The Sun.
London, England, 1836-09-10 00:00:00

UNION-HALL.

CURIOUS CASE OF FELON V.-A lad about 16 years of age,
named Henry Bax, was brought before Mr. TRAILL, charged
with stealing 13 sovereigns and 4 half-sovereigns, the money
of his- masters, Messrs. Chandlers and Co., nurserymen, Cam-
berwell ; and Thomas Bristow was charged on suspicion of
receiving a portion of the money, well knowing it to have been
stolen. The facts of the case were rather singular.
Emerson, a policeman V 149, stated, that when he was
on duty last night he saw Bax nearly naked ; he asked
him where he was going, and on hearing the prisoner
speak witness instantly knew him. He said to him,
"Is not your name Bax ?" and upon the prisoner saying
it was, the witness replied, " Well, I shall take you into
custody, you know for what." The prisoner said he did—it
was for stealing fifteen pounds from his masters. The prisoner
then acknowledged that he had done so, and stated that on
Wednesday week, he went into the counting-house, to speak
to Mr. Chandler, senior, but not seeing him there, he opened
the desk, and took out of a canvas bag the money in question.
He afterwards laid it out in clothes, of which he purchased
three suits, and other things, which he gave to Bristow and
another lad, named Thacker. Witness, upon this, went and
apprehended Bristow, but had been unable to find Thacker.
Mr. Chandler, junior, who had been in the office during the
whole time the policeman bad made his statement, came to
the bar, and said that they had not missed any money, and
therefore he had no charge to make against the prisoner.
Mr. TRAILL-Well, this is most curious ; how did you come
by the money, prisoner?—Prisoner--It is all true that the
policeman has stated, I robbed my employers of it.
Mr. TRAILL (evidently greatly surprised)—You hear what
the prisoner states, Mr. Chandler, and, from the aoicles pro-
duced, I think there can be very little doubt that 'you have
been robbed.

Mr. Chandler—l can assure your Worship that we have
not; we have taken great trouble in going through our books,
and we find since Midsummer a deficiency only of 225. ; be-
sides, on the day on which the prisoner says he took the
money, I know of my own knowledge that there was not to
much money in the bag.
Mr. TRAILL—WCII, its a most singular case ; what motive
can the boy have to accuse himself if he has not robbed you ?
Prisoner—lt's all true. that I hate told your Worship; I
took the gold out of the canvas bag, and at the time I did so
there was a cheque and some notes there.
Mr. Chandler—lt's true there were some notes and a
cheque in the bag, but there was not so much gold. I really
think the prisoner must have trumped up this story for the
purpose of covering some other robbery. The money in our
desk is taken out every night, when the accounts are made up,
it is therefore impossible we could lose 151. without knowing it.
The prisoner again positively declared that he had taken
the money : not only had he purchased the clothes that he had
stated, but a brace of pistols, one for 16s. and the other for
14s. ; and he had also given a suit of clothes to Thacker, to
whom he stated that he had robbed his master. He had not
told Bristow how he had got the money. He was totally desti-
tute at present, and had been hiding his head in hedges and
ditches since Friday week.
Mr. TRAILL felt no doubt that the statement of the prisoner
was true, and under that impression he should remand him till
Monday, to give time to capture Thacker. As to Bristow,
according to the prisoner's own statement, he was not aware
that the prisoner had robbed his master, and therefore he
should discharge him.
Mr. Chandler, on leaving the office, again declared that
he had no charge against the prisoner.