The Sun.
London, England, 1839-04-05 00:00:00

THE GOLD-DUST ROBBERY.

Wednesday, after the usual business had been dis-
posed of at Lambeth-street Police-office, Harris Casper
and Lewin Casper, father and son, and both Jews, were
placed at the felons' bar, before John Hardwicke, Esq.,
on the charge of being concerned in stealing two boxes,
containing gold dust to the amount of 4,6401., from the
Dublin Steam Company's Wharf, in St. Katherine's, on
Monday week last.
Mr. J. B. Le Mole, the solicitor, and Mr. Clarkson,
the barrister, appeared for the prosecution ; and Mr.
Yates, a Hebrew solicitor, attended on behalf of the
prisoners.

Mr. Clarkson addressed the Bench, detailing the
circumstances which have before appeared in The Sun.
The Learned Gentleman then called Mr. James Hart-
ley, of the firm of Messrs. James Hartley and Co., to
whom the property had been consigned, who stated
that he was in Dublin at the time the robbery took
place, but, on being apprised of the circumstance, he
instantly came to town, and arrived here on the 28th.
The firm of Messrs. Carne, of Falmouth, were cor-
respondents of his house, and were in the habit of
shipping goods by their vessels, and had forwarded the
two boxes of gold dust, as specified in the bill of lading
now produced, and of which they were apprised.
Mr. AIUMICKE—Look at these two letters ; are
they genuine or forgeries ?
Mr. Hartley—Forgeries, certainly.

Are they such letters as are generally sent from one
mercantile house to another ?—Certainly not.. The
hand-writing and style altogether are vastly different.
Then you think from their being written in different
hands, and their style, that they were sufficient to excite
the suspicion of your clerk, the younger prisoner ?
Most certainly.
Then was it his duty, as your clerk, to make inquiries
before delivering property on such orders ?—Most un-
doubtedly.
Mr. Clarkson again drew the Magistrate's attention
to the letter which was represented to have been brought
and given to the younger prisoner b) the person to whom
he had given the order, and observed that when ques-
tioned about it the younger prisoner said he did not
know whether it was in its present state or not. The
letter alluded to had the back, or that part on which
was the address of the party receiving it, torn off.
Mr. Clarkson proceeded to put some further ques-
tions to Mr. Hartley, to which he replied that the
younger prisoner was the principal clerk in his office, and
had a salary of 150/. per annum. In February last he
applied to witness to increase his salary ; and be then
told him that he could not, and that if he could better
his situation elsewhere, he (Mr. H.) should be happy of
it. The prisoner at that time, on receiving this refusal,
gave notice to leave his service ; and it was arranged
that he was to go away as soon as he (Mr. Hartley)
returned from Dublin this last time.

Lea and Roe were then sworn, and, in reply to
questions from Mr. likapwicxE, said that, from in-
formation they receeived, they had no doubt that both
the prisoners were implicated in the robbery. Lea pro-
duced some of the embers of wood and nails which he
found in the house in New-street, where the boxes were
.
destroyed

The prisoner's solicitor said he feared that anything
he could urge in defence of the prisoners would not
prevent his Worship from complying with the request
made by the other side, while, at the same time, he had
no doubt of being able on a future day to show the
entire innocence of the parties accused.
Mr. Clarkson said he should request a short remand
for the present ; but it would be his duty subsequently
to request further remands, so as to pass over the
ensuing sessions, as it would be necessary, for the com-
pletion of the case, to bring witnesses from a consider-
able distance.

Mr. Yates requested that the prisoners might be
sent to the Compter instead of Clerkenwell, as they
were both in a very delicate state of health, and both
highly respectable, the father having, for many years,
carried on the business of a watch maker, in Finsbury-
pavement. . .

Mr. HARDWICKE replied that be recollected a similar
application being made on the occasion of the examina-
tion of the persons who had committed the Custom
House robbery, but he found that he had no authority
to commit to Giltspur-street Compter. He had no
doubt, however, that every indulgence, consistent with
the regulations of Clerken well, would be allowed them.
Mr. Clarkson begged, on the part of the respect-
able prosecutors, notwithstanding their severe loss, that
the prisoners should not be debarred of anything they
might require. _ _

The prisoners were then remanded to a future day.
During the examination the office was crowded with
Jews, all of whom seemed to take a considerable inte-
rest in the investigation.

The letter of 'Mr. Hamilton Fitzgerald, which
has appeared in the Examiner, fully hears out all that we
have said upon the recent disgraceful occurrences at Court.
We may now add, what we have hitherto from motives of
delicacy forborne to do, that we have seen a letter from
the Marchioness of Hastings, fully corroborating, if indeed
corroboration were necessary, all the substantial parts of
Mr. FitzAerald's letter. On orte point only will the reader
be incredulous, and that is as to the part assigned in this
transaction to a medical attendant of the Queen.—Brighten
Guardian.

' I At one o'clock on Tuesday morning a mechanic
. ' named David Pemberton, living at No. 3, Thomas-street,Curtain -road, conveyed to the police station -house, in
Ft atherstone-street, St. Luke's, an infant child about a
month old, of which be gave the following account:—He
was passing, he said, through Crown-street, Finsbury, a
:bort time before, when a woman suddenly thrust it into
his arms, and requested him to hold it whilst she was en-
gaged in a fistic encounter with another woman who was
waiting for her in the road A great crowd collected to
witness the set-to between the female fighters, at the dis-
persion of which lie sought in every direction for the ama-
zonian owner of the luckless infant, but she was nowhere to
be found. The police have been since actively engaged in
the same pursuit, without success, and the little east-away
remains at the :residence of the man into whose charge it
was so carelessly consigned.
AMERICAN MILITIAMEN.—NEAR-SIGHTED-
NESS. —While our militia have generally acceded with
alacrity and with cheerfulness to the orders which called
them out. there have been a few who have been suddenly
seized with diseases that never before developed themselves,
and these offered as excuses for not bearing arms. We
have heard of one most amusing case which comes under
this head, and that is a man in one of the towns of a
neighbouring county who was very suddenly afflicted wifh
near-sightedness. On his examination before the surgeon
of the regiment, and in his eagerness to make the correct-
ness of his complaint apparent, he said tp the surgeon,
" Why, Sir, my sight is so bad I can't tell whether that
pig yonder is a pig or a cow. "—Portland (American)
Advertiser.
THE LATE FATAL FIRE IN PETTICOAT-
L&NE.-Wednesday afternoon an inquest took place at the
London Hospital, on the 'remains of Mrs. Mary Grigg,
aged 45, who lost her life at the late disastrous fire in
Cox's-square, Petticoat-lane, Whitechapel. In addition to
the particulars then given, it further appeared that the
Ideceased was of intemperate habits, and the husband, who
was from home at the time, stated that, with regard to the
origin of the fire, he was of opinion that it Was occasioned
through the deceased's carelessness. .Verdict, " That the
I deceased was accidentally burnt."

EVUNING EDITION.

THE CHARTISTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUM.

SIR,—I beg to inform you, (for insertion in your
Poper) that the Chartists held a most numerous as-
sembly on Friday last, (Good Friday) on Redborough
Hill, in the neighbourhood of Stroud. There were at
least ten thousand persons assembled. The meeting
was addressed by Mr. Frost, the dismissed Newport
magistrate, and Mr. Vincent, and by many other of the
local mechanics and weavers. The meeting passed off
without the least disturbince.
Mr. Frost announced his intention of opposing Lord
John Russell, at the next election for Stroud. Messrs.
Vincent and Frost were exceedingly well received at
Stroud, where a Chartist Association is being formed,
which already promises to be a very numerous and in-
fluential body. Mr. Vincent delivered a lecture to the
Association on Saturday evening, which was well at-
tended. I am, Sir, yours, &c.
April 4,1839. J. W. LEWIS.

ATTEMPT AT ASSASSINATION
NEAR GUILFORD, AND APPREHENSION
OF THE MURDERER.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

On Saturday the 16th of March, about seven
o'clock in the evening, a diabolical attempt was made
on the life of Edward James Baker, Esq., of
Fren
sham Hall, Surrey, while returning with his horse and
chaise from Guildford Market. At a turning off the
turnpike road, at Htnstead, in his own plantations,
about a mile from a place called the Huts, Mr. Baker,
hearing the report of a gun found, that he was shot
and wounded by a large bullet which entered his right
arm, in which portions of his coat were lodged, and
after penetrating the hind part of the horse, passed
about a foot in length by the side of the chine. On
receiving the contents of the gun the horse started off,
and on being pulled up, Mr. Baker being fearful to re•
turn by the same way home, went by a circui-
tous route, and on examining the horse dis-
covered the bullet which he cut from the ani-
mal with a razor, and which he kept, in hopes it
would lead to the apprehension of the assassin. 0°
the following day he dispatched his brother to town 10
give information of the circumstance, but on learning
that Goddard, the Bow-street officer, was in the neigh-
bourhood of Guildford, endeavouring to apprehend some
men who had a few nights back cut the throats of 20
sheep on a farm belonging to Mr. Pritchard, a Magic
trate, he returned, and he exhibited the bullet to him-
The officer, on making inquiry, found strong ens Pi.
cions attached to a man of the name of White, rill
underwent two examinations before the Magistrates,anu
was finally committed to Guildford gaol on the capital
charge.