The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-18 00:00:00

THAMES.

EXTENSIVE PLUNDER OP TEA IN THE VICTORIA
DOCR.—Thomas Brighton, aged 61, a carman, of No. 39,
Nelson street, Plaistow, near the Victoria Dock, George
Palfrey, 29, of No. 10, Gabriel-street, Millwall, labourer,
and Maria Cousins, a married woman, of No. 1, Nelson-
street, Plaistow, were brought before Mr. Selfe, charged
with stealing 3361b5. of tea, the property of the Victoria
Dock Company, from the premises.

Mr. R. Beverly, jun., from the Customs solicitor's office,
said the case had been reported to the Board of Customs
as one of smuggling, and he attended to watch the case on
behalf of the Crown, inasmuch as the duty had not been
paid on the tea seized under very extraordinary circum-
stances, but he believed the case would resolve itself into
one of robbery.

Mr. William Taylor, an examining officer of Customs, I
said he received private information that a large quantity
of tea would arrive in Back Church-lane, St. George -in-
the -East, at a certain hour, in consequence of which he
stationed himself close to the Blacksmith's Arms public-
house. At the time named to him by his informant he saw
the two male prisuuere waiting about there, and a horse
and cart arrive. The other prisoner, Brighton, was
driving. There were two large bundles, which appeared
to be beds wrapped np in counterpanes, in the cart. He
pierced the bed-ticks with a knife, and cut them open, and
instead of feathers ter. ;un out. Each bed consisted of two
chests of tea, in all 3361b5., which he seized. He saw Pal-
frey hold up his hand when the cart came opposite
to him. When he discovered the bed ticks contained
tea lie asked Brighton where he had brought it from,
to which he replied, from the Plaistow-marshes, close to
the Victoria Duck. He afterwards searched a house, No.
1, Nelson-street, Plaistow, where the female prisoner and
her husband lived. The house smelt very strongly of tea,
and he found a few ounces strewed about the floor of an
upper reom, where four chests of superior tea stJlen from
the Victoria Dock had been emptied and re-packed.
Mr. Thomas Smith, examining officer of Customs, gave
similar evidence ; and added, when the horse and cart with
the tea drove up into Back Church-lane, I said to Palfrey,
who I saw waiting, " You are the party who is going to
buy this tea ?" To which Palfrey said, " Where is Jones ?"
I did not know who he was alluding to, and I said, " He is
round the corner." Palfrey made a determined resistance,
and called upon the roughs and thieves, who soon got
about us, to rescue him.
Hugh Andrews, a police-constable, No. 62 H, said—l
saw the fems.le prisoner seated on one of the " beds" in the
cart last night. The cart stooped and she got out. The
cart driven by Brighton thet I went on again. Directly
afterwards I heard cries of police. I thought a watch rob-
bery had been committed, an d went to the assistance of
the Customhouse officers, who were struggling with Brigh-
ton and Palfrey, and assisted iu taking them. Last night
I went to Plaistow, and in a public house there found the
woman Cousins, who has been cohabitating with the old
man Brighton, and after a serious riot and fight, took her
into custody. Other persons cot ic.erned in the robbery I ex-
pect to have in custody very she
Mr. Selfe first talked about :adjourning the case until
Saturday, and eventually remar:ded them until Thursday.