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

THE GOLD BULLI' )N ROBBERY.

FURTHER EXAAIINA.TION OF THE
FRISONE RS.

MANSION-HO ETSE.T(THIS DAY.)

The further examination of the prisoners, Willia2n,
Pierce and James Burgess, charged with the gold bul-
lion robbery on the Sunth-Eastarn 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 was 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-house.
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 de-
lay 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 Salonsons.
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 had 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 name
of Peckham. Mr. and Mrs. Adams removed from
Harleyford-road to Cambridge Villa, Shepherd's.bush,
but at what tune 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 on 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 Kay 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 times, 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
occasion she went to the wash-house to fetch an article,
but Agar refused her admission, saying she could not
come in. She saw two boxes in the wash-house about
that time. One was a green coloured 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 pieee of board against the window
She found it fixed when she went there, and it remained
when she left. Once she saw 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
was. She used to sleep in the first floor back room
which had a common small stove in it. No fire was .
lit there to her knowledge. She used to retire at vari•
ous hour?, sometimes as early as eight o'clock. Pierce
had always left before she went to. bed.
Examined by Mr. Wontner—She could not re
member the date when she left Apr's. The
child had gone to nurse before she left. She was cer-
tain Mrs. Bessill, who resided next door, died before she
left Agar's. She left a few days after that. The can-
►as 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 washhouse. She had to push them along.
Both boxes had been there as long as she
lived at Shepherd's-bush. The washhouse was kept un-
locked, and she could go there when she liked.
Cross-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
he wore a great coat or cloak. She believed Agar re-
turned after she was in bed.

Fre shall give the conclusion in our last edition.)