The Sun.
London, England, 1832-01-09 00:00:00

OLD BAILEY.-(THIS DAY,)

OLD COURT.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY OF MONEY LETrEMS

John Barrett, aged 21, and Kay, aged 11,
both persons of respectable appearance, were placed at the
bar on several indictments charging them with being con-
cerned in stealing several letters, containing large sums
of money. Barrett was a sorter of letters in the General
Post-office, and Kay was his brother-in-law.

The prisoners were arraigned on several indictments, to
all of which they pleaded Not Guilty. They were first
tried upon an indictment charging Barrett with stealing a
letter containing two Bank post bills for 10/. and 20/.,
and Kay was indicted for feloniously receiving the same,
knowing them to have been stolen.
Mr. Anonenus (with whom was Mr. SHEPHERD)
stated the case for the prosecution.

Mr. Henry Dunderdale, of Bueklersbury, deposed that
on the 17th of November he wrote a letter to Mr. Charles
Dunderdale, of Manchester, enclosing two bank post bills.
He received them by the hands of his porter, who brought
them by his directions from the Bank of England. When
he put them in the letter addressed to Manchest,r he took
the letter himself to the General Post-office and paid
2s. 9d. postage. It was nearly five o'clock when he took
it. In consequence of some information from Manchester
he, about ten days afterwards, applied at the General Posts
PIE e.

Thomas Bradley, porter to the last witness, provel that
on the 17th of November he went to the Bank of England
by his master's orders, and got the two bank post bills,
which he gave to his master.
Joshua Frederick Clements, inspector of police, pro-
duced two Bank post bills he took out of Kay's pocket on
the Bth Dec., at the Crown public-house, lleddon-court,
Heddon-strect, Regent-street.
Mr. Thomas Heseldine depos! d that he was clerk in
the post bill office in the Bank of England. On looking
at the Bank post bills, he stated that they were issued on the
17th Nov. The bills were still unpaid, and of course, in
force.

Francis Harrison, clerk in the General Post-office,
stated that he was on duty at the " paid" window on the
17th Nov. His duty began at one o'clock and ended at
eight o'clock in the evening. A paid letter de-
livered at five o'clock at the Post-office must have
Passed through his hands. A treble letter to
Manchester would be 2s. 9d. From witness, the letter
would be taken to the Inland-office to be stamped, and
Would 'hen he given to the sot ters of paid letters to be
sorted to the different divisions.

Mr. Charles Dunderdale, of Manchester, stated that he
did not receive the letter which his father (the first wit•
nest) had deposed that he sent lika. A letter put into
the Post-office in London on the 17th November would
be received in Manchester the following evening. He
never received the bank post bills now produced.
Mr. Biker, a messenger, at the General Post•office,
stated that on the I7th November be was on duty at the
Post-office, and on that day the prisoner Barrett was also
on duty there as as a letter sorter. The duty of the letter
sorters commenced at five o'clock and ended at forty-five
minutes after seven o'clock. A paid letter would of course
Pass through the hands of the sorters.
By Mr. Justice PARK-Had known the prisoner Bar-
rett as a letter sorter only eight or ten days. Before that
had known him as a letter carrier for about two years.
Jane Emmerson, employed at the Crown public-house.
10 Heddon-court, Heddon-street, stated that about half-
Past eleven o'clock in the evening of the Sth of December,
the two prisoners came in with a young man (a gentleman's
servant) and two women. They went into the hick par-
lour, and lid some liquor. In about five minutes the
Prisoner Kay came out to witness at the window of the
bar, She never saw any of them before. He said,
`` Will you take care of this money for me ?" Witness
asked him, " What money, chill?" He said it was a
40/. note, a 201. note, a sovereign, and two sixpences.
Witness said it was a great deal of money for a boy like
him to have, and advised him to take it home. He said
it was all right, and witness need not be frightened. She
then said she would take care of the money for him. He
rolled the whole up together, and witness put it into the
till. 'Witness feeling timid, after Kay returned to the
parlour, gave the money to a gentleman in the bar. From
what that gentleman said she called Kay out of the parlour,
gave him the money, and requested him to go home
with it as she thought he was in low company.
He put the money into his pocket, saying that it
Was his hrotber-in-law's. Witness then sent for Mr.
Clements, the Inspector of Police, who came in five
minutes, and went into the parlour, where Kay, Barrett,
and the others were; when Kay took the money he put it in
fob pocket. Kay shortly afterwards came out of the par-
lour followed by Clements.
Clements the inspector was then recalled—On Thursday
the Bth December, upon being sent for, he went to the
Crown public-house about half-past eleven o'clock, and on
going into the hack parlour he saw the prisoners, a young
man and two females. He called for some liquor and over-
heard some conversation. He was in plain clothes.
They were disputing who should pay for their brandy and
water. Witness rang the bell and desired the waiter to
call Kay out ; as he went out witness followed him into
the bar parlour. There was a gentleman sitting there.
Witness said to Kay that he understood he had
some money about him. He replied, it was nothing to
li
witness what money he had, for what he had belonged to
himself and his brother-in-law. He asked Kay then what
'his brother-in-law was, and Kay replied lie was a General
Post-man, and was in the other parlour. Witness asked
to see the money he had in his pocket ; lie at first re-
fused, and witness searched him, and found in his fob
Pocket the two bank post Mlle produced. Kay said those
bills were the property of the brother-in-law, who had
given them to him to take care of. Witness also found
on him a sovereign and a sixpence. Witness gave Kay
over to a policeman, and then called out the prisoner
Barrett, and asked him what money he had given to his
brother-in-law to take care of ; he answered he had given
him none to take care of. Witness asked him if he had
not given him two bank post hills to take care of, and he
replied he had not. Witness searched him, when he took
some papers out of his pocket, and laid them on the table; the
prisoner snatched one of them, and with difficulty witness
got greater part of the pieces of it. He now produced the
pieces, and they formed a letter. [Mr. Harrison looked
at the letter, and said it was stamped. It was addressed
to the Rev. E. J. Todd, Axminster, enclosing a Bank post
bill for 10/. ; it was•signed A. M. Todd, and dated Lon-
don, Tuesday, Nor. 22, 1831.] Witness also found upon
Barrett seventeen sovereigns, some silver and copper, also
a button marked " General Post-Office, 154," and two
watches. There was also in his pocket a promissory note
for 20/. in favour of Mr. Robert Burton, and signed T.
C. Horton, but not indorsed. On the Saturday morning
witness took the prisoners to Marlborough-street. In
going along Barrett said he was sorry the man Homes (the
person with them in the parlour of the Crown) was in
custody, as he had nothing to du with it.
George B. Mocker'', an inspector of Police, stated, that
in consequence of information he went on the 11th De-
cember to the house of Mrs. Brun, in Princes-street,
Lisson-grove, and found in a back room up stairs, under
the bed, a bundle ;it contained a Post-office coat, which
he now produced. The number on the buttons was 143.
Ann Brun, a widow, of No. 30, Princes- street, Lisson-
grove, stated that she had known the prisoner for more
than two year,: On the 7th December they called upon
her in a cabriolet; Barrett had a bundle under his
arm. Kay presented her a sovereign, and desired her to
give it to his mother, who was coming to work for her
next day; Kay's mother was a washerwoman. Barrett
slid he was unwell, and could net attend the Post-office
that night. This was at half-past three o'clock in the after-
noon. He wished witness's son-in-law, named Marlow,
to take a note to the Post office for:him, to say he could
not attend. He wrote the note, and Marlow took it.
Barrett left the bundle with witness, saying he would call
for it by and bye; he said it was his red coat. 'Witness
knew him to he a letter-carrier. He left witness's house
at four o'clock, desiring her to send Marlow on his return
to.the George the Fourth public-house, in Duke-street,
Lisson_grove. She did so. About half-past nine o'clock,
wishing to go to bed, she went to the George the Fourth
to request Barrett to fetch away his bundle. That night
he and Kay slept at witness's house, and left the following
!In:truing, giving her his bundle to take care of. Shlekept
it until it was taken away by the officer.
Mackeen, the Inspector, was again called up, and
Stated that he found in the pockets of Barrett's great coat
4bout 36 letters.
Several of the letters (all of which had the post mark
eln them) were read. One was written by H. M. Fellows,
elsonsongerHall, London, dated November 28, and ad-
!refilled to John Deacon Es Tunbridge Wells, with an
athde4l-°7Bre- °f a hill of,extta'nge for 75/. Another was
Tti;
jtr.e.d to Messrs. Boorman and Co., East Peckham,
Nove Idges dated Union-caurt, Old Broad-street, London,
bill
onaf ber 25, signed P. J. Felton, and inclosing a foreign
to Air. ellange for 17/. 16s. 3d. ; a third was addressed
Shaftelbuit:irn'dale' Bowstridge, Chelfont, Bucks, dated
fourth
a 4, and inclosing a bank stock receipt; and a
street, Stra re.ised by Messrs. Cook and Co. of Norfolk
Esq. of°?, on the 19th of November, to John Wilson,
imp,
ch fo atuerd, county of Tipperary, with a bill of ex-
. r ,
667'. Sid. inclosed. No letter was produced,