The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-28 00:00:00

MARLBOROUGH-STREET.

William Summers, a banker's clerk, was brought to this
office, having been sent from Quebec to England by the au-
thorities there to answer the charge of having robbed his
employers, Messrs. Ashley and Co., bankers, No. 135,
Regent-street, of bank-notes and gold, amounting to 3,725/.
The manner in which the capture of the prisoner appeared
to have been effected was as follows :—After absconding
with the large sum above named, he contrived, after se-
creting himself. for some time, to reach America. Hand-
bills. offering a considerable reward for his apprehension,
were circulated immediately by Messrs: Ashley, one of
which reached the banking-house at Montreal. A young
man having entered the bank and offered a 50/. note for
sale, the bill Was referred to, and his descriptiOn being found
to tally with the information, he was questioned by. Mr.
Simpson, and taxed with being the person who had robbed
Messrs. Ashley. The young man became violently agitated,
and after some hesitation admitted he was the offender, and
expressed in the strongest terms his penitence and his deSire
to do_all he could to repair the injury he had inflicted.
Having given up all the money then in his possession,
Messrs. Ashley were apprised of his capture and re-embar-
kation for England.
Mr. James Ashley, banker, Regent-street, said that the
prisoner, up to May last, had been for 'some months in the
employ of the firm, as out -door clerk. On the Gth of May
last the prisoner absconded with bank.notes and gold to the
amount of 3,725/. Witness caused handbills to be printed
and circulated, and some time in October he received the
following letter by post :

;‘ Montreal Bank-office, Oct. 15, 1835.

Gentlemen,—l have the pleasure to inform you that Wil-
liam Summers, the person described in the handbill, dated
Police-office, Marlborough-street, May 6, 1835, as having ab-
sconded from your employ with a large sum of money in Bank
of England notes and sovereigns, has been safely lodged in
the gaol of this city : and further, we have received-from him
1,2901. in cash, as stated at foot, which we will hold until we
receive your instructions, unless some favourable opportunity
should turn up for forwarding the money to your address di-
rect. • I feel satisfied that he has delivered up all the money
he had left, and he also appears deeply to lament that he has
so far deviated from the path of rectitude. Whatever further
steps are necessary will be followed up by the authorities here,
on whom I shall urge the propriety of sending him to England
this fall, as 'he may assist in searching for Jackson, the other
offender.—Your's, respectfully,
" Messrs. Ashleys, bankers. " A. SIMPSON."
Witness answered the above letter, and in due course
received a second letter, acquainting him that the prisoner
was on hii way to England, and transmitting a copy of his
examination before the Bench at Quebec :

" Examination of William Summers, late of the City of Lon-
don, banker's clerk, taken before me, Noah Frier, Esq., one

of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace, Oct. 16th, 1835 :
" William Summers being charged on oath before me with
having, on the 6th of May last, feloniously stolen a large sum
of money belonginr, to his employers, Messrs. Ashley, bankers,
London, voluntarily and freely declared that he was clerk in
Messrs. Ashley's employ, and that on the day in question he
did absconirl With a sum of money, of which the notes now pro-
duced were a part; and that for this act he, being desirous of
making all the amends in his power, by delivering up notes
and gold in his possession, amounting to 1,3001. has done so;
and further declares that he had been acquainted with a man
of the name of George Jackson (formerly of the Metropolitan
Police) for about ten years ; that they were in the habit of
frequenting gaming-tables together ; and that his salary of
thirty-six pounds a year being insufficient to meet his expenses,
he was instigated by the said George Jackson to commit the
robbery ; that George Jackson had said to him he had ample
opportunity of making his fortune ; that with the booty he
could obtain from Messrs. Ashley they might both go America
and be independent ; that he did commit the robbery, and at
two o'clock the same day he went to a coffee-shop in Long-
acre, and met Jackson there by appointment ; that he and
Jackson took a private lodging at Dockhead, and remained for
about three weeks, When both went to Dublin ; that they re-
mained there about two months, when Jackson, during the ab-
sence of witness, robbed him of 300 sovereigns, and 2,015/. in
notes, and left Dublin, and he had not seen nor heard-of Jack-
son since ; that it was agreed between him and liekson they
should go halves ; that after Jackson left Dublin, witness
took a passage to America, under the name of William Smith,
in the Friends, Captain Duncan, in October last. That this
statement was carefully read over to the prisoner, and he per-
sisted therein, and signed it."
One of the notes received back by witness was for 501. ;
this had the prisoner's hand-writing on the back of it.
Mr. DYER told the prisoner he was at liberty to refuse to
answer any questions put to him, but if he chose to make
any additional statement he could do so.
The prisoner said he had nothing more to add to the
confession which had been read, and which contained -the
truth.

Mr. Ashley—Did you change any of the notes? Pri-
soner--I changed a 201. note to buy a gold watch, which I
gave up. I also lost a 101. note. ,
Mr. Ashley—ls that all ? Prisoner—Yes, Mr. Ashley.
Did Jackson negociato any of the notes ? Prisoner—l
believe he did.

The prisoner was then fully committed. He is respect-
ably connected, and states his parents to be of the. Baptist
persuasion, and of 'strict religious principles. Although the
prisoner'was a frequenter of gaming-tables, it is not a little
singular that all the books found in his possession were of a
religious character, and a manuscript in his hand-writing was
filled with tests-of Scripture.

BoxiNG DAY.=-One of the most amusing circum-
stances arising out of the determination to evade the annoy-
ances of Boxing Day, is related by Sandys. A person in
trade had imprudently given directions that he should he
denied on this day to all applicants for money ; and amongst
those who presented themselves at his door on this errand,
was, unfortunately, a rather importunate creditor. In the
height of his indignation at being somewhat uncourteously
repulsed, he immediately consulted his lawyer, and having
done that, we need scarcely relate the. catastrophe. It
follows as a matter of course. A docket was struck against
the unsuspecting victim' of Christmas boxophobia. Boxing
day, however, is still a great day in London. Upon this
anniversary, every street resounds with the clang of hall-
door knockers. . Rap fohows rap in rapid succesioa ; the
harsh arid discordant tones of iron ming!ing with those of
rich am! sonorous brass, and Er,ivirig a degenerzte imitation
of the brazen clamour of the trumpet which farmed the
summons to the gate in days of old,' and which, together
with the martial music'of the drum, appears to have been
adopted, at a later -period, by the Christmas boxers, on St.
Stephen's Day.—Thi B of Clai nias. •
•