The Express.
London, England, 1849-11-06 00:00:00

RAILWAY ROBBERS.

On Wednesday last, at the Coart-hosss, Braised,
three men, sassed Afirea AspinaU, Abel AspisaU, and Baths
Brigg, were brought up, shamed by Mr. B. J. Delaney,
superintendent towable of the Laseathire and Yorkshire
Railway polies, with bidet .creamed in a robbery from the
Low Moor statics of that sompsay, on the night of the
Wedaceday previous. Oa that sight, a bele esetainlag
Elitesn ands sal: wonted pieces, sent by MOWS. D•whires
of Bradford,, per railway, to Mr. Walker, draper, of Hud-
dersfield, was stolen from the Low Moor station;_ and
the robbery was repeated lannediately to Mr. E J.
Brierley, whose suspicions of the thief were at awe fixed
oa the parties sew brought up. It may be premised that
that *Meer had had four stemben of the Aspinall family
in autody previossly ca chug. a of robbery from the
railway, sad had found in their possession and in the
seighboseltoed of their residences vast qualities of goods
of • deseeiptioa answering to those stolen at various times
from the Brighouse station. On one occasion Aaron Aspinsll
had Gaud it convenient to abscond to America; and, some-'I
what singularly, his police-enemy was also vest the same
voyage, in the performance of his duty, after a rascally
debtor. Uaknown to each other, the thief and the constable
retained to their native land again about the same time, and
both re-commenced business, the one to thieve and the other
to watch and catch the thief. As the result of his dishonest
life, Audis was committed for trial. and was brought up at
the Bradford sessions in ISMI, on three separate charges of
robbery from the Lancashire and Yorkthire Railway. But,
althoegh the prison, r was proved to have been a wholesale
thief, and had been previously convicted of felony, bakes
serving three months under the Vagrancy Act, the magie-
Mates, in • fit of unaccountable lenithey, only sentenced him
to twelve months' imprisonment, with a promise that if lie
abused thislenithey he should isevitably be Masap@rted. The
twelve months expired on Wednesday, the 17th ult. Ua
the foliowiag night he was sees by Mr. Brierley in company
with his brother Abel at the North Dean station ; and that
same Wight a trunk containing about 101. worth of wearing
apparel was stoles from the railway.
Tease eireunistariers, coupled with the demi:agues* SI
the rubbery at Lsw Moor (for a thief's method of Names
ing his " business" is gamut as easy to be identified as $
hand-writing), led Mr. Brierley to watch the pasties; sad
on Saturday evening, as soon as it became dark, he west
along with Taylor, one of the railway polies. Sykes, acs.
stable of Staisland, and other assistants to Wylie, mimes
Brigg (who is Aspinall'a brether-in-law) resides. The
police, being all duly placed on the road, they waited
under cover till about half-past 9; when Brierley saw
three men coming on the road, two carrying heavy
sacks. As soon as they had pawed Brierisy, be
sprung oat, and at Med Abel Aspinall, who serried one
of the sacks. Abel immediately threw the Oak
down, and, after a sharp struggle with the officer, escaped,
but was hotly pursued and floored by the officer's staff
be he had got far. He then jemped up, seised Briesley
by the cwt, sad putting his head into his breast commenced
kicking him savagely ; and was not restrained and captured
until Brierley hid cut his head twice with the blows he
dealt, and until he was weakened by the consequent los
bl od. Aaron Aspieali, who was earning the other
sack, threw it Ldoen on seeing Brierley, and effected
his escape, distancing Sykes who gave chase. Brig!, who
was the third man, was seised be one of the assistants,
but he cleverly re died " Leave off, go sad catch the
others, I am ens of y so," and was thereupon released, bet
was subsequently captured by Taylcr. The sacks were
found to contain 144 of the stolen pieces; and Mr. Brisrley
on instantly driving, with Sykes, to Aaron Athinall's house
found his wife and Abel Aspinall's wife, engaged in mak-
ing up a dress from the remaining piece. Athos Aspinall
had not at that time reached home; but was taken at two
o'clock next morning by Waddingtoa end Shepley, paro-
chial constables, whom Mr. Brierley had set to watch the
house. When taken, he said he had been at a fight at the
Duke William public-house at Halifax, which proved to be
true, he having ran as speedily as possible to Halifax, and
got into a fight, at as to ley the foundation for an alibi.
Uu examining the pieces found in thc sack', one was found
to be eight yards sh.rt, and another to have had an apron
length cut off ; but bath these ends of piece were !mead in
Aaron Aspinall's house.
Mr. Terry appeared for the three prisoners, who made no
defence, and were committed tor trial at the ensuing sea-
•ions. The father of the lriwso,. Brin (who is ab.sve 70
years of age), in whom house and laith a quantity of pro-
perty was tossed, and Crum which the prisoners were evi•
dsntly brinuciag the sacks on Sa.urday night, was brought
up by Hierley, bat diaduired, no cue being established
against Ourdasie.