The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-27 00:00:00

ASSIZE INTELLIGENCE.

HOME ClRCUlT.—borgs, MARCO! 25.
CROWN COURT.
(Before Lord DENMAN.)
THE BEXHILL BURGLARY.—This morning being ap-
pointed for the trial of the gang of desperadoes charged
with the burglarious outrage at Bexhill, which has created
so much interest in the county, the Court was filled a long
time before Lord DENMAN took his seat upon the bench.
The prisoners were then placed at the bar.
Henry Easton, alias Old Flick, alias Reuben Stubber-
field, alias Henry Stubberfield, 28, James Martin, alias
Stephen Merchant, 25, James Foster, alias Uncle, 23,
Thomas Balcombe, 23, and Charles Foster, 19, were in-
dicted for burglariously breaking and entering the dwel-
lirg-house of Samuel Holland, at Bexhill, and stealing 40
sove, e'gns, ten 51. notes of the Hastings Bank, a si!ver
watch, and a variety of other property to the valae of
nearly 400/. ; and William Foster, 38, and Edward Ede,
22, were charged with feloniously receiving part of the
stolen property, and Willian Foster was also charged with
harbouring and maintaining one of the principal felons,
well-knowing that ho had committed the felony.
Mr. CLARKSON, Mr. BODKIN, and Mr. TYNDALE con-
ducted the prosecution, and Mr. CHAMBERS, Mr. COBBETT,
and Mr. CREASY defended the prisoners.
Mr. CLARKSON, in stating the case to the Jury, said that
the outrage imputed to the prisoners was one which pro-
baby never before was equalled in that or any other coun-
ty in England ; and the prisoners had probably good
reason to congratulate themselves that the offence with
which they were charged was no longer capital, for if it
were, the result of a conviction would in all probability
have been that their lives would be forfeited. After de.
tailing the facts of the case the Learned Counsel proceeded
to call the witnesces.

Mr. Samuel Holland deposed that he was a farmer re-
siding at Bexhill. On the 4th of January he went to bed
at hi: usual hour, and he was awoke about two o'clock by
a light shining on his eyes, and he saw a man standing at
the foot of the bed with a candle in one hand, and what
appeared to be a large knife in the other. This man said,
"We be come for your money." I turned and saw three
other men in the room ; I believe the prisoner Easton to
be the one who held the candle ; I believe Charles Foster
to be another man who was in the room ; there were two
other men, but I cannot identify them. I got out of bed
and gave the first man I saw a purse containing some sove-
reigns and silver. He then said, " Where is the key of
that?" pointing to a bureau, and at the same moment an-
other man broke it open and took out three 101. Hastings
bank notes, and I small bag containing between 30 or 40
sovereigns. The first man then took up my coat that was
lying by the side of the bed, and from my pocket-book he
took ten tit Hastings bank notes and a bill of exchange for
100/. The men took away my coat, and also the pocket-
book and two silk handkerchiefs. The men were not in
the rcom altogether more than five minutes. The prisoner
Easton had ou a dark smock frock and a black hat, and
Foster had on a low white hat. After the men were gone
I missed my watch that had bean hanging at the foot of
the bad.

Cross-examined—l am sixty-two years of age, but my
eyes;ght is not very defective. I did not see Easton until
the sth of February, but I had seen William Foster, and
lat first thought be was the man who stood at the foot of
my bed, but my opinion had changed before I saw theory
Easton. Easton is the man who broke open the bureau
and who taok my coat and money. There was no light
in the room but from the candle the man held in his hand.

By the COURT—I am quite confident Easton is one of
the men.

Miss Anne Holland—l remember, on the night in ques-
tion, fastening up the house as usual. Mr. Fuggles, a
visitor, two female servants, myself, and sister, and the pro-
secutor, were staying in the house, and at twelve o'clock
all the family were in ben. About one o'clock I was
alarmed and got out of bed, and attempted to open the
door, but was prevented in consequence of some person
holding it on the out ide. My sister also got up, and she
said " What do you want ?" A voice replied, " Money,
and money we will have." I lygged that they would nct
hurt my uncle, and I said I would give them what money
I had. The door was then partially opened, and I handed
out my purse, and it was taken by some one. Some one
then said " Your uncle shall net be hurt." In about five
minutes the reel appeared to go down stairs, and I then
went to my uncle's room and found it in a terrible state ;
there was a quantity o tblood and the curtains of the bed
were torn down. I picked up a percussion cap, and under
the bed I found the parlour poker. I went down stairs
and found the parlour shutter window burst open and the
glans of the window broken. The front door had ben
opened and the people appeared to have gone out that
way. My uncle never used a percussion gun, and was not
in possession of any gun caps. I saw Mr. Fuggles almost
directly, and he wan in a very bad state, and appeared to
bay, been beaten and ill-used.

Cros:-examined—l only heard the voice of one person
at my door, and that person continued to hold the door
until the men seemed to go away from the house. No
attempt was made to enter my room.
Miss Mary Holland corroborated the evidence of her
sister. She also proved that on the morning after the
outrage was committed she found a large knife, a stick, and
several stones in the parlour.
Cross-examined—l said to the man at the door " What
do you want ?" He replied, " I want money, be quick."
The man said, " Don't be frightened, we won't hurt you."
Mr. J. Fuggles—l was staying at the prosecutor's
house on the night in question, and I was awoke and heard
the noise of voices, and I got up and went to Mr. Hol-
land's room, and I saw these men standing there. One
man presented a gun about a foot from my breast, and I
looked at him for a minute and then snatched it from him,
and at the same instant I was knockei down. When I
regained my senses I found myself on the bed and three
men were standing over me, and I was very much beaten
and hurt. I should know the gun again if I were to see
it, but 'I cannot identify any of the prisoners. I was a
good deal hurt, but I am now in a great measure recovered.
Jonathan Tompsett (the approver)—l came from the
gaol to be examined, and have been in custody since the
23d of January upon this charge, I know all the priso-
ners except Will:arn Foster. On the afternoon of 'Sun-
day, the 31 of January, I was living at Hurstperpoiat, and
the prisoner Balcomb-e lodged with rne. James Foster,
Martin, Holcombe, and I were together between eight
and nine o'clock on that night. They asked mo to go
with them, and I said " Where?" They replied, " We
are going somewhere where we shall get some money." I
agreed to go with them, and we went to the White Horse
at Ditchling, where wo had some beer. We then went on the
road towards Uckfi ld, and got there about six o'clock in the
morning. We came to a lodge at Lindfield about 9 o'clock
on the night of the 4th, and according to agreement we
met Charles Foster and Henry Easton there. We laid
down in the hedge until 11 o'clock, when we started for
Bexhill, and when wo arrived acre. Easton and Charles
Foster went away to get a hammer and a blacksmith's
tool, called a " prickle." Going dawn a furze field,
Charles Foster cut two sticks from the hedge. We got
to Bexhill about one o'clock, and at this time Charles
Foster was carrying a gun. I and Marti❑ stood in the
front of the house, and walked about while the others
broke in at the window at the end of the house. The two
Fosters., balcmnbe and Easton went into the house, and
I saw them break open a writing desk, but they did not
find anything of value in it. After this we all went into
the house, and five of us went into Mr. Holland's bed-
room. (The witness then stated what took place in simi-
lar terms to those used by Mr. Holland). A gentleman
came into the room, and I had the gun in my hand at the

time, and he laid hold of the gun and we struggled toge-
ther, and at the same moment Jarnt.s Foster hit hint on
the head and fetched blood, and the blow appeirei to
puzzle" him, and I then pushed him on the bed. Eaten
took the prosecutor's coat, and we all r:ent away tog, t')er.
I should think we were about the house and i❑ it three-
quarters of an hour. We returned by the same road as
far as Lindfield Stocks, and we shared the gold and
silver between us. Charles Foster and Henry Futon then
parted from us, and they took the notes, the coat and the
watch with them.

The wimess then described the route taken by him and
his companions on their re urn home, and stated at what
places they stopped. They drank gin, beer, and brandy
and rum at different public-houses, and they trea:ed the
people in them and danced and amused themselves. CYO
the Wednesday we got to Lewes, whrte we stayed a', a
beer-shop all day, and Balcombc and Martin left me, and
I remained at Lewes for nearly a fortnight, with a young
woman named Venn, and Balcombe came to see me during
that time. When my money was gone, T. Martin and
Boleombe agreed to go to Hallow to meet Easton and
Charles Foster, in order to get some of the notes they had
taken, and I asked Ede to go along with us. We got to
Hadlow on the Sunday, the 17th of January. I saw
Easton afterwards, and he said that there was 101. to be
given to each of them. Easton and Martin went away
for the purpose of getting the money, and afterwards
raw something rolled up in paper and given to Ede, and
we then returned to Lewes, and from tl-ence to Brighton,
and we stayed at that place untl the following Monday,
when Balcomb.; and Martin went away, and Ede a'so
went away on tl.o Tuesday. While we were at Brighton,
Ede told me that he had changed two of the notes, and
they purchased some articles of clothing. Bef)re at's,
Ede asked him if they had done a robhery, and he told
him we had. Ede afterwards told me that he had given
the notes to different people to get changed. The witness
at some length proceeded to detail his further proceedings,
with a view to his statement being confirmed by other
testimony.

Cross-examined—Did not make any disclosure of these
circumstances until after he was taken into custody and
had under gore an examinatian bcfore the Magistrates.
Had never been in prison for trial before. Had been in
prison six weeks for poa.chicag and breaking windows.
When he was in the army be was sent to prison for a
month. Had been discharged from the army about fJur-
teen years. Since that time he had been working for his
living as a labourer. He had been working with Charles
Foster on the railway, and he left the work without "much
notice." He was known on the railway by the name of
" Crocky Ware Jack." Did not hear of Foster losing a
shovel while he was working tl.ce. When they
talked to him about getting money, he knew directly that
they intended to commit a robbery somewhere. Ho did
not assist to break open any part of the house, and the
reason he took the gun out cf the bed-room was for fear
of an " acti lent" happening. The old gentleman was
pretty strong when he struggled with Lim, and be shoved
him back in bed. He did not hear of any reward being
offered until after he was taken before the Magistrate=.
The officer read a reward that wasetfered. The reward
was 2001. for anybody who would give information ; but he
did not expect to get any part of that reward.

Some further cross-examination took place, but nothing
material was elicited.

Cross-examined by the prisoner Easton—You said there
was 801. in notes, but there would be 101. to be given to a
man who had given some intelligence about the house, and
that you and Charles Fester were to h-ive 5/. a piece more
than the others, which would leave 10/, a piece for them.
A number of witnesses were then called to corroborate the
statement of the accomplice relative to the prisoners having
been seen in company with him on the night of the rob-
bery, and both before and after it was committed. A wit-
MSS was also called to prove that:the' prisoner Balcombe told
him after the r ,bbery that he and his companions had gone
as far as they could for water, and then they got into a
house; and be also gave the names of the persons who
accompanied him and assisted in the commission of the
robbery.
Superintendent Fagan, of the Sussex constabulary, who
deserves great credit for his exertions in bringing the Fri_
soners to justice, was then examined. He proved the ap-
prehension of four of the prisoners, and also that he found
upon them two silk handkerchiefs that were identified by
Miss Holland as her property. He also produced a gun
which one of the prisoners claimed to belong to him.
The case for the prosecution closed at half-past five
o'clock, and the Learned Counsel severally addressed the
Jury, and Mr. Chambers made a most forcible appeal on
behalf of his c:ient.

When the evidence for the prosecution was concluded,
Mr. Cleary submitted to the Court that there was no evi-
dence against William Foster to go to the Jury. His
Lordship concurred in this view of the case, and directed
an acquittal as regarded that prisoner.
At half-past seven o'clock Lord DENMAN commenced
summing up the evidence, and his address lasted nearly two
hours.

The Jury, after deliberating for some time, returned a
verdict of guilty against all the prisoners, with the excep.
tion of William Foster.

Lord DENMAN then sentenced Ede to be imprisoned for
six months, and directed all the other prisoners to be trans-
ported for life. '

POLICE INTELLIGENCE.

BOW-STREET.

Yesterday evening, about half-past five o'clock, Colonel
Torrens was brought up on a warrant, by a constable of
the F division, charged on suspicion with intending to
commit a breach of the peace by fighting a duel with Mr.
George Palmer, jun., a gentleman residing in the City.
Mr. William Palmer, who occupies chaiubers in the
King's Bench-walk, Temple, sta'e3 that a correspond-
ence appeared in the Morning Chronicle on Wednesday
last, between Colonel Torrens, as chairman of the South
Australian Commission, and Mr. Mackinnon, M. P., in
which there were strong reflections made upon his brother's
character, and as he bad every reason to apprehend that his
brother and the Colonel were likely to fight a duel ho ap-
plied for a warrant for their apprehension.
Mr. TWYFORD could not conclude from what he had
heard that either of the persons named intended commit-
ting a breach of the peace; but he would hear Colonel
Torreas's own account of the transaction.

Colonel Torrens said a friend of Mr. Palmer's had
called upon him for satisfaction, and he told him he would
not give any unless certain expressions, made use of in a
correspondence to Lord John Russell, were first with-
drawn. After some conversation witness said he, Mr.
Palmer, had declared he would assault him in the
public streets ; and the answer he gave him was, net if he
did so he would prosecute him criminally.
Mr. Palmer said if the Colonel pledged his word no
meeting would take place before to-morrow he would be
satisfied.

Mr. TWYFORD said it was a very delicate affair for him
to interfere without some legal evklence, and ho thought
there were better grounds for binding over Mr. Palmer to
keep the peace than Colonel Torrens, who threatened to
take legal proceeding=.
Colonel Totrens said the cause of the misunderstanding
war, that Mr. Palmer had mmle ce'tain representations
injurious to his cl aracter, which were contrary to what ap-
peared in his own handwriting.
Mr. TWYFORD desired the officer to execute the warrant
immedia.ely against Mr. Palmer, and bring him before
him, and ho would bind him over in 400/. and two sure-
ties in 200/. to keep the peace.