The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

Extraordinary Case of Robbery.

At the Salford hundred quarter sessions, held at the New
Bailey yesterday, John Fox, 32, wool sorter, was charged
with stealing a large quantity of wearing apparel, of the
value of about £5O, the property of itliza Thorpe. The
prosecutrix, who is a good looking young woman, between
27 and 28 years of age, stated that she is a dressmaker, and
the daughter of a man holding a situation near Halifax, as
the superintendent of some coombing machines. She re-
sides at Cote Hill, Wailey,near Halifax. About six o'clock
in the evening of the 30th January, which day she well re-
membered in consequence of her birthday being four days
after, a man, who gave his name as John Henry Sutcliffe,
but whose real name she afterwards found was Wm. Broad-
bent, came to Mr. Thorpe's house. He was well dressed,
and the prosecutrix, who opened the door to him, told him in
answer to his questions, that her father was not at home,
and that he would not be for some time. He asked to be

allowed to wait, and in the course of conversation he asked
her whether she was engaged to be married She told him
she was not, and he then asked her whether abe would en-
gage her self to him. She told him that she would consider
about it. Her father came home at 9 o'clock, and the pri-
soner had some conversation with the family. In the course
of conversation he said he was a woollen manufacturer, at
Sowerby Bridge, and as ha had heard that Mr. Thorpe had
some experience in the business he offered him a situation
in his mill as foreman. He spoke to Mr. Thope as if he
had known him some time, and Mr. Thorpe said he did
not know him. Broadbent then said, " I know you very
well. lam in want of a man, and you being in the wool
busing ss so long, I wish to engage you, if you would like a
change, as it would be much nearer for you." Mr. Thorpe
declined to change from the situation he held, and
Broadbent then left, having first asked the prosecutrix
whether he might call on the following day. He told her
that he did not think she would object to him when she
became acquainted with him. He also told her that he was
having some new machinery put up in his mill, and that if
her father came with him he should not want him for two
months. On the following day the prisoner came and
walked out with the prosecutrix,after which he was acknow-
ledged as her suitor by the family; About three weeks sub-
sequent to this she accompanied him to the shops of several
machinists at Bradford, and later in the day he took her
to the prisoner's house in Manchester-road, in the same
town, where she saw the prisoner and his wife. She asked
Mrs. Fox whether she knew Broadbent, and she stated
that his name was Sutcliffe, which was the name that both
Fox and his wife called him by. In the week previous to
this visit to Bradford, Broadbent told her that he wanted
some money to pay wages, as his brother was gone to
London, and she lent him £l2, which sum ho pro-
mised to return on the following day, but she had never
been repaid the money. On the 10th March, which day she
well recollected, as it was the day on which the Prince of
Wales was married, she was at the prisoner's house, and
Broadbent then told Mrs. Fox that he was going to marry
Miss Thorpe. Mrs. Fox said she had known Miss Thorpe
for some years, and she knew that she would make a good
wife, therefore she hoped that Broadbent would treat her
well. It was managed that they should be married on
the 28th March at Liverpool, prior to their sailing for
America. The prisoner said he was going to America also,
and that he had paid £7 for his fare. Broadbent said he
had already paid £24 for his fare and Miss Thorpe's. On
the 21st March the prosecutrix left her home with Broad-
bent, and was accompanied a short distance by her sister.
Fox was in company with them, and when the tickets
were taken Miss Thorpe heard both the prisoner and
Broadbent ask for tickets fer Liverpool. When they
arrived at Rochdale station Broadbent got out, and Miss
Thorpe and the prisoner followed him. They said they
wished to see some friends before they sailed. They went
to a beerhause kept by Edward Butterworth, and the pri-
soner and Broadbent brought Miss Thorpe's box with them.
Previous to her leaving home Broadbent had desired her to
put all her best clothes in her box; and this she did besides
several articles of jewellery and £9 in money. They lived
together as man and wife at Rochdale, until the 25th, when
they visited Manchester, and stopped at the Bridge Tavern,
where Miss Thorpe's box was also taken. On the 27th
March, at nine o'clock in the miming, Broadbent went out,
and, as he did not come back by twelve o'clock, Miss Thorpe
became uneasy, and started to walk to Rochdale. At that
time she had only 3s. in her pocket, and Broadbent did not
know that she had a halfpenny. When she got to Roch-
dale at half-past five o'clock, she could not find Broadbent;
and, being in a state of pregnancy, and being afraid to go
home, she went to several drapers' shops and stole
articles from each shop, with the avowed intention of
being apprehended and imprisoned. She was given into
custody at one shop where she was detected, and en being
brought before the magistrates at Rochdale she pleaded
guilty, and was committed for two months. After she was
sentenced she communicated with her father, and on her
liberation a warrant was obtained for the apprehension of
Fox and Broadbent. Then it was ascertained that the latter,
who ie a married man, was already in gaol for some swin-
dling transaction, and Fox, on being apprehended on June
3, was charged with stealing
a the girl's clothes. He said he
dtceemwa who
had pledged some of them, nd had caused theehremainder
wt o
hbae
lapledged
eadt thetab see
hqiuse
wife.s of Broadbent,H e
took
, aaoli
the
p
apprehended him to John Robinshawrsh op, the
Oddfellows' Arms, Oldham-road, Rochdale, s h
e, where he had
left Miss Thorp's box, and a few article hoc
women's under-
evapermosoencuey-
clothing. The fact of the goods having. ;ein pawned under
the direction of the prisoner was proved. Mr. Ernest Jones,
he e hadi.nsavethd
ply to him she stated that she
trix at great length.
who appeared for the prasoraneriedr,tchraots
,s.whorikahedahloar
tgoookdwfaituhillh;onihershe unfortunate journey, as sits
Jones,at
e d
scoundrelforthe defence,
n named
e
had always been very careftt also stated that she had
Baidrotandebegnitrli'is
been aSunday-school teacher,and was regular in her attend-
ance
story showed that she was a very giddy girl. There was
undoubtedly an
at chureh.—:Lari..ti
who had deceived pro •
the case, vi the secutrix, and it was more
than probable that he had also deceived the prisoner, whom
he had induced to pledge these articles. lie also pretended
that when the tickets were taken for •
Liverpool the prisoner
did not know for what place they were taken, and that he
did not hear what was said,—Chairman (Mr. Altred Milne),
in summing up, said he congratulated the jury on having
arrived at nearly the end of this extraordinary case; but he
Should consider it his duty to all parties to read over the
whole of the evidence to them. They had been told by Mr.
iliggin, the learned consul for the prosecution, that the case
was the most remarkable one that had ever been heard at
these sessions, and possibly
it was the most curious case that
had ever been tried in a court of justice, for, undoubtedly,
during the whole of his (the Chairman's) experience he had
never heard anything like it. It
was perfectly clear if they
believed the story told by the g woman they would, at
all events, be of opinion that she wa
s a most simple minded
person; but, on the contrary, if they disbelieved her, he could
hardly use language strong enough t a reprobate her conduct,
because if she was wilfully telling a false tale it would be a
most attrocious case on her part against the prisoner. The
case was a most affecting one, and he had noticed that dur-
ing the hearing of the case some of them had teen visibly
affected, but he warned them not to let their feelings get the
better of their judgment. The case for the prosecution was
that the prisoner andßroadbent had been guilty of a most
wicked conspiracy to rob the girl. The case for the defence
was that the prisoner was the dupe of Broadbent, and
although he might have acted immorally, he was not aware
that he was robbing the young woman when he was dealing
with the things, as undoubtedly he did deal with them. The
young woman had been imprisoned for the theft committed,
' according to her statement, while she was distracted, and
he very much doubted whether, if she had told the whole of
her story when she was before the magistrates, they would
have convicted her. But it seemed that she could not then
tell her affecting story. It had been remarked by the learned
counsel for the defence that it was extraordinary that she
should have engaged herself to Broadbent on the second
day of seeing him, but it was only fair to say that persons
in the position of li!e of these parties were not so delicate
in
matters of this sort as persons of superior education. The
Chairman then read over the whole of the evidence, after
which the jury,without a moment's deliberation, found the
prisoner guilty. The Chairman in passing sentence said
the prisoner had been found guilty of as disgraceful an
offence as had ever come before an open court, and he
thought there was no one who had heard the case who had
any feeling in his breast but would think that the offence
was one of the most scandalous that could be committed.
The other man, Broadbent, had acted in a scandalous man-
ner, but he (the Chairman) did not think the prisoner was
a bit better than he was. Broadbent had, at all events, been
actuated by a beastly passion, and the prisoner had without
robbi
no doubt
ng the
any excuse pandered to hi© base propensities,was
poor girl in a most heartless manner. Thero
about the prisoner's guilt, and every man in the court must
be convinced of the correct judgment of the jury. The
offence was a most serious one, and if the court could have
passed a heavier sentence they would have done so. He
then sentenced the prisoner to three years' penal servitude,
This concluded the business of the session.