The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-18 00:00:00

CONVICTION OF THREE DETECTIVES,

At the Southwark Police-court, on Saturday,
Henry Barrett, police-sergeant, 16 L, Wm. Jones,
151 L, and Henry Young, 81 L, well-known detec-
tive officers of many years' standing, were brought
before Mr. Burcham, by order of Sir Richard Mayne,
Chief Commissioner of Police, charged with extort-
ing £9 from Mr. John Murray, a licensed victualer,
formerly keeping the Victoria Tavern, Waterloo-
road, under the plea of getting his licence trans-
sfeurmreodf £5
; also, with attempting to obtain a further
from him by threats.
Mr. Lewis, jun., of Ely-place, prosecuted ; and
Mr. Lilley, instructed by Mr. Detton, from the office
of Mr. Chipperfield, defended the prisoners. Mr.
Webb, the superintendent of the L division, was
present to watch the case on behalf of the Commis-
sioner of Police.
The prosecutor, on being sworn, said that he was
a licensed victualler, and resided at No. 51, Upper-
marsh, Lambeth. He formerly kept the Victoria
Tavern, in the Waterloo-road. On the 23d of
December last he was fined at this court £5 for har-
bouring thieves. Neither of the prisoners was a
witness on that occasion. About a week after that
conviction, between 8 and 9 o'clock in the evening,
the three prisoners came to the Victoria Tavern and
called him on one side. Young told him that they
had been appointed to watch his house by their
superiors, and that upon their report it would de-
pend whether he got his licence renewed or trans-
ferred. This occurred in the lobby. Young then
added, " We are your friends and shall want a bit
of coin, as we know your game is to work the house
up and let it." The witness told him he did not wish
to act shabbily towards them, but that such was not
his intention, They then went away. About a week
afterwards Jones and Young called on him about
the same time, and they went into the bar parlour.
Young said, " Governor, we are hard up to-
night, and if you don't raise a bit of coin somehow
we shall have to go along the water-side." Witness
then gave Young half a sovereign, and they went
a way grumbling. They stopped about a quarter of an
hour, and had some brandy and water. About 11
the same night Sergeant Barrett came into the
house by himself, and led him to believe that the
two other prisoners were dissatisfied. He accord-
ingly gave him a sovereign, saying, " That will
make a half-sovereign for each of you." About a
fortnight after that all three of them came to the
Victoria Tavern again, when Young said, " Gover-
nor, we are hard up to-night ; we want a bit of coin
to get some supper with." The witness told them
they were too hard with him. He, however, took
out 7s. 6d., from his pocket and handed it to Young,
saying, " Here's all the silver I have got, and I am
not going into my bar to allow my barman to see
that I take money out to give to you." Barrett
replied, " Don't take that paltry sum ; put it on
the stairs and leave it." Jones said, "Never mind,
—come along." The witness told them, if they put
the money on the stairs he should take it up and re-
place it in his pocket, and they should have nothing
at all. Jones took the money then, and they all
went away. About a week or ten days after that
he was standing on the pavement outside his house,
between 8 and 9 in the evening, when the prisoners
came up to him, and Young said, " Good evening,
governor. We are hard up to-night, and must
have a bit of coin somewhere." Witness gave
Young a half sovereign. Young took the half sove-
reign in his hand, and, holding it out, exclaimed,
" Half a sovereign be —; what use is that to three
of us ? Give us another" Witness gave him an-
other half sovereign, and they went away. The
witness let the house on the 23d of February to Mr.
Goldby, and about a week after that, while he hap.
pened to be there, the prisoners came :Again, when
Jones said, " Mr. Murray, we can be your friends
or your enemies. We don't work for nothing."
The witness said, "I want no further bother with
you, but if things go on right there will be £5 for
you. Jones said, "All right, we'll stick to you,"
and then they went away. The house was transfer-
red to Mr. Goldby on the 19th of March, but a few
days before that the witness was living at the
Builders' Arms beerhouse, Peckham, and Barrett
and Jones cames to him there in a cab. It was about
7 o'clock in the evening. They said they would
stick to him about his licence, so as to transfer
the Victoria Tavern to Mr. Goldhy. On the 21st
of March, after the transfer, all the prisoners
came again to the Builders' Arms, when Jones said
to him, " We are come about the £5 you promised
us." Witness said, " You have received it. Mr.
Goldby has paid you the £5." Jones replied, "It
cost all that to square one party, and we are not
satisfied, and if you are in town on Monday or
Tuesday go to the Victoria Tavern, and it shall be
returned to you." The witness here informed the
magistrate that prior to that interview he had seen
Mr. Goldby, who told him he paid the prisoners the
£5, £2 108. of which he paid him back as his share.
The witness had never had his money returned to
him, but, in consequence of the prisoners threaten..
ing to pursue him in his business, he wrote to Sir
Richard Mayne, who directed the present proceed..
ings to be taken. About two weeks ago witness
met the prisoners in front of the Surrey Theatre, in
the Blackfriars-road, when Jones said that they