The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1887-11-05 00:00:00

AUDACIOUS ROBBERY IN LONDON, •

robbery of a most daring character was perpe-
trated on Friday afternoon in Threadneedle-street,
right in the heart of the City of London; bonds to
the value of several thousand pounds being stolen
under somewhat remarkable circumstances. A clerk,
in th,,e employ of Messrs. Wilson and Sons, who carry
on lot einess as stockbrokers at 69, Cornhill, had been
commissioned by his employers to convey to Messrs.
George Cawston and Co., stockbrokers. of Hatton.
court, Threadneedle-street, a quantity of bonds and
shares, valued at over £9OOO, which ts ere enclosed in
a small black handbag. With this object he left
Messrs. Wilson's premises in Cornhill shortly after
noon, and proceeded by way of the Bank of England
into Threadneedle-street and Hatton-court, which is
only a few minutes' distant from his employers' offices.
Having reached Hatton-court in safety, he was about
to make for Messrs. Cawaton's offices, when he was at-
tacked by a man of a very respectable and gentlemanly
appearance. Before the clerk could raise a cry of alarm,
the man clutched the wrist of the hand which held
the bag with his left hand, and made a cut at his
fingers and then at his throat with some sharp in-
strument, supposed to be a knife. Naturally the boy,
seized with the fear of being murdered, released his
bold of the bag, and for a few seconds was paralysed
with terror. The thief immediately seized the bag
and made off into Threadneedle-street,and was soon lost
amongst the crowds of commercial men and others
who are usually traversing the street at that hour.
The frightened lad, who is only about 17 year of age,
was unable to raise an alarm, and upon rtalising his
position, made all haste to Messrs. Wilson's office to
inform his employers of the robbery. No time
lost in acquainting the City Police authorities of the
occurrence, and they in turn immediately sent out
number of detectives. The lad was minutely examined
by these officers as to the description of the thief. So
speedily was the robbery effected, and so frightened was
the lad, that only a very meagre description of his
assailant could be given by him. Considering the
determined manner in which the thief attacked the
lad, the injuries ieflicted are slight, only a few
scratches being visible on his chin and knuckles. The
following description of the bonds and shares has
been given to the detectives of the City Criminal
Investigation Department, who have been entrusted
with the task of discovering the whereabouts of the
thief, and the stolen securities: .E7COO Uruguay Five
per cent. Bonds-33-100 (Nos. 27593-7, 28285-89
38826, 9616-20, 34634-46, 44601, 44314, 44225-0,
44347.9); 7-500 (Nos. 3700, 3679, 3680, 3659, 3634,
4555, 8341); 190 Ohio and Mississippi Shares
(48608-9, 48630-31 in the names of Blake Brother ;
49508, 49628, 49888 in Frank Gielgud ; 25122 in
Foster and Braithwaite ;- 49764-6 in A. D. Romer),
The detective officers engaged in investigating the -
alleged robbery of bonds, the property of Messrs.
Wilson and Sons, of Cornhill, had, up till the receipt
of this report, prosecuted their inquiries without any
success. The description of the thief, obtained from
the lad, James Watson, by the constables, is of such
a slender character that they have absolutely no clue
on which to continue their investigations, and there-
fore the chances of the detection of the thief, or an
arrest, are very few. Detectives Laeman and Taylor,
to whom the lad has detailed the circumstances of
the theft on the premises of Messrs. Cawston and Co.,
state that Watson avers that if an arrest should be
affected he is doubtful whether he could identify his
assailant, therefore the disadvantage at which the
detectives are placed is increased; but it is said they
are satisfied that the boy is truthful, and are moving
actively in the matter. There is at present a notorious
and dangerous gang of thieves plying their nefarious
occupation in the City and these men are being
closely watolied.,
A SHROPSHIRE SENSATION.

was I

An extraordinary sensation was created in Shrews-
bury and throuehout Shropshire on Saturday by the
publication in the local papers of particulars of a
scandal implicating a clergyman well known in the
county, who occupies a high position and discharges
the religious functions at one of the public local
philanthropic institutions. IN ot long ago several
young girls, the domestic servants of residents in
Shrewsbury, began to receive letters of a highly ques-
tionable character. Suggestions were made in these
epistles that if acceptable to the recipients further
information would be conveyed to them. If a reply
was received other and worse letters followed, the de-
sign of the writer being evidently to gradually and deli-
berately demoralise the minds of young persons. The
earlier letters were the pretended production of a girl,
who signed herself a fellow-servant, and in other
ways, and when communication had been established
the signature became "your friend Lizzie." At a
later stage the writer avowed himself a man, repre-
senting himself to be sk young clerk and signing him-
self "your loving Harry." In many instances pen-
and-ink sketches were enclosed. Eventually the pro-
ceedings came to the knowledge of the police. There-
upon the letters were critically examined, and although
they were all apparently written in a diskuised hand,
the authorities came to the conclusion that they had
emanated from the clergyman referred to. A watch
was set upon his premises. The letters it was alleged
he had written and the replies thereto were usually
secreted in the wall. Towards this place it is reported
he was seen to go. The matter having been made
known to the National Vigilance Society, the question
of prosecution came under consideration, and it ter-
minated in a resolution to place the matter before the
Home Secretary and also before the Bishop of Lich-
field on his return from the Continent.