The Sun.
London, England, 1825-08-29 00:00:00

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

ROBBERY AT THE AUCTION MART.
DlAwsioN-HousE.—On the 38th of last November a gen-
tleman of large fortune, named Robertson, was robbed at the
Auction Mart of four 'l,OOOl. Bank of England notes. After
having given the necessary information at the Bank, and
directions to the Police, he went to Paris, having heard that
one of the notes had been paid at a house there, into hands from
which it passed through an Irish house of respectability. He
found, upon close inquiry, that another of his tortes was also
in circulation, and, after .considerable trouble, he obtained a
clue to the person who had passed the latter, and succeeded in
getting him apprehended. It appeared that Mr. Palin, an old
man of respectable appearance, who keeps a leghorn bonnet
warehouse at Holborn-bridge, went, accompanied by a person
named Vyse, who lives somewhere about Islington, to Paris,
between two and three months ago, and presenting a Bank of
England nose for I,ot 0/. to one Emericque, a money-changer,
asked him to change it. Emericquc, who had heard of the
robbery, and knew that the Bank-note handed to him was one
of the stolen notes, refused to have any thing to do with it,
Lut, having occasion to go-to the country for a few days, Pen
went in his absence to his wife, and prevailed upon her to
give him the amount in cash. Emericque, upon his return,
finding what had occurred, determined to apprehend Pa-
lin wherever he could find him, and succeeded. He met
Patin in the street, seized him by the collar, and threatened to
drag him before the Commissary of Police, if he did not im-
mediately refund the money he had obtained by such indirect
methods. Palin, terrified at the idea of exposure, and con-
scious of the robbery, promised to pay 25,000 francs into the
hands of one Madame Marcel, who would hand it over to
Emerieque, in lieu of the note, if the latter consent to libe-
rate him, without making any noise about the matter. The
,proposition was acquiesced in. Palin sent the 25,000 franca to
Emericque, who gave up the stolen note to Madame Marcel ;
but Palin had previously quitted Paris, and returnadao Eng-
land, and Madame Marcel sent the note, cut in two, after him,
by two successive posts. Ile received the remittances, as will
be seen by the principal evidence against him. About a month
ago he was apprehended, and as the case involved a number of
important circumstances which it was necessary to keep for
acme time from the public eye, no public examination took
„place until Saturday last, when Palin was put to the bar, and
charged with the robbery at the Auction Mart.
Upon the part of the prosecution Mr. nobler, jun., at

tended. Mr.. Adolphus and Mr. Harmer were engaged for the
prisoner.
Mr. Robertson deposed, that having intended to bid for a
large estate in Derbyshire, he went to the Auction _lllart on
the 18th et November, and took with him, in consequence of
being told that a deposit in cash to a considerable amount
would be required in case he made the purchase, the sum
of 9,6001. in Bank of England notes, which he had received
for a check of Marsden and Co's, at Sir Peter Pole's banking-.
house. Mr. Marsden, jun., got the amount tbr him at the
banker's, and he merely looked at the amount without look-
ing at the numbers. He received nine 1,0001. notes, a 5001.,
and a 1001. note, and he folded them up in a piece of paper,
and put them in the left-hand pocket of his trowsers. The
auctioneer, before the sale commenced, mentioned that the
deposit required would not be so great as had been inti-
mated. The estate was knocked down to him (we believe at
about 87,000/.), and he had to pay 5,000/. and 181. 165., which
sum comprehended the auction-duty and the deposit, into the
hands of Mr. Robins's clerk. This he did with five of the
notes which he had received from 111 r. Marsden, jun.l and his
check for the remainder. The remaining four 1,0001. notes he
pot into the same pocket, and he believed in the same piece of
paper in which he had at first wrapped the whole sum.
The LORD MAYOR.—Were the notes seen by many per-
sons ? Did you exhibit them in the open-room
Mr. Robertson replied in the -affirmative. He had taken
them out of his pocket at the table, and in doing so was per-
fectly open to observation. The room was at the time much
crowded, and he was unable to put on his great coat, which.
he held on his arm. After the business was settled, being
desirous to return home, he proceeded to the door, but in
doing so he experienced very considerable obstruction, so
much that he believed he exclaimed " Why am 1 obstructed?"
lie did net really know to what to attribute the pressure at the
time, but he was greatly pressed upon all sides, and thought
that it might have arisen from the difficulty of getting over
she benches. When he got to the end of the room, he felt
for his notes, and found they were gone. It then occurred
to him that his pocket. bad been picked while he was endea-
vouring to get through the crowd, but still he thought the
notes might hate worked out of his pocket, and lie retraced
his steps, looking on the ground as he went along. -He
found nothing, and what convinced him beyond doubt that
he had been._ robbed was, that he met with not the slightest
obstruction on passing through the same spot. -
Mr. ADOLPHUS-31r. Robertson, look well at the.gehtle-
demon at the bar. Have you any idea that he was at the Auc-
tion Mart on that day ?
Mr. Robertson—l certainly hsawe n
have not the least. I never in
my life, to my knowledge, that gentleman before I saw
him at the Mansion-house.
Mr. Robert Clark Marsden deposed to the correctness of that
part of Mr. Robertson's evidence which alluded to the payment
. of the check, as did Mr. Thomas Clifton- to the -particulars of
the notes.
It was proved • also that the note numbered 302 for 1001.
, was one of those which remained in the possession of Mr. Ro-
bertson after he had paid the deposit upon"the estate, and -of
• which he had been robbed.
Mr. Cope, the City .Marshal, deposed, that Isaving-received
. a warrant to execute in the house of the prisoner, he went to
No. 62, Holborn-bridge, accompanied by John Forrester, the
officer, and in a bureau in the parlour found the Bank-note,
No. 302, which he now held in his hand. • There was no other
note to be found.
In answer to some questions by Mr. Adolphus, Mr. Cope
said he went, by the direction of the prisoner's sister, to a
house where he was, and that Mr. Palin requested to be
allowed to shay for an hour with his friends, and said that he
,•would then accompany him thankfully. The accommodation
was granted, and then the prisoner went with him without hesi-
tation or complaint.
John Forrester said, the note was. done up in halves in two
pieces of er when he found it.
/The Loan MAYca—Now, Mr. PRIM, you have heard the
charge against you. Perhaps you can satisfactorily account
for the possession of the stolen note ?
Prisoner (after a pause.)—l"feel so embarrassed. under the