The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-07-16 00:00:00

LEFROY TAKEN TO LEWES.

When awoke on Saturday morning in time to catch
the 7.35 train to Lewes, the rest he had taken had
wrought a marked change for the better in his
appearance, and his features had not the wretched
and careworn look they bore the previous evening.
He seemed also to be much more cheerful, for he
greeted the detectives who took him into custody with
a pleasant "Good morning." He was aroused about
six o'clock. After dressing, he partook of an early
breakfast, consisting of coffee and sandwiches, and
was ready to make the journey into Sussex. In
company with Inspectors Jarvis and Swanson,
Lefroy got into a four-wheel cab, which had been
taken into the police-station courtyard, the gates lead-
ing into which were closed. As early as 6.0 a.m. a
small crowd collected in King-street, outside the
police-station, seeking to get a glimpse of Lefroy on
his removal. About a quarter past seven o'clock
the gates were thrown open, and Mapleton and
the two inspectors came out in a cab. A cry was
raised, Here he comes—here he is," and the little
throng quickly swelled into a gathering of several
hundred people, who hustled, and jostled, and shouted
around the vehicle in their struggle to see the prisoner.
There was a feeble attempt at hooting Lefroy; and it
was noticed his pallor became ghastly when he saw the
people gazing at him. The driver whipped his horse
into a brisk gallop, and a number of policemen running
out of the station at the same time, the people were
driven quickly from the cab doors and windows. The
crowd was soon left behind, and the cab took its way
unnoticed down Victoria-street to Victoria Railway
Station. A stop was made on the way to take up
Superintendent Williamson, of Scotland-yard, who got
into the cab, and whom Lefroy also greeted with
"Good morning."
On the arri,val of Lefroy at the Victoria Station a
rush was made to get a sight of him. By the aid of a
strong body of police the crowd was kept back. The
prisoner was not manacled, and hurried with his
captors up the railway platform and entered a first-
class compartment. ThP train Ipft• Virtnria Station
punk,cw,lly at r.3a, ny which time the platform was
tilled with spectators. Inspector Jarvis and Swanston,
who rode with Mapleton, drew down the carriage
blinds and completely screened him from observation.
On the way down Lefroy chatted with the in-
spector and smoked cigarettes, with which he was
supplied at Clapham Junction. Much curiosity was
evinced when the train stopped to get a sight of
the prisoner, and a crowd of several hundred people
was gathered on the platform. The blinds were drawn
down when the train stopped at any station. The
Croydon station-master was, however, permitted to see
Lefroy, whom he at once recognised. At Red Hill
Junction, where the train also stopped, there was
another crowd of spectators. At East Croydon, where
the arrival of the train had been awaited by over a
hundred passengers and non-passengers, cheers were
raised as the train drew up, as it was known that
Lefroy was safe in custody. At Hayward's-heath, where
a change of carriages was made, he walked with droop-
ing head and pale face past the hooting travellers of
the train he had left. The prisoner was not re-
moved from the train till his arrival at Lewes, a long
delay having taken place at Hayward's-heath. During
the stoppage those who crowded about the carriage
constantly shouted out the roughest epithets, which
were joined in by the passengers of a train whith drew
up for a time by the side of that which had been
delayed. Upon getting to Lewes, the journey not
being accomplished till 10.30 a.m., there was a large
crow on the platform. A few Metropolitan police
officers met the officers from London. The prisoner was,
put in alight carriage and driven to Lewes Goal, a crowd
following and shouting all the way. He seemed quite
collected, however, and alighted from the conveyance
at the prison door without assistance, when he was
handed over to the Deputy-Governor.
It was now discovered that if the prisoner was com-
mitted to the custody of the gaol authorities under
the coroner's warrant he could not be taken from the
prison without a writ of habeas corpus being obtained.
It was, therefore, determined to commit him under a
magistrate's warrant, and a messenger was despatched
to secure the presence of a justice of the peace, and
after an interval of about two hours Mr. Molineux
attended. The acting governor was of opinion that
he had no power to admit the reporters within the
prison, and a collective note, signed by all the
representatives of the metropolitan and local
Press, was therefore presented to the magistrate
calling his attention to the public interest excited in
the matter, and asking for admission to the magisterial
inquiry. Mr. Molineux replied to the effect that
neither himself nor the officials had any wish to
exclude the Press. He, however, doubted his power
to grant the request, but intimated that the magistrates'
clerk would allow a copy of the depositions to be
taken. The inquiry lasted about an hour, and subse-
quently the magistrate's clerk read the subjoined
minutes of evidence to the reporters at his office:

Inspector Donald Sutherland Swanson, of the
Criminal Investigation Department, said :—At a
quarter to eight o'clock on Friday night, in company
with Inspector Jarvis and Police-constable Hopkins,
I went to 32, Smith-street Stepney. On entering
the front room on the first floor I saw the prisoner
Percy Lefroy Mapleton, sitting in an arm-
chair. Addressing him I said, "Percy Lefroy
Mapleton?" In reply, he said "Yes. I ex-
pected it." I told him I was a police officer,
and that I should apprehend him on a charge
of wilfully murdering Mr. Gold on the Brighton Rail-
way on the 27th of June. In answer he said, "I am
not obliged to make any reply, and I think it better
not to make any answer." I wrote it in my pocket-
book as he said it, and read it over to him. In reply
he said, " I will qualify that by saying I am not
guilty." No further conversation ensued, and I then
took him to Scotland-yard and brought him to Lewes
this morning and handed him over to Superintendent
Berry.
The prisoner : Did I offer every facility to search
the room?

Inspector Swanson : Yes.
The prisoner : Did I in any way attempt to get
away?
Inspector Swanson : No.

Inspector Frederick Smith Jarvis, of the Criminal
Investigation Department, said: O n Friday night,
about 7.45, I went to 32, Smith-street, Stepney, in
company with the last witness. On entering the
room, Swanson having done so previously, Swanson
said to me, "This person admits being Lefroy. I have
told him he will be charged with the murder of Mr.
Gold on the Brighton Railway on the 27th ult., and
in reply he said, 'I am not obliged to reply, and I
think I had better not.' " Lefroy himself then said,
"Well, I will qualify that by saying Jam not guilty."
I then searched the prisoner, and found on him is. in
silver. That was all the money he had. In a chest
of drawe/s in the same room I found one black cloth
vet, two caps, three collars, a false moustache and
whiskers, and a portion of a coloured flannel shirt. In
a cupboard in another part of the room I found a num-
ber of cuttings of material similar to the flannel
shirt and a light scarf. On the chest of drawers I
found a pair of scissors, a bottle of arnica, and a brier-
root pipe. On seeing the scissors I sad, "Do these
belong to you?" He said, " Yes ; I used them for
cutting off my moustache." I told him what I had
found, referring to all the things, and he said, "I
think that is all that belongs to me." The waistcoat
has blood marks upon it inside and out, mostly on the
right breast; one of the collars has also blood upon
it. Some of the cuttings similar to the material
of the flannel shitt are apparently blood-stained.
Swanson and I took him to Scotland-yard in a cab.
On the way he said, "I am glad you found me, lam
ttowciro, o it. a v
el
realigorueltdt
ehdaviet geivveern
sminycsee fh
autpli n
ran a daawyaoyr,

It put a different complexion on the case, but I could
not bear the exposure. I feared certain matters in
connexion with My family would be published. I
suppose I shall be allowed to see a lawyer? " I re-
plied, ," Certainly." He then said, "I am glad you
did not bring any of my so-called friends from Wal-
lington with you." The above statement was made
altogether voluntarily. Swanson had cautioned the
prisoner in the room in my presence about saying any-
thing before we left.

Superintendent Berry, stationed at East Grinstead,
who has charge of the case, applied for a remand until
next Wednesday, but, at the prisoner's request, the
remand was extended to ten o'clock on Friday morn-
ing at the County Hall, Lewes.