The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-09 00:00:00

TILE ROBBERY AT ROGERS'S BANK.

One of the most remarkable circumstances con-
nected with this robbery, is the manner in which the strong
room was entered. Against the door was placed a turn-up
bedstead, and this must have been bodily removed to admit
of the door being opened. One of the clerks slept in this
bed on both nights, a servant girl making it on the Sunday,
yet nothing was noticed to excite suspicion. That it took
the parties some time to collect the cash there can be no
doubt, for they cut open the sides of the bags to ascertain
which contained gold. Yet none of the employs heard their
movements. Many believed that the moment the clerk left
his bed on Sunday morning, the thieves got into the strong-
room and were there locked in till night, a confederate outside
replacing the bed against the door, and closing the same
when they were let out. The interior of the safe, when
opened on Monday morning, was not disturbed, and the
door of the strong-room was properly locked.
It has been frequently urged that these precautions to
throw off suspicion must have been aided by the connivance
of some party or parties connected with the premises or who
knew their character perfectly well. Be that inference cor-
rect or not, the following facts, extracted from depositions
laid before Mr. Alderman Gibbs at the Mansion-house, may
tend to clear up any doubts on the subject : a tradesman
living two doors from Messrs. Rogen's bank made known to
them, about nine or ten days before the robbery, an
attempt, as he thought, to get into the bank by means of an
entrance through his place. Two days after he was called on
by an individual in the firm's employ, who got into conver-
sation with him about the communication he had made, and
remarked that, when bank robberies were committed, they
were doze by some old clerk or others acquainted with the
place. This individual was one of the parties who had
leave on the Sunday, and, before quitting, the clerks re-
marked how particular he was in letting them know he wag
" going." He was known to have gone out with a publican
in the neighbourhood, spending the day at Twickenham,
but appeared very unensv,expressing a fear that something was
going on in the neighbourhood—that be had teen several
fellows hanging about lately, and that he wished to pt back.
After the robbery, this party, who comparatively speaking
was previously in somewhat straitened circumstances,
became " flush " with cash, made purchases of diamond
pins, guard-chains, 'lc., and lent money to several persons.
, He continued in the service of the firm till the succeeding
1 February, but against his inclination, assigning as a resion
for not remaining, that he was in expectancy of some money
from an uncle—he had already received 501. ; but it wu ascer-
tained that such a person did not exist, or had not for many
years. Hs was seen on one occasion with a bundle of notes,
and when interrogated as to how he came in possession of
them, he remarked, " They had been left him by his uncle,
and if they suspected him of committing the robbers, the
partners were to ask themselves a few questions." ft may
he here remarked that his relatives were far front being in
affluent circumstances.
Tke'large reward of 3,0001 offered for the capture of the
spoil and offenders, stimulated the officers to the most v*o-
, roue and ingenious efforts to detect the delinquents. The
party above alluded to, a short time after the robbery was
traced to be in communication with an individual who had
been convicted, and, on one occasion, when arrested, asked
the officers to be allowed to comply with a call of nature.
They did so, and followed him to a water-closet, which, hav-
ing a secret door at the back, ensbled hint to escape. The
person is Messrs. Rogers's employ was seen frequently in
this man's company, drinking bottle after bottle of wine
with him, and admittin.g he had had 50/. for a camellia. A
complete chain of eviaence was established, proving a con-
nexion between the parties both before and after the robbery.
This and other circumstances led the magistrates at Bow-st.
to grant a warrant to search this " friend's " house, and on
the 12th of February, Mr. Isaacs, of the Bankers' Clearing
I house, accompanied by Mr. Inspector Shackle and Mr. In-
/nectar Haines, of the metropolitan detective force, carried
it into effect. The house was 19, Lower-road, Islington,
and there were discovere" a do üble-barrelled gun,gold diamond
ring, and other things, known to have been purchased
by the party at the banking-house. A further search found
an iron safe concealed under a bed ; in it was discovered a
bag containing five hundred sovereign+, for the possession of
which he could give but a very, indifferent explanation, his
wife 'knowing still less about them. The discovery of the
gold, coupled with other facts, was deemed by the officers
sufficient to warrant them in arresting him. This step, how-
ever, was abandoned on the arrival of one of toe partners,
who declined ',bring the party into custody on the grounds
that they could not swear to gold, or the box. At this Junc-
ture, remarkable to state, the officers were informed that their
services were no longer required, and so the prosecution of
the affair in this quarter ceased. The original reward, 3,0001.,
was the sum named to effect it. A larger amount was desired,
and refused. Ultimately it fell to 2,6001., and on last Thurs-
day
.fortnight a personal interview took place. A guarantee
paring to stay all ulterior proceedings, an appointment was
made for the following evening, Friday. The parties met,
the stolen notes were returned, and the reward, 2,5001. in
gold, handed over. The expenses are said to have ex-
ceeded 12,0001.

GRAND JUNCTION CANAL COMPANT.—A special
meeting of the proprietors in this company was held yester-
day at the Crown and Anchor Tavern, in the Strand. Re-
porters were refused admittance ; but we received from the
sseretary the report, which had been prepared by • select
camiltee to be submitted to the meeting of which the
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