The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-05 00:00:00

TILE GREAT ROBBERIES OF SUGAR.

FINAL EXAMINATION AND COMMITTAL
OF THE PRISONERS.
On Saturday Frederick Henry Drake, aged 29,
late clerk and cashier in the service of Messrs.
Bryant and Hodge, sugar refiners of Fieldgate-
street, Whitechapel, and Henry Cooper, a grocer, of
No. 18, Aldgate, at the corner of Jewry-street,
were brought before Mr. Woolrych, at the Thames
Police-court, for the fifth time, to answer numerous
charges of larceny, fraud and forgery, by which
they had obtained hogsheads of raw sugar, refined
sugar, and treacle, valued at upwards of £2,000,
the property of Messrs. Bryant and Hodge.
Mr. Sleigh, barrister, instructed by Messrs.
Langford and Marsden, solicitors, conducted the
prosecution ; Mr. Charles Young, solicitor, de-
fended Drake, and Mr. Ribton, instructed by Mr.
Buchanan, solicitor, appeared for the receiver
Cooper.
On the prisoners being placed in the dock there
was a tremendous rush of persons at all the doors
of the court, which was immediately crowded, and
continued so until the close of the proceedings.
For the better understanding of the evidence
given on Saturday a short summary of the testi-
mony given at the former examinations is necessary.
Drake, whose connexions are of the highest respec-
tability, and who has received a first-rate education,
had been in the service of the prosecutor for three
years. Great confidence was reposed in him by
his employers, and he lived on their premises. He
was dismissed on the 29th of June last, and imme-
diately afterwards proceeded to Ramsgate, where
he lived with his wife in the fast style to which he
was accustomed for a few days, until he was ap-
prehended by Dunaway, a detective officer, 129 H.
The manner in which the prisoners carried on their
nefarious system of plundk was very peculiar.
Forged orders for the delivery of goods purporting
to be signed by several wholesale grocers, customers
of Bryant and Hodge, were given to carmen ofrespec-
tability, presented at the prosecutors' sugar-house,
and the goods named on the orders, consisting of
hogsheads and (tierces of raw sugar, puncheons of
treacle, and refined sugar in large quantities, were
obtained. Cooper was the principal receiver of the
stolen property. After the apprehension of Drake,
Mr. Hodge waited upon Cooper and found on his
premises in Aldgate four hogsheads of sugar which
had been stolen from prosecutors' premises and de-
livered to a carman on the production of a "manu-
factured order." Three other hogsheads of sugar
consigned to Cooper, and obtained in a similar man-
ner, were found in Smith's warehouse, in the City.
They had been deposited there in the name of
Francis. Cooper, on being questioned by Mr. Hodge,
said that Drake represented to him that he had the
privilege of dealing in sugar with his employers'
customers, and obtained a commission of ls. or Gil.
per cwt. on all sales he effected. On the following
day, and before Cooper was given into the custody
of Dunaway, the detective, he gave Mr. Hodge a
written statement, purporting to be an account of
all his transactions with Drake. The prisoners had
been frequently in the practice of meeting at the
Prince of Orange public-house in Fieldgate-street,
and at other times employed a boy named Sutcliff,
in the employ of Bryant and Hodge, to convey mes-
sages and money from one to the other. Drake
managed to obtain a "duplicate order" for the de-
livery of one puncheon of treacle from Mr. Pepper,
a gentleman in the employ of Travers and Son,
wholesale grocers and tea dealers in the City. This
order was altered and mutilated, the 1 transformed
into a 6, and the words "duplicate order" torn off.
With this order a carman employed by Drake
managed to obtain 6 puncheons of treacle from the
prosecutors, and the prisoner sold them to a grocer
in the Whitechapel-road for £5O, which was alleged
to be £lO below the real value.
Mr. Bowdler having read the voluminous evidence
given on former examinations, and of which the
above is a summary,
Mr. Sleigh called the following additional wit-
nesses.
John Carey, a carman in the employ of Statham
and Co., carriers, said that he had been to the pro-
secutor's sugar refinery with orders for hogsheads
of sugar, which Drake gave to Messrs. Statham's
clerk.
Caroline Elizabeth Mears, landlady of the Prince
of Orange public-house in Fieldgate-street, said she
had frequently seen the prisoners in her house.
They were in the practice of meeting once a-week,
and sometimes oftener. When Cooper visited her
house he used to ask her to send to the prosecutors'
sugar-house for Drake.
In cross-examination by Mr. Ribton, the witness
said that when Cooper called he said that he wanted
to see Drake to negotiate for the purchase of a pub-
lic-house. Cooper also told her there was an action
about it.
Mr. Peter Parton said he was a carrier, in part-
nership with Mr. Statham, of Gould-square,
Crutched-friars. On Saturday, June 22, he sent
Carey, one of his men, to Bryant and Hodge's
sugar-house with a van to fetch four hogsheads of
sugar. The delivery order for those hogsheads was
given to him by Drake. Carey obtained one hogs-
head of sugar only, which he delivered to Cooper at
his shop in Aldgate. On the following Mondayand
Tuesday ho sent Carey to the prosecutors' sugar-
house for the three other hogsheads, but he could
not obtain them. On the Tuesday afternoon he
came to his office. He said to him " I have had
another lost journey after the three hogsheads."
Drake said he would see all about it, and gave direc-
tions for the sugars to be conveyed to Smith's ware-
house, in H .rp-lane, Tower-street. Two or three
days afterwards Cooper waited upon him, and said,
" I want them there three hogsheads of sugar
which you have deposited at Smith's warehouse."
He had previously obtained the three hogsheads of
sugar and warehoused them in Harp-lane, in the
name of George Francis and Co. He told Cooper
it was no use asking for the sugars unless he had an
order for their delivery. Cooper called a second
time, and said, " Why can't I have those sugars?"
He repeated what he had before said, and Cooper
expressed an intention of seeing Drake, and obtain-
ing an order. An order was subsequently obtained.
He saw it on his desk. That order was destroyed
by himself or Mr. Statham, his partner.
Mr. Hodge was recalled by Mr. Ribton and
cross-examined. He said he was not aware that
Drake was dealing with Henderson and Constable.
Drake .had made purchases of treacle of Newson and
Co., and he was censured for doing so. He was sure
Drake had no dealings with Henderson and Co.
Drake had dealings with a grocer, and sold him six
puncheons of treacle obtaine from the sugar-house
by means of a manufactured order. He was not
aware Drake had extensive dealings with other
people. He was sure it was not so. Cooper had
given him an account of his transactions with
Drake. The hooks and accounts delivered to him
by Cooper had been examined by a public account-
ant by his direction.
In answer to Mr. Sleigh, the witness said—There
are now four hogsheads of our sugar on Cooper's
premises, and three more at Smith's warehouse.
They were obtained by the prisoners from our
sugar-house with " manufactured orders," purport-
ing to be signed by customers of ours. Cooper was
never a customer of ours. I never saw him in our
sugar-house.
Mr. C. P. Kemp, accountant, of Gresham-street,
said—l have examined Cooper's books, handed to
me by Dunaway, the detective officer. In my
judgment, the books, which purport to contain an
account of transactions with Drake, the receipt of
sugars, and the payment of money, were all made
up at one time. It was a singular fact that the ac-
count with Drake was on the wrong side of Cooper's
ledger. All the other accounts were accurately
posted. This witness then went into very minute
particulars, all tending to prove that Cooper had
made all the entries in his books of transactions
with Drake at one time. He was frequently inter-
rupted by the prisoner. At last Mr. Woolrych
peremptorily ordered Cooper to be silent, and said
his interests wer9 represented by counsel and
solicitor.
Mr. Sleigh then entered into the particulars of
another case of larceny, fraud, and forgery.
The learned counsel called Wm. Henry Perrins,
buyer to Henderson and C 0.,. Great Tower-street,
who said—lt is my duty to sign delivery notes.
Mr. Sleigh handed to the witness a form, partly
written and partly printed. It was to the following
effect :—" London, 90, Great Tower-street, City, 24th
May, 1861. Messrs. Bryant and Hodge—please to
deliver to bearer two tierces pieces T. (in a triangle)
19 4 (Statham). Henderson and Constable.-;
W. H. P."
Mr. Perrins continued—This is one of the blank..
lithographed forms we use. It is a lithographed
sre
form. Neither the writing nor the signature.
" W. H. P." is in my handwriting nor taxect,

my authority. Our firm did buy a parcel of sugars
from Bryant and Hodge.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ribton—l have seen
Drake. He was an in voice clerk. I have put
questions to him about this order. It is an unusual
thing for me to sign delivery orders.
Mr. Peter Partin was again examined. He said
—I have had this forged order in my hand before.
it was handed to me by Cooper. He said I must
have those two tierces of sugar in to-day. I do not
know Cooper's handwriting. When our man
brought the two tierces of sugar to me I ordered
him to convey them to Cooper's, No. 18, Aldgate.
Mr. Sleigh then called alcud, " Frederick Henry
Drake," and, to the surprise of almost every one in
court, the prisoner Drake left, the felon's dock, en-
tered the witness box, and was sworn. He said—
I was in the employ of Bryant and Hodge for
three years, and left them a few days before I was
taken into custody. I have known Cooper since
December, 1858.

Mr. Sleigh--Look at that forged order.
Drake—T ilis order was written by Cooper's
brother-in.-law at a public-house opposite White-
chapel Church, in the presence of myself and.
Cooper. I cannot remember the sign. The land-
lord's name is Norton. Cooper's brother-in-law was
directed by me and Cooper to write that order. On
its being written Cooper put it in his pocket and
took it away with him. The blank form was ob-
tained by me from Henderson and Constable, where
I was transacting some business one day. I was
present when the two tierces of sugar were delivered
to Statham and Partin's cart.

Mr. Sleigh—Who wrote the initials " W. H. P."
on the forged order ?

Drake—:The initials are in the handwriting of
Cooper.

Mr. Ribton—You stole the form from Henderson
and Constable P

Drake—l took it.
Mr. Ribton—You stole it, sir.
Drake—l took it.
Mr. Ribton—l-low many more blank forms did
you steal ?_

- Drake—l took no more, sir.—l most likely took
that from lieneierson and Constable's sale-room. I
have no remembrance of taking away others. I was
going over some books when I took the form. Mel-
dola is tte name of Cooper's brother-in-law.
Mr. Ribton contended there was not a tittle of
evidence to confirm the accomplice who had com-
nr.tted a felony to get the paper.
Mr. Woolrych—l must send this case before a
jury. The prisoners are committed to Newgate for
trial.

Mr, Sleigh—The next case against the prisoners
is one of a serious nature. Drake obtained an order
from the firm of Travers and Co., wholsesale grocers,
for 5 cwt. of titlers (large sugar loaves), and Cooper
added to it 5 cwt. more, and obtained of Bryant and
Hodge that quantity of refined sugar. Cooper re-
ceived the sugars, and helped to unload the cart
which conveyed them to his shop in Aldgate.
Mr. Woolrych asked if it was necessary to mul-
tiply cases against the prisoners, and upon this a
conversation ensued between counsel, Mr. Young
and Messrs. Plunkett and Robinson, clerks to Lan-
ford and Marsden, solicitors for the prosecution.
It was agreed upon that no more cases should be
gone into.

Mr. sleigh—lt is possible we shall prefer other
charges of larceny, and for the jury at the next Old
Bailey Sessions, with the particulars of which the
prisoners' solicitors shall be supplied.
The prisoners were then committed for trial. It
was agreed they should be brought up again on
Thursday next, to enable Mr. Bowdley, the second
clerk, to complete the depositions.