The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-14 00:00:00

Great Seizure of Stolen Watches.

The North British Mail records the capture of a receiver
of stolen watches as follows :

" On Thursday last Mr. George Henderson, factor for
English and Geneva watches, 20, Victoria-street, Edin-
burgh, was taken into custody at the Queen-street station
of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, and in his posses-
sion was found a small box, which on examination was
found to contain eight silver watches and ono gold one,
which have since been identified as having been stolen in
Glasgow and neighbourhood within the last few weeks.
Henderson's visits to Glasgow have for some time past been
so frequent, and the localities which he visited so unlike
those which a respectable wholesale factor in watches
would patronise, that the detectives became somewhat
curious as to the reasons which could induce him so to act.
Their observations were reported to Superintendent M'Call,
and it was decided that a close watch should be kept on
the movements of Henderson on his next visit. That visit
was made on Thursday last. His arrival was immediately
made known to Mr. M'Call, who, accompanied by Mr.
Audley Thomson, sub-inspector of the detective depart-
ment, kept an eye upon him till half-past one o'clock in
the afternoon. At that time he wont to the railway station
again, having under his arm a small square box, about which
he seemed to be very solicitous. His manner, too, seemed
anxious, as if he wished to avoid, as much as possible, all
observation. He went into the booking-office, where he was
followed, and as soon as he had laid down his box on the
counter for the purpose of obtaining a ticket Mr. M'Call
lifted it up, and asked, Is this yours ?' The reply was,
Yes.' Mr. M'Call then further asked, What is it ?'
Henderson said, 'A parcel.' The officers then remarked that
they saw that, but wished to know what it contained. On
that point, howtver,Henderson pretended to be profoundly
ignorant, and, by way of explanation, stated that he had re-
ceived it from a hawker named Williamson, who had re-
quested him to carry it to the railway station, which he had
obligingly done. The address on the box was 'Mr. Wil-
liamson, care of Mr. Henderson, Victoria-street, Edinburgh.'
Mr. Henderson's explanation not being considered satis-
factory, he and the box were conveyed to the Central
Police-office in a cab. The contents of the box, as
already stated, were found to bo eight silver watches
and ono gold one. Shortly afterwards the officers ob-
tained possession of two other boxes which Henderson had
left in a shop at the Broomielaw, and on examination these,
again,were found to contain 56 silver and 20 gold watches.
The same afternoon Mr. M'Call despatched Sub-Inspector
Thomson to Edinburgh to take possession of Hendersim's
premises, and to search them thoroughly before the pro-
ceedings in Glasgow could become known to the friends of
the accused. In the accomplishment of that mission Mr.
Thomson was ably assisted by detectives Maloney and
Dixon, of the Edinburgh force. The Glasgow officer re-
turned on Friday night, having been engaged on Thursday
evening and all Friday in searching Henderson's premises.
He brought with him 40 gold and 90 silver watches, to-
gether with 75 movements' in all stages of doctoring.'
He also carried to Glasgow a large number of silver tea-
spoons, with different initials on them, such as W. T.,
J. N., D. E. N., &c. The dials and numbers of many of
the watches have been tampered with and altered. While
Sub-Inspector Thomson was prosecuting his search on
Friday a box was delivered by the railway company at
Henderson's premises. It was ascertained that it came
from a Coventry house, and that it contained ' name
pieces' renumbered, dials bleached,' and cases po-
lished up to look as if new.