The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-24 00:00:00

Vbi rb Mbitto n

SUS OF PICE, Seven o'Clock.

THE GREAT NORTHERN FRAUDS.

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.-(THIS DAY.)
IN RE REDPATIL

This afternoon the petition before Tr. Commissioner
Gon!burn in this case was proceeded with, and after
setae delay an adjudication way made in due form, and
the ordinary warrants were placed in the hands of Mr.
Hamber for taking possession Lf the pr:perty belonging
to the bankrupt.

THE GOLD BULLION ROBBERY.

FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE
PRISONERS.
MANSION-HOUSE.—(THIS DAY.)
The further examination of the prisoners, Wiliam,
Pierce and James Burgess, charged with the gold bul-
lion robbery on the South-Eastern Railway Company,
in May, 1855, was resumed this morning before the
Lord Mayor. The publication of the evidence of Agar,
detailing the adroit and daring manner in which this
robbery wart effected, has much increased the curiosity of
the public in respect to him and the parties implicated,
and a more numerous crowd of persons than on either
of the former examinations assembled in Mansion-houee•
street several hours previous to the commencement of
the business, eager to gain admission to the court. A
rumour was in circulation early in the morning that
Seward, alias the " barrister," was in custody, and
would be placed at the bar with Burgess and Pierce,
which probably tended to increase the number of
persons assembled in front of the Mansion-house.
The same admirable arrangements for the accommo-
dation of the representatives of the press were made by
the Lord Mayor, assisted by Mr. Goodman, the chief
clerk, and Mr. Sewell, as on the two former examina-
tions. Precautions were taken to prevent the court from
being overcrowded.
Twenty-five witnesses were summoned to give evi-
dence to-day ; and in order to prevent confusion or i'e•
ley in their attendance, they were provided with printed
cards, stating they were witnesses in the case, signed by
Mr. Rees, solicitor to the company.
Mr. Bodkin, instructed by Mr. J. C. Rees, solicitor
to the South-Eastern Railway Company, again appeared
to prosecute. Mr. Wontner defended Pierce, and Mr.
Lewis, of Ely-place, defended Burgess.
Alderman Sir R. W. Carden, Alderman Salemons,
and Alderman Carter were on the bench during the
examination of the prisoners. Mr. Tuelon, Mr. Coles
Child, and other directors of the line, with Mr. Abel, to
whom some of the stolen gold belonged, were also pre-
sent, and accemmodated with seats on the bench.
At half-past 10 o'clock the prisoners Burgess and
Pierce were placed at the bar. They were both as cool
and collected in their demeanour as on the previous
occasions, though they looked somewhat paler. Bur-
gess still retains his dress as a guard of the South-
Eastern Railway. Pierce anxiously looked round the
court, and both prisoners evidently appeared surprised
after what was said at the last examination that Seward
and Tester were not placed in the dock beside them.
Mr. Bodkin said he intended, to-day, first, to com-
plete the case as regarded Pierce's house, and if there
was time then to go to another branch of the case. It
would be necessary for him to ask by and bye for a
further remand of the prisoners.
Charlotte Painter was the first called—She deposed
that she was 15 years of age, and resided at 15, South-
ampton-street, Vauxhall. She lived with two persons
named Adams, in Horleyford-street, and bad to nurse a
child. She was there by day and went home to sleep at
night. She had seen the prisoner Pierce, at Adams's
house iu Harleyford-street, and he went by the narae
of Pecklsata. Mr. and Mrs. Adams removed from
Harleyford-road to Cambridge Villa, Shepherd's-busb,
but at what time she could not say. Pierce assisted
Adams to move hie furniture. Soon after that she
left Agar's service ; it was jest before Christmas, 1854.
She spent her Christmas with her parents, and after
that Agar called en her parents, and she was taken by
him by cab and 'buss to Cambridge-villa. She slept there
then, and took care of the child. She was mostly out
by day with the child. She recognised Fanny Ray as
Mrs. Adams. Pierce continued to visit Agar at Cam-
bridge -Villa whilst she remained in Agar's service the
second time, about the 18th May, 1855. He then came
more frequently than at the Harleyford-road. His visits
were sometimes at meal tales, and others not.
She bad known him to be there the best par
of the day. Agar was sometimes at home
when he came and sometimes not. When Agar was at
home Pierce and he used to go to the wash-house, but
she did not know what they did there. On one or two
occasions she heard hammering and knocking. On one
ocavion she went to the wash-house to fetch an article,
but Agar refused her admission, saying she cauld not
come in. She saw two boxes in the wash-house about
that time. One was a green colonred one, which she thought
she would know again if she saw it. She went into
the wash-house for anything she wanted when the men
were there. She had moved the boxes to sweep under
them, and from that she found the white one was heavy.
When Pierce and Agar were at work in the wash-house
a vice was fixed on a piece of board against the window
She found it fixed when she went there, and it remained
when she left. Once she caw a leather courier bag in
the house. It was brought into the back parlour by
Agar. She never saw any other bag then but that.
Agar and Pierce went out together with the bag on one
occasion towards evening, but she could not say when
it was. She used to sleep in the first floor back room
which bad a common small stove in it. No fire was
lit there to her knowledge. She used to retire at vari-
ous hours, sometimes as early as eight oclock. Pierce
had always left before she went to bed.
Examined by Mr. Wontner—She could not re
member the date when she left Agar's. The
child had gone to nurse before she left. She was cer-
tain Mrs. Beesill, who resided next door, died before she
left Agar's. She left a few days after that. The can-
vas bag was drab colour. Agar and Pierce brought
the bag into the back parlour whilst she was having
her tea, She had great difficulty in moving the
boxes in the wa'hhouse. She bad to push them alone.
Both boxes bad been there as long as she
lived at Shepherd's-bulb. The easilhouee was kept, un-
locked, and she could go there when she liked.
Gross-examined by Mr. Lewis—Her mistress was at
home when Agar brought home the bag. He put it on
a chair behind the door. She believed Agar carried the
bag out openly later in the evening. She did not see
him go out of the street door. She did not recollect if
be wore a great coat or cloak. She believed Agar re-
turned after she was in bed. She had never since
seen the bag. She was first asked about her evidence
statement about a month since. She fir-a male a stat to
Mr. Rees in the presence of her father and ,pother.
H,;
gave her 2s. on each oc melon. He saw her once
at her
father's residence, and once at Mrs. Porter's, awtntnteh,,:
Mrs Ato be called. She had not spoken to
subject. She had read in the siewepapers the accounts
o
of the robbery. If she had not teed them she should not
have recollected it.
Mary Ann Wilde deposed that she resided with Mrs.
Bessill at the time of her death at Cambridge villas She
left a few weeks after. Witlen,e,s used to
Istslelivedgieteeeprier,sthhe.ekbnaecz
Mr. and Mrs. Adams. w
bedroom, and could see fr
im itinto Mrs. Adams' wash-
house.
She had seen Agar co into the wash house on
several occasions. She once saw him go in in company
with another man whom she could not now identify.
She saw nothing carried into
,the wamhheuse. There
was a garden behind her master s house, and from that
she could see the back bedroom-window of Agar's
house
There was a white blind to the window, which was
there when she first went to Cambridge-villas. Her
master on one occasion borrowedheavy hammer,oand wae
afterwards returned by Mr. Bessill. Her attehnnetionA6wfas
attracted by hammering in the wash-hones
was there, but she could not recollect if %se w
Pierce was therear
then.
Cross-examined by Mr. Wontner —The last witness
left Agar's service before Mrs. Bessill died.
Cross-examined by Mr. Lewis—Her master was in
the habit of hammering once or twice a week, and made
a great noise.
Re-examined by Mr. Bodkin—She did not see Pain•
ter leave. She thought it was before her mistress died.
Mrs. Mary Ana Porter deposed—She resided at No. 14
Harleyford•road. She knew Agar, who went by the
name of Adams, in Octeber, 1854. He took lodgings in
her house, and resided there with Fanny Kay as his
wife. They remained in the lodgings about 7 weeks.
Pierce visited them in the name of Peckham. He came
there very
frequently. Pierce assisted in packing ham-
pers when Agar left. Pierce stayed' there sometimes
half a day, and Sometimes not so long. She did not see
Pierce or Agar ever use tools.
Icr.hrNiVstortnterl-85A4 gar came to her
Cross-examined
odgiegs a week
Wm. Ellis Wood deposed he was a cabman, residing
Hawley-mews, Hawley road, Camden-town, No.
3,016. In the spring of 1355, he was out with one of
his cabs, near Chalk•afalornmg,,abloouokti7nog'clfoocrkahtftahree,ebveeniwnagg.
drove to the corner of Prince of
As he was driving
and
bailed by a man.
Wales'-road, HaVeretock•oill. He could not say if the
man walked or rode there. Crown-terrace is about 200
yards from the corner. When he got to the corner he
waited there a quarter of an hour. The man went to-
wards Crown-terrace, and returned with another man.
They had two or three carpet bags. One was a little
square leather bag, with sonauthirig like a dressing case