The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-20 00:00:00

Satu ailb Volta.

THE GOLD ROBBERY.
THE examination of the prisoners Pierce, Burgess,
and Tester was resumed on Saturday. Inspector
Hazel, of the railway police, swore to having seen
Tester and Agar together at Folkestone in the Octo-
ber of 1854 :

I saw Agar at the Folkestone harbour station. He
came to the station alone, and went into the booking-office.
He came in the evening, and remained about a quarter of
an hour. I watched hint during the time he was in the
booking-office. A person of the name of Sharman, who
was employed in the booking-office, was making up his
money at the time, and I saw Agar peeping round the
corner at him. I went into the booking-office, and Agar
left. I did not see any more of him that evening, but I
saw him again on the following day, on the pier. He was
then alone, and was looking at the boat, which was leaving.
I afterwards saw Tester, whom I knew perfectly well, join
Lim, and they walked in the direction of the Pavilion
Hotel. They appeared to be speaking to each other. I
then lost sight of them, my duties being such as to deprive
me of the opportunity of following them. 1 should say
they were ten minutes under my observation after Tester
had joined Agar. They appeared to be on friendly terms
with each other. I believe Mr. Ledger was away at this
time, but [am not certain of it. On the day that I saw
Agar and Tester together, the boat left in the morning, and
I saw the latter the same evening when he came to the
station to go up by the train. He went by the 7.30 express
train, as 1 st.pposed, to London. Ido not recollect
seeing Agar after Tester left.

Several other persons deposed to having seen at
Dover certain persons " resembling the prisoners."
Joseph Witherden, a railway porter at Dover, was
on duty there the night of the robbery :

The train arrived at about eleven o'clock. I saw it
unloaded. Kennedy and Burgess were the two guards. I
remained until the two o'clock up train started. I saw
two men come for the purpose of going up by that train.
I was by the booking•office when they arrived. One was
taller than the other. They had a kind of cloak on, I
think, and each carried a bag. They did not go to the
counter, but came straight through the booking office to
where I was standing. I offered to carry their luggage,
but they did not allow me to do so. I showed them into
a first-class carriage, and they took the bags in with them.
The bags seemed to be heavy from the way they carried
them. After they were in the carriage 1 had some conver-
sation with them about their tickets. They had two first-
class Ostend tickets, which were coloured blue.

Cross-examined by Mr. IVONTNER : Three people were
on duty at the station that night, one of whom is a person
named Offen, who is not here, and who is not now in the
service of the company. It was hiS duty to attend to the
passengers the same as myself that night. Ido not think
he was on the platform when the men passed. The men
were iu the carriage about a quarter of an hour before the

• • - •-
•

DECEMBIIR 20, 1856.

train started. One of them gave me a shilling after be was
in the carriage. I had not objected to the tickets previous
to my receiving the shilling.
Mr. BODKIN: What observation did you make about the
tickets?
Witness : I asked them whether the bags were from
Ostend. They said, " Yes." I said, " Has your baggage
passed the Custom-house, gentlemen ?" They replied,
" We came over last evening."
Mr. BODKIN : Was it after you had asked about the
tickets and they had entered the carriage that you received
the shilling ?
Witness : It was.

M. W. Dickinson, a railway police-officer, said :
I remember hearing of the gold robbery in the month of
May last year. On the following morning I was on duty
as porter on the arrival of the train which left Dover at
two o'clock and reached Lon ion•bridge at half-past four.
I think there were four passengers by the train. 1 let two
passengers out of one of the compartments of a carriage.
Nobody else was in the same compartment. One of the
two had a bag in his hand. I cannot recollect whether the
other had anything in his hand or not. I spoke to the one
who had the bag, and who wore a loose cape. I did not
notice the dress of the other. I offered to get a cab for
them, but they said they did not want one. They walked
down the platform towards the end of the station, where
the passengers pass oat. I could not judge of the weight
of the bag. The man appeared to carry it with ease. The
man to whom I spoke had dark hair and dark whiskers, as
far as my recollection goes. T did not notice the features
of the other. One was about thirtyflve or thirtreight
years of age, and the other about forty.

Evidence was then adduced to show that Tester
in the month of May, 1855, had one day been down
and bock to Redhill.
Mr. F. Russoll, booking-clerk at the London ter-
=inns of the Greenwich Railway, knew Tester well :
I remember hearing of the bullion robbery in the
month of May, 1855, and I recollect Tester coming
to our office in that month. It was about ten
minutes past ten at night. The 7.30 train from Dover
arrived at the London terminus at five minutes past ten.
At this time Tester lived at Lewisham, and so did I. He
came to the window of my office and said to me, " Good
evening, Mr. Russell." I replied, " Good evening, Mr.
Tester." He then asked me if I was going home by the
last Greenwich train, which started at twenty minutes
past ten. I told him that I was. He then said that he
had been to Redhill and back since office hours. I re-
marked to him that I thought it sharp work. He ap-
peared rather excited, but stemed to congratulate himself
on being fortunate enough to catch the Greenwich train.
He then opened the office door and brought in a black
beg, which he placed in a corner by the fireplace.
Re•exaniined by Mr. BODKIN : I never knew Tester to
go down by the last Greenwich train previous to his com-
ing to my office with his bag. If be ever did so the
occasions must have been very rare.

John Perry, one of the night watchmen at the
London terminus of the Greenwich Railway., said:—

I remember hearing of the gold robbery last year.
recollect seeing Tester at our station one night at about
seven minutes past ten. It was in the month of May.
About three or four days after this I first heard of the
robbery. On the occasion to which I refer he walked to
Mr. Russell's office and said, " Good evening, Mr. Russell."
Mr. Russell replied, "Good evening, Mr. Tester." He
(Tester) said he bad just come from Redhill. I did not
hear anything more pass between them. He had a black
leather bag in his hand. I left the office for a few minutes,
and on m return I saw Tester's bag lying on the floor. I
had occasion to lift it for the porpoise of getting et a small
box. I cannot say its weight, but it felt very lumpy and
heavy. I asked Mr. Russell whose bag it was, and he
said it was Mr. Tester's. I made the remark to Mr.
Russell, " It feels very heavy and lumpy."
Cross-examined by Mr. BUCHANAN : I have read the
greater part of the evidence in this prosecution in the
newspapers. I first heard of the robbery three or four
days after I saw Tester at the station. I read an account
in the newspapers of Tester bringing a bar of gold in a
black bag, and that freshened my memory about the cir-
cumstance of the bag which Tester had left in the office.
I then went to Mr. Russell and told him that I thought it
very probable that the bar of gold was in that bag.
At the conclusion of some further evidence, Mr.
Bodkin intimated that, although he might produce
fresh evidence before trial, this was the whole of
the evidence he proposed to offer at present.
The ease was then adjourned pro formic till this
day, and from that to the 24th instant.

Nit. RUSSELL GURNEY has been elected Recorder
of the City of London.
THE ELECTION OF MR. BODKIN TO THE OFFICE
OF COMMON SERGEANT, rendered vacant by the ap-
pointment of Mr. Russell Gurney to the Recorder-
ship of the City of London, is being actively canvassed
for at present.
ANOTHER DEFALCATION CASE has transpired. The
principal collector of the City of London Union rates
had been discovered by a committee of investigation
of the accounts of the union to have defrauded the
board, and, of course, the ratepayers, of several
thousand pounds. Swindling to the amount of
from 12,0001. to 13,0001. has been detected. Some
curious revelations, it is anticipated, will come out of
the inquiry. Nine parishes in the City, so far as at
present known, will be sufferers from these extensive
frauds.

THE PRESS.

Ma. CHSRLES HENRI'H, aged nineteen, a son of
Lady Gridleston, was on Wednesday charged before
the Brighton magistrates with stabbing one Julia
Pane, a girl of the town. The prisoner appeared,
from the evidence of a policeman who witnessed the
whole transaction, to have stabbed the girl in a fit
of drunken excitement. The policeman had seen
him some minutes previously waving an open knife
about and swearing he would stab the first person
he met. The girl happily was not dangerously
wounded, but the young gentleman was remanded
till this day, when the case will probably be sent to
lira Liaises.

THOMAS MANSELL, a private in the 49th Regiment,
was tried on Wednesday, at Maidstone, before Mr.
Baron Bramwell, for the murder of Corporal M'Bur•
rill, on the 27th of August last, by shooting him
in camp at Dover. The evidence was conclusive.
The jury returned a verdict of " Guilty," and the
prisoner was sentenced to death, without hope of
mercy.

IN THE COURSE OF THE EXAMINATION IN BANK-
RUPTCY this week of Redpath, the petitioning credi-
tors, Messrs. Wood and Field, filed a copy of their
account current with the bankrupt, beginning from
May last, and extending to November 21, the date
of the petition. This account shows transactions to
an enormous amount. The totals of half•monthly
are as follows :

May 15
May 31
June 15
June 30
July 15
July 29
August 13
August 29
September 13 113,224 18 11
September 26 78,008 15 0
October 16
October 31
November 21

These transactions embrace large dealings in Console
and railway shares of various kinds, but principally
Great Northern.

A HORRIBLE CASE OF CRUELTY TO A CHILD has
been disclosed at Nantyglo, Glamorgan. One Eliza-
beth Oram has been arrested for causing the death
of her illegitimate child, a boy about ten years of
age. A few days since the child died, and, the
woman having been known to ill-treat him, an in•
quest was held, and evidence adduced to prove that
the poor child for months past bad been subjected
to barbarous treatment, being kept on unwholesome
and insufficient food, and at times beaten with
dreadful severity. The boy bad often been seen by
the neighbours picking up garbage and eating it to
satisfy his hunger, and even going to the pigs' trough
and devouring eagerly such refuse as the pigs had
not eaten. Some of the neighbours at times had
been induced to strip the child and examine his
person, when his emaciated body was found horribly
excoriated and bruised. The mother, whose desire
seemed to be to get the boy out of her way, began a
few months since to keep him in the house alto-
gether, until he died. The jury returned a verdict
of " Wilful murder against Elizabeth Oram," the
mother, and the coroner at once issued his warrant
for her committal to prison.

THE OTHER SIDE of the ticket-of-leave question
was exhibited at Marlborough-street Police-court this
week.
A stout, determined-looking man, says the police
report. a few days ago brought the following letter to
Mr. Bingbam, the sitting magistrate .
Sir,—l am a returned convict, relieved on a ticket of
leave on the Bth of October last.
Since that time I have used every means to get employ.
ment, but have not been able to succeed.
I am now very badly off, and have no means of living
except I have recourse to something dishonest, which I
never will, though my circumstances should be worse than
they are at present.
My object in applying to you is this: I have the offer of
a free passage to New York on Thursday next by the New
York Town ship, Capt. Meyer ; but, being without a friend
and destitute, I am at a loss how to set, except some
humane person would assist me. I have therefore made
bold to lay my case before you, trusting you will be kind
enough to assist me under my unfortunate circumstances.
—Your humble servant, WILLIAM PARSON.
Mr. BINGHAM immediately called the writer forward,
and questioned him. It appeared that the applicant
had been tried for burglary at Durham, and had been
sentenced to transportation. He had been in Mill.
bank Prison for some time, and was discharged with
about 4/. in cash and a ticket of leave. From that
time he had wandered about seeking work, but
beyond an occasional job he could find no one to give
him employment. For the last four or five nights he
bad been without a shelter, lying like a dog in door-
ways and sheds, or any place where he could remain
unmolested. He had at length obtained the promise
of a passage to America, and all he wanted was a
little assistance to enable him to live until the ship
sailed.

Ni

Mr. BINGHAM said he would make inquiry into the
case ; and, if he found the story correct, he would
take care that the applicant had proper relief until
the time arrived for quitting the country.
On Thursday, the applicant, accompanied by
Church, one of the officers of St. James's workhouse,
where the applicant had been living, came again to
this court, and stated that his hopes of obtaining a
passage to America were completely frustrated, as he
learned from American captains that a heavy penalty
would be inflicted on any one bringing him into the
United States. By the American law, neither paupers,
convicts, nor cripples were allowed to be taken as
passengers in American ships.
Mr. BINGHAM regretted that this was the case, but
he feared he had no power of doing anything of an
effectual character for the applicant.
Church stated that the man's story was quite cor-
rect, and that he received a very good character front
Capt. Craig, the governor of Millbank prison.
Mr. BINGHAM suggested Australia to the man, and
advised him to renew his exertions to get employ.
meat, at the same time giving him 10s. from the
poor•box by way of a start.
The man, who appeared to have been tolerably well
educated, thanked the magistrate, and left the court.

MARLEY was executed at eight o'clock on Monday
morning in front of Newgate. The prisoner per-
sisted to the last in declaring that the robbery was
quite unpremeditated, and that he had no idea of
committing it half an hour before the attempt was
made. He also for a considerable time denied that
be had any accomplices in the attempted robbery,
but one day last week be admitted to an officer be-
longing to the prison that the men outside
the shop were concerned with him in the robbery,
and there is no doubt that it was through their
instrumentality that the basket containing the fish,
and which the prisoner and his companions supposed
to contain the valuable stock of Mr. Berry, was rade
away with. A minute or two before eight o'clock on
Monday, Calcraft, the executioner, was brought
in, and he at once proceeded to pinion the prisoner.
All the preparations were now complete, and pre-
cisely at eight o'clock the mournful procession passed
from the condemned cell to the scaffold. The
culprit walked with a firm step, and ascended the
steps leading to the scaffold in the same manner.
The can was then placed over his face, and the
noose adjusted round his neck, the bolt was drawn,
and the unhappy man died after the usual eonvulsive
struggle. There was an unusually large concourse
of persons to witness the execution, and their be-
haviour, wish very few exceptions, was orderly and
decorous.

FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE
Tuesday, December 9.
BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.—WILLIAM Wroontos, Haw-
ley-mills, near Dartford, Kent, and St. Paurs-churehyard, paper
manufacturer.
BANKRUPTS.—HENRY CHRISTIAN, Minolug•lane, °offs*
merchant—MOßßlS ROBERTS SYERS, JAMES WALERS, and
DANIEL BACIHEOUSE SYERS, Ball-alley, Lombard-street, HIST-
chants—WILLIAR BANES HEATHTIZLD and WILLIAM AIRJRROW,
Prince's-square, Finsbury, manufacturing chewing—Rolla*
YALLOWLEY BARNES, City-road, floor-cloth manufacturer—
ABRAHAM, JOHN, Slid HENRY JACOBS, Crown-street, Finsbury,
merchants—RtcHAlD Gairrrrits, sen., and RICHARD Gittr-
rafts, jun., Hatton•waU, and et James's-walk, Clerkenweß,
brass fOIiDderS—HARRIET ROSE, Lynn, milliner—SAMOE'L
GIFFORD, Mark-lane, sailcloth merchant—CHAßLES MCRAE
DAVIS, Deptford, builder—Joszni Losnsit, alwortb-platie,
Walwortb, upholsterer—TitottAs CitiLza, Aston Manor, junta
Birmingbatn, victualer—Jolt N Josts, Aberyetwitb, draper—
Tort Fowtstt BLArEa, Bradford, Yorkshire, grocer—WH.Luit
FRASER. Leeds, cabinetinaker—RtatAan WILLIAMS, Lirerpocl,
taiIor—JOSEPH LEERING, jun., Hartlepool, *httesmith.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS. W. SIMPSON, ?Mb,
plasterer —D. IL COLLINS, Perth, clothier —R. Warsaw,
Camptielltowri, upholsterer—A. BANNATERR, Glasgow, me!.
chant.

Prid,sy, Dreesarer 19.
BANKRUPTS. °Roans WILLIAM DRIIMNIE, Stockwell,
Surrey, oil merchant—JOHN PROUT Davie STSPHZ/18, Brabant-
oourt, Philpot-lane, City, wine merchant WILLIAM HENRY
ORIMSDALL and THOMAS HART GRIIIBDALE, Uxbridge, brewers
—2llOllB LIPMAN, Liverpool, tailor and outfitter—Jaatra Loper
WORE, Liverpool, provision dealer Jsmica REID, Liverpool,
tailor and draper FREDERICK PULBROOK, Pi:trillion. Surrey,
grocer EDWARD RICHARD NASH, College-hill. City, wine
merchant —Jour Corcnino Rail Weston, Huntingdonshire,
Wr . _
Hackney,
• dtatent,
beadle

THE RAILWAY AND REVOLVER HOAX has at last been
traced. A correspondent of the Times has this week
forwarded a statement from the Savannah Republic
by one "Jo" to the effect that the story was got up
some time since by a mail agent on the railway and
quietly imposed upon the unsuspecting Mr. Arrow-
smith. " Jo," if it be desired, will furnish full par-
ticulars of the whole affair from the lips of the mail
agent himself.

farmer Fruiters Jones, Hackney, timber
merchant Nicnotts, Thornhill•Otoodent, Islingtob,
merchant WILLIAM PORTER, Nottingham, balkier MOUNT
HENRY ADAKRON, JOhD•RYTeet, Berkeley-sottlare, wine merehant
—HOBERT PRUDHOE, Durham, grocer HENRY TAYLOR and
HENRY Hone, Manchester, cotton spinners --Otontre Joan-
sow, Billiugham. county of Durham, cora merchant.
SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—Jsmita Fismtirini,Munto's-
buildings, Edinburgh,dentlst—ALrunnee WIETWOOD, Charing-
Crags, Glasgow, plumber Jaime Murrill, and CO., Glasgow,
wholesale !posers—JOU' TIMM, Partick, draper.