The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-15 00:00:00

ROBBERY ON THE GREAT

WRIITXRIB RAILWAY.—
SATORDAT.—ithe WOW examination of
the prisonera took place to-day, at 1 o'clock, an adjoantinent
trot eleven—at whit& hoar the coon at first assembled—
having ben treated at the request of Mr. Peacock, ads We
to the l'ossoffiers. Ti.e two prisoners were then placed
the dock. They did not appear to have underpays any
change in their personal appearance, although both loused
to be convinced of the peiniulnere of their situatioe. Pool.
',owed to the beach. but the other prisoner remained arm-
plate!, annseved. Poole had on a white coat, with a large
soar; hi. companion was dressed in black.
The first witness ci-Ped was—
Mr. H. Lee, whose evidence was to the following effect:
I reside at Clifton. Oa the 2nd of January I was di aroma
class passenger by the mail train. In order to teems my
plats, I went to -hat is called the Exeter shed of the Bri.no
station about 1 o'clock. At the time I anived the door of
the booking-office was shut, the down train not having been
signalled to Bristol. Whilst standing at the doer of the
booking-office I observed two man approaching me. The'
toes (pointing to Poole's companion) dressed in the dark
clothes is the one who first advanced towards me. The
other prisoner was with him, but did not coma
up is W booking-office door. Ile remained three or
MIT yards behind his companion. Poole hod on what Is
commonly called a Jim Crow hat and a cloak. The man
dressed in the dark clothes came to the office door, Poole re-
maining behind. Poole finding that the booking-office door
was not opened, returned, and went under an adjacent arch-
way. Toe recond prisoner came u *pain and tried the
booking-office des r. I remarked to him that there was no
admittance yet, sad that it was a very cold night. That was
about one o'clock, or probably a little later. I did not hear
him make any reply to my observations. Ido not believe
he spoke to me at all. Almost immediately afterwards he
went back twain, and rejoined Poole under the archway.
The archway, which was a dark one, was about 18 or 20 feet
from the auur at which I was standing. lam thus paricu
ler about the distance because I measured it this morning be-

f •re coming &len to Huger. l continued walking up-and
down in front of the 'talon um it the booking-office dour w.s
opened. The whispering alluded to most undoubted.y came
from the two men under the archway. When the door was
opened I went in. Thestaton-clerk was not there at the time,
and I observed that one of the company's nta was soriag
She stamp.. The cation-clerk came in very shortly afterwards.
The two prisoners came into the booking-offiee atter I had
gone in, perhaps it wcs about a minute atter. Poole walked
I on and down by the wall inside the bo king-offi,e, ant did
rot go into the middle of the office, or sear the clerk's desk.
The second trimmer asked for two first class tickets. and
paid for them. Idu not recollect whether I heard him say
for what station they we re required. I saw the tickets given
to the prisoner with the dark cichkes, and I saw him pay for
them. I stood near the clerk.* desk during the time I w..s
in the bookingeoffize. Presently I turned round and glanced
at Poole, who appeared to be rather shy. He turned
his head towards the wall, as if to avoid my glance. That
circumstance induced me to look still more closely at him
with • view to catch a sight of his features. I could not
however, as he turned Ids to -• towards the wall—that was
directly away from me. I did, how. ter, once catch his eye.
I continued to walk up and down in 'hr office. As soon a.
Poole's companion had obtained the tickets both the prie
Posters left the booking-office, and pr..cteded upstairs towards
the platform. I followed them upstairs, but when 1 got on
the platform I did not are any one. I looked straight up the
plsuorm towards the Eleter end of it. I turned roused to
the left, where there is another platform, but still I could not
w • any ens When I came to v.e limp, which is near to
the end of the platform, I distinctiy heard two me. whisper-
ing, but I did trot sae them.
It was dark behind the lamp I spoke of. Piteds
after the train came round. I took my seat in a se-
cond class carriage.—Mr Pcassork You stated that Poole
wore a cloak. DJ you :kink you could identify it ?—Wit--
new : 1 don't know whether I could or not. I old not take
particular notice of it. Toe cloak was handed to tis witness
as well es the Jim Crow bat which he said Poole wore—Mr.
Peacock: Can you identify tither of those f— Witmer : I
cannot positively swear to them, but I think that is the
cloak, aid am pretty sots that is the Jim Crow hat.—Mr.
Pe ac .ck : They are very simelar to th at Pole wore on that
occasion ?—Witness : Oh, yes, precisely similar.
Mr. Wellesford declined eras examining the witness on

behstf of the prisoners, and he was allowed io retire.
Mr. W. Willed:, forgone, of Enoineter, I recollect the lit
of January, I was in the Eaminster roal, between II and
12 o'clock of the morning of that day. It was the toropik.-
road on which I was walking. 1 overtook two persons.
They were going towards Exminster. They were on this
aide of Erminster, that is on the Pia, near to Exeter. I
have since seen those two persdis. Poole I have known fur
some time. When I met him on the occasion alluded to I
nodded to him. Poets is one of the persons I met on that
day. lam quite certain of that, having, as I have said,
known him for some time. I believe the other prisoner is
the man who accompanied him. Poole was curying a hag
It was a blue bag, end *vested to be about three parts lull.
He bad a dark coat, with pockets outside. lie wore a hat.
lbe other man hail ,ark clothes on.
Mr. Wellesford said he did not wish to erase-examine the
witness.
Henry Chapple deposed that he lived at the Storey Arms,
Ezminsto r. On the Ist of January two p. more came to vita
hou.e. He believed the two pri,ners to be the me.. When
they came in the called for a pint of beer. He served them
wan the beer. 'they rem fined not .:.ceding ten minutes.
They drank the beer, and went away togevier. They went
toward. Star. KOS.. It was before dinner time, probably be•
tween ten aid twelve o'clock in the morning. That man
(p dusting to Poole) carried a blue bag. It appeared to be
about halt full. When he spoke of Peale he referred to that
gent. iu the wl.ite coat. (Laughter.)
Mary Anr.e Southwood, daughter of the k epee of the
Courtney Arms, S ar-cross, stated that the prisoner Poole
and some other men entered her Louse at about six o'clock
in the evening of New Year's-day, and drank brandy and
water.
Sarah Ell • orthy : I know Mr. Poole. Ile lodged with
me at Plymouth. lie came on the 10:0 of May laid, and
remained with me nit or seven wicks. During tae time he
lived at my hour I observed him with a haudkerchief. I
should knew the colours et the handkerchief, but I could
not swear to anything else in it. There is no private mark
on it for me to swear to. The handkerchief was then shown
to witness. It was that in which the letters arid pace a
were found on the night Poole and his accomplice were
apprehended.—Mr. Peacock :Di you identify that hand-
kerchief ?—Witness : Y.s, I know the colours, hut nothing
more. I should not like to swear to it, but it is very
I:ke it.
E. Langley, a detective sergeant in the Metropolitan Po•
lice, was trought fr. m London to identity Poole's com-
peniod This man still pertinaciously refused to give his
name. Langley said I Invite the pri.oner—the one who
refuses to give his name. I have known him eight or nine
years, but I have lost sight of him the last year and a half.
His name is Howard Nightingale. I know his father his
name is George Nightingale.
Nightinga e, who lied shown considerable hauteur during
the proceedings, seemed compel b
by this mate-
lot:my. Ile held dean his head, and seemed to think that
ois last hope was gone. Poole also appeared to be consider-
ably unnerved.
This was the whole of the evidence, and the mayor asked
the prisoners if they wished to Sty anything in their defence.
—By the &dem* of Mr. Welleslord they declined to say any-
thing at pree nt.—The Mayor then formally conai•ted both
of them for trial.
It was stated that the officers who had been sent down by
the Piet.office auth,rities, Mr. Inspector Field and Mr.
Seesteant Langley, had made a thorough search over the
whole of the Bristol station, where it was suppoeed that the
bulk of the property stolen from the up-mail had been
secreted. It was shown that there wee no time for the psi
toners to have gone further than the public-hour, and yet
notling could be found. The search is to be CA ntinued.
Soon after the discovery of Poole's connexion with the
recent robterry his house was searched by tit.. police, but
scarcely a pion of paper owtsinang any memorandum we,
found, all such documents having evidently been destroyed.
i On his persem, however, were founksevenu 10 U's fir 201
501, and 751., showing that since he came into pommaion of
his mosey (now accounted for), be has had some ostensive
transactions io Inane. It is a remarkab:e fact in connexion
with the robbery that no official notice of it was sent is the
Poet-office authorities, and that Mr. Peacock did not hear of
it until the following day, when the pri-oners were under
; termination at Exeter, and that while investigating the par-
; titulars of the first robbt ry the announcement of the second
2 reached him. Poole belongs to a respeetsble family at
Taunton, but nu not been on friendly terms with them
G. since he commenced his present pursuits. The announce-
-5 mew that Poole was possessed of property through his wife
11, seems to be a mere rum to evade the strictness of the
a- inquiry into his r. sources.
10 A Sunday paper states that the prisoner Nightingale car-
es/ ries on the business of a horsedeeder at Roston. near London.
His father, George Nightingale, woo has been dead about
Ite six months, obtainers eoneiderable notoriety by his gushing
transactions at Goodwood and other rues, where he alone
Sa- was allowed to have a booth, and where ha acted in the ca.
W. panty of banker.

IRELAND.
DUILIN, JAN. 13.
Mr. Conolly of Castletown has addressed the elec-
tors of Donegal as a candidate for the representation
of the count vacant by his father'. death.
The crotchet of rotatory parliaments is still kept
before the public here, bat the idea does not seem to
be taking any root in the popular opinion. Its advo-
cates appear to flag in the agitation.
The balance-sheet of the Repeal Association for
the last half year has been published, and exhibits
a truly beggarly account 'the balance new on hand
for achieving the downfall of the Saxon and terrih log
John Bull, amounts to 421. 15s. 6d.—not enough to
pay a tailor's bill fur a tail M.P. Subscriptions for
the last half-Tear amounted to 3891. Os. 2d. sterling.
These subecraptions include a gratuity of 1001. from
Boston, and 16!. 31. from Mr. John O'Connell him-
self. The sale of the library produced only
4711.7 a. Bd., and the sale of waste paper produced
1331. 15s. The last item probably includes net pro-
ceeds of reams of unreadable speeches and books
about the repeal bubble. There is also amongst the
items a sum of 1281. 12s. Bd., whiel is curiously de-
scribed as reatitution of a grant formerly made for
the erection of a reveal hall in Cork." The use of the
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