The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-15 00:00:00

Tile GREAT GOLD ROBBERY.

CENTR kL CRIMINAL COURT--JAR. 14.
SECOND DAT.
[The folio wing appeared in part of our impression of
yesterday -]
(Before Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice Willes.)
The lea rued judges took their seats on the bench at 10
o'clock Cilia morning, when the prisoners Pierce, Burgess,
and Tester were placed at the bar.
Thom .s Sharman, who now keeps the Torrington Arms
at Merew -orth, Kent, deposed that in October and Novem-
ber, 185-1., he was station clerk at Folkestone, and he then
saw Agar and Tester together there. He spoke to them,
and went to tho Pavilion Hotel with them and had some
refreshment. [This witness is the " sedate young man"
whom Agar, in his examination yesterday, said he could
not corrupt.]
By 31 r. Sergeant Ballantine—He did not recollect if
Tester introduced Agar to him. Hasel, the policeman, had
previously cautioned him that Agar was a suspicious cha-
racter. He went to the Pavilion at Tester's invitation.
After he saw Agt.r he informed Hasel that he thought he
was mistaken about him.
Mr. G. H. Hasel, inspector of police on the South-Eastern
Railway, deposed that in May, 1854, he was stationed at
Folkestone. He saw Pierce and Agar there on
several occasions. They walked on the pier and watched the
arrival and depat turn of the boats. He had a reason at
that time for wat, Alin- Pierce more than any ordinary per-
son. He made a communication to Steer, of the Folke-
stone police, respalting Agar and Pierce. He saw Agar in
October, 1851, at the booking office. Sharman was in the
office making up his money. On the following day he
saw him speaking to Tester on the pier, and they after-
wards walked in the direction of the Pavilion Hotel. Tester
left for London the same night.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Ballantine—Most
people, when at Folkestone, walked on the pier to see the
arrival and departure of the boats.
Mr. Sergeant BAllantine—There is nothing else to see
there.

Witness—Not that I know of. (Laughter.) Tester
afterwards left the company's employ with a good character,
and went on a railway in Sweden. He did not know if he
surrendered to take his trial for this charge. He did
not like the appearance of Agar, and be therefore cautioned
Sharman against him. He did not say anything to Tester
about him, because he appeared to know him so well.
By Mr. Sergeant Parry—Pierce WAS ticket printer to
the company, and was well known on the line.
By Mr. Gifford—Burgess had been in the company's
service about 10 or 11 years.
Mr. J. Steer, superintendent of Folkestone police, cor-
roborated Agar's evidence as to his and Pierce's visits to
Dover and Folkestone together, and their being on the
pier on the arrival and departure of the boats. When.
ever they saw him they separated and walked away, par-
ticularly Agar. On ono occasion he saw Burgess with
Pierce on Folkestone harbour.
Henry Williams was on duty at Dover on the night of
the 15th May, when the bullion train arrived. Burgess
and Kennedy were the guards. Just before the departure
of the up express train, at two o'clock a.m., he noticed
two men go through the office. Burgess, Kennedy, and
himself were standing together in the office at the time.
One was taller than the other; one dark, and the other
light complexion. Witness was going to speak to them,
but seeing another porter go to them and speak to them he
did not do so. They afterwards went on the platform.
Witness only issued two ticket; for that train. The two
men above referred to did not take tickets.
Joseph Witherdon, porter in the company's employ—
He was on duty on the night of the 15th May, 1355. Just
before the departure of the up 2 o'clock a.m. train, two
leen with carpet bags, and wearing short cloaks, came on to
the platform without taking tickets. From the manner in
which they carried the bags they appeared to be heavy.
He spoke to them about their tickets, and they produced
two Ostend return tickets. One of them gave him money.
He asked them if their luggage had passed the Custom-
house, and they replied that they came over the previous
night.

Mr. W. Clark, landlord of the Bose Hotel, Dover, de-
poned that two men—one a tall, dark man, the other a
short, light complexioned man, came to his house and had
some refreshment, and remained the night. It was in the
early part of 1851. They asked the way to Dover, and
left in that direction.
Robert Clark, waiter at the Dover Castle, Dover, re -
collectel two men coming to the hotel in May, 1355 ; one
was sh rter than the other; they left about half-past one
o'clock to go by the up two o'clock a.m. express train ;
previous to their leaving they had some brandy in a soda-
water bottle ; they had bags with them.
Matthew Dickinson, policeman, stationed at London-
bridge—On the night of the 15th May he was a porter. He
recollected the arrival of the train at London-bridge at
half-past 4 o'clock ; only four passengers, he believed, came
by that train. From the carriage he opened two men came
out ; one man was taller and of darker complexion than
the other. The man who first stepped out of the carriage
had a bag with him; ho believed they had no other luggage.
The one he spoke to had on a cape, and had dark hair and
whisters. The two men went down the platform together,
They decltned his offer to procure them a cab.
William Woodhouse, a porter on duty on the morning
or the 16th May, gave similar evidence to the above wit•
ness. There was no other luggage in the van that

morning.
Stephen Jones, guard on the South Eastern Railway,
deposed that on the night of the 15th of gay Tester came
up by his train to London. He had a black leather bag
with him. He had seen Pierce and another man four or
five times on Folkestone pier. In liii3 he saw Burgess,
Pierce, and Agar t)gether at Stearne's public-house in
Tooley•street.

Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Ballantine—He was
examined in June, 1355, about the robbery, but he never
said anything about the black bag until after Agat's exa-
mination, which directed his attention to it. He did not
see anything unusual about their bag.
Mr. Frederick Russell, clerk at the London sta-
tion of the Greenwich Railway, deposed that one
night in May, 1855, Tester came to the offico abut ton
o'clock. He said he had come up frees Reigate
and he left a black leather bag in the office whilst he
went somewhere. He returned in time to go down to
Greenwich by the last train. Tester then lived at Lewis-
ham. Tester was not in the habit of going down by the
last Greenwich train. It was before I heard of the robbery.
Tester was married about two months before the robbery.
John Parry, night watchman at the Greenwich Railway,
deposed that on the night when Tester left the bag in the
office, he moved it. It felt " lumpy" and heavy, as if a
stone were in it.
Mr. Chubb, of the firm of Chubb and Son, the eminent
locksmiths, said they made four bullion chests for the com-
pany. There were two different locks on each safe. All
the right hand leek,' were the same, and the lett handlocks
were all alike. This evidence was corroborative of Agar's
statement that the robbery was delayed in consequence of
souse repairs and alterations being made in the locks of the
bullion chests.
Mr. Knight, successor to Mr. Brown, superintendent of
the line, deposed that Tester was a clerk in his office. In
May, 1855, it was Tester's duty to regulate the guards of
the trains. The April guard-list of that year, with the
names of Burgess and Kennedy in it, as guards of the
mail train for that month, had the words "and May"
added to it, thereby continuing the April list for
the month of May. He called Tester's attention to it, and
he replied it was usual for it to be done. Tester had no
control over the keys of the bullion chest ; they were kept
1 by Mr. Browne, who directed Tester when to use the-n.
I He knew of no business of the company requiring Tester's
attendance at Folkestone, except on one occasion, in Sep-
tember, 1854.
Cross-examined by Mr. Sergeant Ballantine—Ou two or
three occasions in 12 months the guards had been kept on
the trains for the second month. Kennedy, the ander-
guard of the train at, the time of the robbery, had been on
it in March, April. and May.
Mr. Matthews, from Messrs. Massey, money-changers,
St. Mary Axe, proved that he bought 210 American gold
eagles on the Pith May. He gave 2131. 10s. It was about
nine o'clock in the morning that he benght them. He could
not identify the man of whom he bought them. He paid
for them in English gold at the man's desire. The man
appeared tired, as if he had travelled.
Mr. R. Brommall, money-changer in the Haymarket,
deposed that on the 16th May he purchased 200 American
eagles fur 2031. 6i. Bd. by cheque on the Union Bank, pay-
able at the branch at Pall-mall, East.
Mr. Alexander White, clerk at the Pall-mall branch of
the Union Bankeproved caching the above cheque.
Mary Ann Porter proved that she knew Agar in the
name of Adams. He lived with her about two years ago
in Harleyford-road, Vauxhall. He lived with a female
who passed as his wife. Pierce visited Adams in the name
of Peckham. Tha latter assisted Agar when he left to
move his furniture.
John Honour, hairdresser, of Lambeth-walk. deposed
''elx.ned by
I that when Pierce lived in Walnut-tree-walk he dressed a
dark g November,lnl 5
( examined 1
was
then called a
Faawniy Poland Kay was
vewaas i
Mr. Sergeant Ghee.—Before I was acquainted with Agar I
was engaged in the refreshment room at Tunbridge station.
I with him at various places Bal, Burgess introduced her to Agar, bywhtililmnseheeemhabtra
She live
when they wont to Shepherd's-bush to
totorgeseitblee.r
vPerreyvioofutsea.
to
that she had seen Agar and p
They appeared to be well acquainted with each other. She
die not see Burgess in their company before Agar went to
Shepherd's-bush. Pierce wont by thev
She recollected her chill going tobe N ?", .
namei,sd in ofsi Peckham.
She
.
Charlotte Painter then lived with her as a servant.A
fortnight after I left on a Sunday she went to see it, and
after the death of Mrs. Bessell, her next door neighbour,
on the 18th of May, 1855. A few slays before, and a week
after Agar was absent all night. It was on the Tuesday or
Wednesday, She next saw him in the afternoon with
Pierce. They came in a ca't, and she believed they had two
bags with them, which they carried into the wash-house. She
did not see the bags opened. After that Pierce came
daily. After the 2lst of May, he and Agar were on the
tafthurs7itBlitpooriv, oeiinsh„;„ looked into it once, and she saw they had
, herainda goingbrightfire ; they both ran to the door
had been much in the wash-house together,previous
heard them hammering. They hursteleather
1 shooting
nns
t o
the roaring of a large tire ; she heard tehaht
bags. When they were upßtßirßa, she
She saw Pierce bring down from the room what appeared
to be square pieces of stone. When they came down to
their meals they appeared hot and dirty,
in-
quiries what they wore about, they repheds.alnesalitho her
er apron
weaving." She heard them in their conversation mention
Burgess and Tester's ream( s. Afterwards, she noticed that
in the upstairs room the stove had been replaced and
Gilled, and that the floor was burn'; in two places. Pierce
and Agar had short cloaks. She had seen Pierce with more
hair about his face than now, but it was his own. She
then detailed Agar's leaving her, and his visiting her before
he was arrested. Her child then wile at Rothorhithe with
a cousin of his. Some time after he left her she resided
efaoreds eavtewnh:l;ities when she
theyal sy khee.