The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-17 00:00:00

ROBBERY OF THE EXETER COACH.

MANSION-HousE.—John Baker, the guard of the Exeter
subscription coach, out of which a parcel containing 1,0571.
in
Bank notes and 140 in light guineas was stolen some days ago,
underwent a second examination yesterday before the LORD
MAYOR. The house from which the notes were issued is that

of Sparks and Co., of Exeter.
Five of the 51. notes which were contained in the parcel were
produced in the Justice-room and identified.
111 r. Richards, clerk in Sparks's Bank, stated, that he made
an entry of the notes and packed them up for the guard, to
whom he delivered them to carry to London. The parcel
should have come to Hanker and Co.'s, No. 7, Fenchurch-
street, was directed in that manner, and wrapped up in a paper
on which was the name of the guard. Witness_ stitched the
parcel into the pocket of the guard, who did not object to its
weight, and who had been very frequently entrusted with
money under similar circumstances. The gold contained in
the parcel did not render it heavier than the parcels sent by the
house usually were.
Mr. John Cock, a clerk in Hankey's Bank, stated, that the
house had not received the parcel described. On the night of
the Friday on which the robbery was said to have been commit-
ted, the guard came to him in Fenchurch-street, and said he
had bad news to tell—a parcel was lost. Witness asked how
that could be, and the guard replied that he had taken it out of
his pocket and put it in the coach-seat. 'Witness detained him.
until the return of Mr. Hankey, who, after some conversation,
permitted him to deptrt, upon the promise to be in attendance
next morning. The excuse he gave for taking the parcel from
his pocket was, that he found it cumbersome.
Mr. Thomas Alers Hankey stated that he received the five
5/. notes just produced from the house of Hanbury and Co.,
who stated that they were brought in on Saturday the 7th inst.
Miss Holman stated, that she and another female came to
town in the Exeter Subscription Coach. Upon the arrival of
the coach at Piccadilly, the guard looked at the parcels in the
seat, and at the same moment was addressed by a man who
looked in at the opposite window. He took nothing out of the
coach, but the man who had spoken to him, witness believed,
soon after asked for the parcel, and witness raised the seat, and
handed out a parcel with a white cover.
Mrs. Susannah Martin, the other passenger from Exeter,
stated that the guard acted in the manner described, but she
did not observe that the man who asked for the parcel had pre-
viously spoken to the guard. Witness had a baby-in her arms,
but was confident that her attention to the child could not have
prevented her from hearing any conversation between the guard
and the man who got possession of the parcel.
Mr. Boone, from the house of Hanbury and Co., stated, that
the five 51. notes produced were paid in on Saturday, the 7th
instant.
The prisoner's Solicitor here stated, that he wtis a man on
whose integrity his employers had the utmost reliance. The
evidence was not calculated to alter that opinion, for it was ob-
vious that he was alarmed at the loss, and betrayed all the
anxiety of innocence. Under such circumstances it was to be
hoped that the Lord Mayor would at once dismiss the case.
The Solicitor for the prosecution submitted that there were
at all events very strong grounds of suspicion. Certainly there
had been reliance upon the honesty of the guardl both upon the
part of the bankers and of the coach-owners; but he would leave
it to any common observer to decide whether that-reliance could
now be continued.
The Lord MAYOR said he should certainly make further
inquiry into this most suspicious case. The height to which
coach-robberies were carried, required that the utmost exertions
should be made by the Magistracy. The guard, if he did not
participate in the robbery, was at any rate guilty of the grossest
negligence. He had received extra pay. for taking: care of the
property of the bankers, and knew the importance of the par-
cels he was in the habit of receiving. However free from the
more serious guilt, he was most unquestionably deserving of
some privation for his culpable abandoment of the.parcel. His
Lordship then remanded him till Friday.

CRAMOND NEW BRIDGE.---7,011 Thursday the
sth inst., the last of the foundations of thii extensive structure
was laid in the northern abutment. On the occasion, Messrs.
Forsyth, the contractors for the building, 'very liberally regaled
their workmen with a hogshead of strong ale.. . The stone
coffins, which were discovered in removing a quantity of earth
at the 'northern approach to the • bridge, were evidently
very ancient ; and from the great regularity in which
they were arranged, one would conjecture that they bad all
been deposited much about the same period, not unlikely after
some feudal contest. About thirty of these tombs have now
been dug up ; in one of them an antique key, of' an extraordi-
nary size, was found.—( Edinburgh Courant.)
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.—OIi ,Saturday evening,
at six o'clock, an interesting young woman, named Hannah
Cockbill, attempted to put a period to ief existence by
plunging into the canal, near the lock-house, Kentish.
Town. A labourer passing by heard the plunge, and im-
mediately rendered asistance, but fell himself into the water.
Mr. Smith, of the lock-house, succeeded in getting her out,
and took her to his house, when Pr. Blackstone and another
Medical Gentleman were sent for, by whoie united exertions
it is hoped she will recover, although at present very ill from
the effects of the water. ,
A BOXING MATCH will take place to-morrow, between
Granger, the navigator, and Matthews, the Warminster man.
for twenty sovereigns a-side. It is to takeplace within ten in les
of Maidenhead. Matthews is the favourite.
There has been a curious trial at Jersey, of
three young men belonging to the troops of the
island, for misconduct and unaccountable beha-
viour when in the ranks, which gave offence to
the Commander. It happened In the Castle-
market, when the troops were under arms.—
Three of them gave loud hnzzas for a favourite
officer, and one of the drummers beat his drum.
They have been sentenced to a small Punishment.
(Southampton Journal.)