Society ticket, which he
gave him, and he took his departure. Shortly after-
wards, however, he returned, thrust himself into the
house, and struck him (Lippingwell) senseless by
• blow from the silver teapot. The local constable was
Galled in, to whom the youth repeated his story, and
both journeyed to Canterbury in search of amen whom
be described as having been guilty of the robbery and
outrage. They, howe^er, did not succeed in meeting
with any one whom the page would recognise, al,
though it is understood that the Canterbury city police
apprehended a man the same night answering the
description. On the following day the superinten-
dent of the division (Mr. Walker) paid a visit to the
vicarage, and made certain inquiries and an investi-
gation, which led him to direct the apprehension of
the page. The au ?erinteradent found that the indenta-
tion in the teapot was such as could not reasonably
have been produced by coming in contact with • per-
son's face; and moreover, that the money-boxes had
been opened by great force, as though from repeated
kicks. Indentation, of the heel of a very small boot
appeared upon them, which were found to correspond
exactly with the size of boots worn by the prisoner.
Shortly after the boy was locked up he asked to see
him master, to whom he 'Omitted that the whole
of his statement was • fabrication; that he corn.
witted the robbery, and In order to attribate it to a
stranger made his nose bleed, battered in the teapot, and
feigned insensibility. The contents of the money.boxes
were found concealed in • place he described. To
perfect, if possible, the artful proceeding, the boy had
actually taken • mendicity ticket from its repository,
tore it into pieces, and threw them outside the door of
his master's house. The magistrates sentenced the
prisoner tout' months' imprisonment with hard labour,
and regretted that his age (just over 16 years) prevented
them ordering him to undergo • sound thrashing.