The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-02 00:00:00

THE GRE.,4fe ROBBERY AT THE PAVILION

HOTEL, BRIGRTON.

FOLKESTONE, FnIDAY, AUG. 1.
A special sessions was held this day at the Guildhall,
before the Recorder, for the purpose of adjudicating a
case which has created considerable attention in this
part of the country. A young man named Auguste
'lasted (late manager of the Lord Warden Hotel at
Dover, and of the Pavilion Hotel here) was indicted for
stealing bank notes and moneys to the amount of 1,6001.
It.formed part of 50,0001. which had been placed in the
custody of Mr. Breach, the proprietor of the Pavilion ;
and, on account of some doubt being entertained as to
the exact owner of the moneys, the indictment was so
framed as to meet the exigencies of the case. It charged
the prisoner with stealing the moneys which had been
entrusted to the care of his master." The prisoner,
who is said to be most respectably connected, and spoke
no less than nine languages, pleaded not guilty.
Mr. Robinson appeared to prosecute, and Mr. Ser-
jeant Parry defended.
The principal facts in the case were these :—On Sun-
day, the 22d of June last, a French gentleman, named
De la Motto, who described himself as a merchant at
Paris, arrived at the hotel, by the Boulogne steamer. He
wished to have a bed-room and sitting-room, which were
provided for him on the first floor. Soon afterwards he
desired to see Mr. Breach, the proprietor, in order to
placs some money in his charge. Mr. Breach received
from him a portfolio, and a leather bag containing notes
and gold. There was about 400,000 or 500,000 francs
in the bag, and 33 or 39 French notes of 1,003 francs
each, and 651. in English notes. On the following day
Mr. Breach called the prisoner, who had had the ma-
nagement of the hotel for about three weeks, and told
him he was going to Dublin, and would be absent about
a week, and he (the priSoner) would have to take charge
of Mr. Da la Motte's proptsrty. Mr. Breach, before
leaving, unlocked the cupboard where the notes and
gold were, and, taking them out in the prisoner's pre-
sence, locked them up in a drawer, and gave him the
key. He was desired to ascertain from the gentleman
whether he intended to take it away on that day, and,
if not, to take it and deposit it in the bank, Mr. Breach
having an objection to its being left at the hotel. Mr.
Breach left for Dublin that day, and on the following
day Mr. De la Motto also left to transact some business
at Dover, saying he would return on the Saturday.
Late that night the prisoner informed the housekeeper
of the hotel that he had received a telegraphic message
from London requiring his immediate presence there,
and he would be off by the mail train. He showed her
the ineqtage. It was to this effect : "From Hamilton,
London, to Mr. Hastier, Pavilion Hotel, Folkestone.
Come up immediately, I must see you. Urgent." She
tried to persuade him to stop till the next day, on ac-
count of there being no one to take the management of
tbe hotel. He said he must go, and left accordingly
al lout half-past 1 o'clock for the railway station. No
thing further was heard of him till about 3 o'clock the
next afternoon, when Miss Pollock (the housekeeper)
reek lived a telegraphic message from the prisoner, which
led her to believe he was in London. It said : " I can-
not. come down to-night, but I will be at Folkestone by
the first train to-morrow morning." Just previous to
thi a message being delivered, M. De la Motte unex
peg red y returned to the hotel. M. De la Motte, find
ing• he had gone to London, expressed much appre-
be osion for the security of his money ; and none of the
wr Revs being able to discover the keys of the cupboard
wt iere the money was deposited, he demanded that the
plan 3 should be forcibly opened, which was done. The
bag and portfolio were there, but on being examined
the bag was discovered to have been cut open, and the
wl.l ale of the notes were gone. The gold, however (485
sovereigns), and other valuable papers, remained.
Sus picion at once fell on the prisoner, who was appre•
hen; led the same night at Dover, on his way to the
Beig ian steamer for the Continent. He was first
observed by a Custom house agent, who took him to a
hot el. in the vicinity, and Mr. Coram, the superinten-
dent, being sent for, he took him into custody. The
Custonsehouse
.officer at first resisted Mr. Coram taking
the ixriso. ner,. saying that no charge would be preferred
.artier, who was going back to Folkestone to
against. B
make a u amicable settlement. Mr. Comm would not
permit c ‘fa:ny such proceedings, and conveyed him to the
police sta afon7 The whole of the stolen notes were found
on him. Evidehco was adduced which showed that the .
telegraphi message was sent by a female in London, the
prisoner ht Wing written to her on the 'Wednesday night
to telegrap. 't to him the message he enclosed. At the
station hout •e the prisoner admitted absconding with the
money. He said, "I don't know how it was, but I
could not T.'s-el fa 6. the temptation."
Mr. Se rgea.nt Parry made a forcible appeal on behalf
of the pri super.
The R icorder thou summed up and the jury, after a