The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-02 00:00:00

BROMLEY PETTY SESSIONS.

Considerable excitement has prevailed in the neighbour-
hourhood of Beckenham, in consequence of an attack
having been made on two of the policemen of that village,
on Saturday night, and the Magistrates have been actively
engaged in investigating the circumstances. On Wed-
nesday six persons were charged before the Bench with
having taken a part in the affray, viz.—John Williams,
George Williams, James Burtenshaw, and John Stone, la-
bourers, residing at Beckenham, and James Palmer and
John Smith, who were hired by a master painter, about
ten days since, as they were passing through the village,
and incautiously set to paint a gentleman's house, with-
out knowing where they came from, or what their cha-
racters really were.
After evidence had been gone into, the prisoners ad-
mitted they assembled round the cage, but denied that they
menaced the lives of the police.
The prisoners were all committed to Maidstone gaol to
take their trials for the assault and attempt to rescue.

There appeared to be a strong feeling in the Court as
to the impropriety of any tradesmen employing trampers
without regard to their characters.

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday Thomas Lucomb, a sergeant and clerk to the
F division of police, was placed at the bar before Sir F.
Roe and Graham, Esq., charged on suspicion of hav-
ing stolen gold, in sovereigns and half-sovereigns, to the
amount of 1361:10s. from a cupboard in the station-house.
The case excited an extraordinary degree of interest, and
the office was crammed. The investigation lasted nearly
the whole day. The robbery, by whomsoever committed,
took place about mid-day on Wednesday, and upon the
discovery of it, communication was immediately had with
the Commissioners, and an investigation commenced, the first
result of which was that inspector John Mason, and the
prisoner yesterday examined, were placed under arrest, on
suspicion of having been concerned in the robbery. Yes-
terday morning, however, from circumstances elicited, it
was determined that Mason should be allowed to give
evidence, be being meanwhile suspended from his office of
inspector.
John Mason sworn.—l held the situation of Inspector
of the F division of police. Yesterday morning I had
been to the office of the Commissioners at Scotland-yard,
where I received a check upon Drummond's for 1521. 16s.
for the purpose of paying the men of the division. In
change of the check at the bankers', I received 120 sove-
reigns, 45, half-sovereigns, and 101. 6s. in silver. I brought
it to the station-house, and counted it in the superintend-
ent's office, and found it correct. This was done in the
presence of the prisoner, Inspector Stubbs, Sergeant Young,
No. 3, and Page, a constable, No. 36. I placed the sove-
reigns in one bag, -and the half-sovereigns in another, and
put them into a tin cash box, putting the silver loose in
the, bottom of the box. After having done so, I placed a
paper which I now produce over the whole, closed
the box, which had no lock, and took it under my arm to
the charge room, where I placed it in a cupboard, of which
I had the key, locked the door, and went out immediately.
I put the key into my pocket. I went to the Marquis of
Anglesey in this street to take some refreshment, and re-
turned in half an hour, when I asked the prisoner if Mr.
Hartley, the superintendent, had come down, that gentle-
man being ill, and he said " Yes." I went and unlocked
my cupboard, and found the piece of paper before-mentioned
lying outside the cash-box on the same shelf. 1 opened
the box, and found,that the bags containing the gold were
gone, but the silver left.
Sir F. ROE—When you left the superintendent's office.
'aid you leave the same persons you have mentioned there ?
Mason—l did.

Sir F. ROE—Do you know what became of them after-
wards ? Mason—l do not.
Sir FREDERICK here went over to • the station with Mr.
Morgan the inspector, to be made acquainted with the lo-
calities of the place. On his return he asked Mason whe-
ther upon his return, after taking his refreshment, he found
any one in the charge-room, and whom ? Mason—No one.
Mr. James Morgan, inspector, sworn—l came over here
yesterday about twenty minutes past twelve o'clock, witb
the second list of charges, and on my return to the station-
house I found the charge-room empty, and asked No. 33,
who was on duty at the door, how it was, and what had be-
COWC of Sergeant Young, whom he had left there ?'"He said
he had been sent to the station house of the E division in
Eagle-street. Young came in soon after. Mason and I were
the inspectors on duty for ,the day. It is a positive regula-
tion that one inspector must be on .duty in the station, and
never have the
.charge7roorn.. It. was ten minutes past
one when I returned to the station. There was only one
person in the superintendent's room,, with whom I had
parted about two minutes before. He was a publican,
'who came to state that he had been plundered. I sent for
Mason, and soon after heard of the robbery. I saw Mason
and the prisoner standing together at the window of the Su-
perintendent's room, with the cash-box between them, and
one said to the other (he could not tell which), " Some one
has riblied the bags, have you played any tricks ?" I thought
it a joke, and laughed, when Mason said, "They are gone
at all events." Mr. Hartley was in the room, and- I called
his attention to it. I then left the room, and was followed
soon by Mason, who pointed out the position of the place
in which he had deposited the box. By direction of the
'Superintendent the men were all searched at two o'clock,
others being placed at the door to prevent any one from going
out. The prisoner was not searched. He was in the Superin-
tendent's rooms, and it did not occur to me to search him.
At half-past three we searched the whole premises, and at
the extreme end of a dust-bole in the yard, under an arch,
I saw something shine, and I crawled in, and found the
skeleton-key which I now produce. It was resting partly
upon the ashes and partly against the wall. I carried it
to the charge-room, and gave it to a man who tried it
with the lock of Mason's cupboard, and opened it imme-
diately. The key was then tried to other locks in the place,
but not one of them could be opened with it. The key
was handed to Sir F. Roe.

George Page, constable, No. 136.—1 was ordered into
the Superintendent's room at half-past twelve o'clock. I
was then ordered to go to the station-house of the E.
division, with Sergeant Young. The prisoner gave the
order.

William Winter, No. 33 F, sworn—Yesterday morning
I acted as gaoler, and saw Mr. Mason come in. I after-
wards brought a prisoner over to this office on a charge of
felony, and returned, and the prisoner (Lucomb) told me a
few minutes after to come back here and see if the case had
been on, and if they were examining witnesses. This was
after Stubbs, Page, and Young had gone, and there was no
one else there at the time but the prisoner. In about a
quarter of an hour he went away, stating.that he was going
to his dinner. The prisoner had gone before Mr. Morgan
came back.

Joseph Hyams lived in Petticoat-square--(A laugh)--
and was about the station-house on Wednesday, to see if
be could buy any old clothes there. About noon he saw
the prisoner come out and run across the street very fast
with what appeared to witness to be a bundle in a silk
handkerchief. It bung loosely in his hand. Ido not know
where he went, but he returned in a short time, about two
or three minutes.

The prisoner asked the witness whether it was not merely
a handkerchief, and the same (showing one) which he now
held in his hand ; and the witness said he believed it was
the same, but his impression was that it contained some-
thing at the time.

Mr. Inspector Harber, of the A division, searched the
prisoner's lodgings, at No. 43, Stanhope-street, on Wed-
nesday evening, and found four very small files and gim-
blets, now produced. These were handed in.
Prisoner—l beg to observe that I once had a tool-chest,
which I parted with, and the instruments produced were
merely reserved for my own use. Mr. Stubbs has seen
them often.

Mr. Harber—l also found other similar tools this morn-
inw, in the cupboard which the prisoner had at the station.
°Sir F." ROE said there was no further evidence to-day,
and he should remand the prisoner ; but, at the same time,
he would hear anything he had to say, reminding him,
however, that nothing could save him from being remanded.
Prisoner—Young said I was stopping at the door of the
charge-room, but I was not. I was at the street-door, and
he followed me into the yard.
Young—lf I may be allowed, I must positively deny that.
Mr. Morgan said that whoever made the key must, from
its construction, have used an extremely fine and small file.
The prisoner said nothing more, and was remanded for
further examination on Monday next.
It should be stated in explanation of the difference be-

tween the sum originally in the box and that which the pri-
soner was charged with stealing, that Mason bad paid the
inspectors and some of the sergeants before he deposited
the box in his cupboard.