The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-25 00:00:00

THE COGGESHALL GANG.

We have the pleasure of informing our readers that
John Brand, the only member of the Coggeshall
gang who has hitherto eluded apprehension, and who
it was long since said had gone to America, was cap-
tured an Saturday night last, and is now in safe
custody.
Brand was, it may be remembered, in the service
of Mr. Joseph Skingley, as bailiff or looker at Monk-
downs, near Coggeshall, and about the time of the
spirited inquiry which took place into the Coggeshall
robberies, suddenly left his home one Saturday, taking
with him the proceeds of a cheque which his master
had giving him for the purpose of paying the men;
whereupon a warrant was issued for his apprehen-
sion, but it was supposed by many that he had, as
we have stated above, long since reached the shores
of the Atlantic. We believe the following may be
relied on as an accurate statement of the particulars
of his apprehension :—On Saturday night; about
nine o'clock, Mr. Corder, of Witham, received a
telegraphic communication from London, request-
ing to know whether John Brand, of the Cogges-
hall gang, was really wanted, and whether there
would be any and what reward for his appre-
hension. To this Mr. Corder promptly re-
plied as follows :—" The police hold a warrant
for the apprehension of John Brand for felony—keep
in custody." At this very time Brand was being de-
tained in the borough police station, whither he had
been taken under the following circumstances :
Mr. Frederick Haslitt now residing in Tooley-street,
but who for several years lived at Coggeshall, and
to whom Brand and all the facts of the Coggeshall
robberies were well known, was passing on Sa-
turday evening along the High-street, Borough,
when to his surprise he met Brand. From
what Haslitt had heard, he was induced to
turn back and follow Brand, when he perceived
that he had changed his walk into a run. Haslitt
continued the pursuit, and calling a police-constable
he passed on his way, briefly told him the circum-
stance, and asked him to take Brand into custody.
The policeman, on coming up with him, tapped him
on the shoulder, and asked Brand if he was from
Coggeshall ? He replied, no. Haslitt then went up
to him, and challenged him as being the John Brand,
of Coggeshall, who stood charged with arson and
robbery. Brand, finding he was thus recognised,
said, " I should not have thought this of you, Has-
litt," and offered him his hand, which Haslitt re-
fused to take. Brand was then conveyed to the
borough police-station, where he objected to his
proposed detention on the ground that there was
no evidence against him. The inspector on duty,
however, decided to, keep him in custody until a
telegraphic message should be sent to Witham, and
hereupon the message to Mr. Corder before adverted
to was dispatched, and on the answer being received
the inspector determined to keep Brand in custody.
On Sunday morning Mr. Haslitt repaired to Within,
and communicated to Mr. Corder that Brand was
safely lodged as above stated. But Inspector Ward,
acting under the direction of his superintendent, Mr.
Cooke, to whom Mr. Corder had communicated all
that had occurred, was then on his way to London,
for the purpose of bringing Brand down to Witham,
in the event of his finding him, as he expected to do,
in custody. Great credit is due to Mr. Haslitt for his
conduct in the matter, and the public are entirely in-
debted to him for Brand's apprehension. Essex
Herald.