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

Extraordinary Ca Be- of Robbery.

At the Salford hundred quartz is 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 Eliza 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 coonibing 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 openee 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 Borne time. He asked to be
allowed to whit, 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 she wou:d en-
gage herself 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 he had heard that Mr. Thorpe had
soanid known
snue experience in the business he offered him a situation
in hi
s mill as foreman. He spoke to Mr. Thope as if be
h
not knove.n him. m
some time,h
andt Mr.d
4
Thorpe orpe said he did
meanng'agenesal I know you very
well. lam in want of a
neareran for 'd3o uy beingu.
Mr.
business so long, I wish to
you, if you would like a
change, as it would be much
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. Ho told her
tolh
when
that he did not think she would object to
told r m
that
he
was she
became acquainted with him. He also
having some new machinery put up in his mill,
liliamcndf.etrhatwt ife
came and
her father came with him he should not want
months. On the following day the prisoner a
walked out with the prosccutrix,after which he was nacknow-
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 he 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 dieter ce 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 f, ir Liverpool. When they
arrived at Rochdale station Broadbent got out, and M,ss
Thorpe and the prisoner followed hint. They said they
wished to see some friends before they sailed. They went
to a beerhouse 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 mc ruing, 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 teen, was already in gaol for some swin-
dling transaction, and Fox, on being apprehended on June
3, was charged with stealing the girl's clothes. He said he
had pledged some of them, and had caused the remainder
to be pledged at the request of Broadbent, and the woman
who he believed to be his wife. He took the policeman who
apprehended him to John Robinshaw's beershop, the
Oddfellows' Arnie, Oldham-road, Rochdale, where he had
left Miss Thorp's box, and a few articles of women's under-
clothing. The fact of the goods having been pawned under
the direction of the prisoner was proved. Mr. Ernest Jones,
who appeared for the prisoner, cross-examined the prosecu-
trix at great length. In reply to him she stated that sho
worked for goad families, and that she had saved the money
which she took with her on her unfortunate journey, as she
had always been very carefal. She also stated that she had
been aSunday-school teaceer,and was regular in her attend-
ance at church.—Mr. Jones, for the defence, said the girl's
story showed that she was a very giddy girl. There wits
undoubtedly an unmitigated scoundrel named Broadbent in
the case, who had deceived the prosecutrix, and it was more
than probable that he had also deceived the prisoner, whom
he had induced to pledge these articles. He 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. Allred Milne),
in summing up, said he congratulated the jury on having
arrived at nearly ihe end of this extra?rsdintoaryrecaadseo;vebrutthhe
should consider it his duty to alle
parti
consul for the prosecun n a L case
Higgin, the learned
whole of the evidence to them. They had been
ttholdt
tbhy Mr.
rhadnes everr
ibeene
sn
nhaesaertdh
that
these sessions, and possibly it wa
was the most remarkable one.
ustice, for, undoubtedl
had ever been tried in a court of
.j
an,a)
during
like it It ivas perfectly clear if they
never heard anything •
the whole of his (the Chairin experience he had
sththate
• • that she was a most simple minded
athfeacalse
had
ald
teen
visibly
all events, be of opinion believed the story told by the young woman they would, at
if they disbelieved
ree strong enough to reprobate her conduct,
person; but, on the contrary,her, he could
hardly use language
e it would be a
her part against the
prisoner. The
cbaesceauwsgeigiaf
noticed that dur-
she
ing the bearing ofv:astl:'oeinicafasielYaotemlleinogf
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
teat 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 couldnotthen
tell
tell her affecting story. It had been remarked by the learned
counsel for the defence thatshould it was extraordinary that she
have engaged herself to Broadbent on the second
y
day of seeing him, but it was only fair air to say
in the position of the of these parties we not so that
eldi personscatein
were
matters of this sort as persona of superior a ucation. The
Chairman then read over ihe 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 bad 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 ho (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
any excuse pandered to his base propensities, robbing the
poor girl in a most heartless manner. There was no doubt
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 tkey would have done so. He
then sentenced the prisoner to three years' penal servitude.
This concluded the business of the session.