The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 13 1857

5( all

ft. 100
,t. 100
ti all
sal
1.0 2
its 100
;t. 100

It. 100
5 all
10 4
It. 100
;t. 100
It. 100
It. 100
It. 100

It. Iwo
Do 1 60

Ito. liaooll

.00
It. 100
It. 100
t. 100
8 all
0 all
0 all
St 100

adioc,
It. 100
It. 100
It. 100
It. 100
a. 100

12i till
t 24 CI
St. 10(1

12 i I all
12101•
It. 100
3t. 100
St. 100
St. 100
10 'ail }
10 I 6

10 all
It. 100
It. 100
it. 100
it. 100
It. 100

30 all
3t. 100
it. 100
3k all
it. 100
5 all
it. 100
15 all
LO all
0.6, all

It. 100
10 all
It. 100
'St. 100
20 all
25 all

Business
this day

THE GREAT GOLD ROBBERY.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT-- (Tins DAY).
OLD COURT.
(Before Mr. Baron Martin and Mr. Justice Willes.)
The prisoners, Pierce, Burgess, and Tester were this
morning placed at the bar charged with the gold Lllion
robbery on the South-Eastern Railway in May, 1855.
There was very little excitement or interest evinced in
the proceedings on the part of the public. The various
indictments charging the prisoners with the robbery
were read over to them by Mr. Straight, clerk of ar-
raigns, to each of which the prisoners severally pleaded
not guilty.
Mr. Sergeant Shee, Mr. Bodkin, and Mr. Monk were
counsel for the prosecution ; Mr. Sergeant Parry and
Mr. Ribton defended Pierce ; Mr. Sergeant Ballantine
and Mr. Sleigh defended Tester ; and Mr. Giffard, Mr.
Poland, and Mr. H. F. Lewis defended Burgess.
Mr. Sergeant Shee, in stating the case to the jury,
said that it was scarcely possible to believe that
they had not learnt through the usual channels of public
information the general history of the gold robbery
committed on the South-Eastern Railway, and he cau-
tioned them not to attend to any information they might
have so gained, but to confine their attention to the
statement he should be able to prove by the evidences of
the various witnesses he should call before them. The
prisoners were indicted for having committed this rob-
bery on the night of the 15th May, 1855, when a large
amount of gold was entrusted to the company by
persons of the name of Able, Spielman, and Bult,
and the learned Sergeant then laid the circumstances of
the robbery before the jury. The case rested principally
on the evidence of Agaria convict, but it would be their
duty to require that his evidence should be corroborated.
The evidence of Agar he should corroborate by most
respectable witnesses—indeed so much so that their
evidence alone would present the strongest case of
circumstantial evidence he had ever known, that the
robbery was committed by the knowledge and conniv-
ance of the prisoners in the train of which Burgess was
the guard. The learned counsel said that Agar's induce-
ment to give the information be had, with reference to
this robbery, arose from a breach of trust and faith
on the part of Pierce towards Fanny Kay and
his child relative to property he bad placed
in his hands for their benefit and support. It was
lamentable to find so much industry, dexterity, perse-
verance, and knowledge displayed on the part of the
prisoners, and had it not been met in the same manner
by the prosecution the perpetrators of this robbery
would never have been detected.
The learned Sergeant then called
Edward Agar, who entered the witness box in custody.
He said—l am a convict, under sentence of transportation
for life for uttering a forged banker's cheque. lam one
of the persons by whom the robbery of gold was effected.
I know the prisoners at the bar. I have known Pierce
more than five years. He was not in the company's
employ when I first knew him. I have known
Burgess and Tester about three or four years. They
were both in the company's employ. I first had a
conversation with Pierce about four years since in re-
ference to this robbery. It was after my return from
America. He was a clerk at a betting-office in King-
street, Covent-garden. Imethirnaccidentally. Ihad had
a conversation with Pierce before going to America to
commit the robbery, but I declined then, not thinking it
practicable. Pierce asked me when I met him if I had
thought any more of the robbery. I said it was impos-
sible to be done unless the keys could be got. He said
he thought he could get them, if I would undertake it.
I bad several meetings after with Pierce on the subject
of the robbery. Pierce said he thought he could get
the keys if I had no objection to complete the robbery.
Tester and Burgess's names were mentioned, and Pierce
said he would endeavour to get the keys of Tester to get
impressions of them. I asked him how many were to
be connected with the robbery, and he said four—Tester,
Burgess, himself, and myself. I had not seen Tester at
this time. I had a conversation with the whole of the
prisoners about 12 months before the robbery. On one
occasion I went to Margate, where Tester was station-
master, to see him. He wished to see me because he
could show me the cash-box if that was of any service.
I took tea with him, and he showed me the chest and
key for taking the cash up and down the line, and asked
me if I thought it would be of any use to me. I said no.
He said it was a pity Pierce had not mentioned it to
him before, as he could then have given me the impres-
sion of the bullion keys. The witness then detailed his
movements shortly after this, and the opinion he
gave to Pierce how the thing could be done,
and said it was at my suggestion that Pierce and I went
to Folkestone, and took lodgings to watch the arrival
and departure of the trains. I went then by the name
of Adams. In consequence of the particular attention
of the pOlice to our movements Pierce left, and I re-
mained a few days longer. Our object in going to Folke-
stone was to see the bullion chest opened, and where the
keys were kept there. When I came up to London I
saw Pierce and Burgess. Pierce then resided in Wal-
nut-tree-walk, Lambeth. It was arranged afterwards
by Pierce that I should go to Folkestone, and Tester
would introduce me there to a person named Sharman,
a clerk in the company's employ, who would show me the
keys. I went down, and Tester was to meet me there as
though by accident. This was about 8 or 9 months before
the robbery. I stopped at the Pavilion Hotel at
Folkestone. I saw Pierce and Tester at the up-station
on a Sunday, and we walked together down to the
harbour-station arm-in-arm. Tester then introduced me
to Sharman as his friend ; it was then proposed that we
should go to the Pavilion Hotel, where we had some
sherry and biscuits, during which time Tester and Shar-
man spoke of how business was progressing with the
company, and how much bullion passed over the line.
I and Tester dined together that day, and he asked me
my opinion of the robbery, and I said that I thought I
should be able to do it, now that I had had an introduc-
tion to Sharman. Tester left for London ; I remained
and walked about with Sharman, but he being
a sedate young man, and I could not get any-
thing from him. I afterwards returned to
London, and communicated to Pierce and Burgess that
I could do nothing with Sharman, and suggested the
matter should rest for a time. About this time I was
informed by Pierce that he had received a •letter from
Tester that one of the keys of the bullion chest was lost,
and that the chest would have to be sent to Messrs.
Chubbs' to be repaired. It was proposed that Tester
should be supplied with wax to take the impression of
the keys when the bullion chest came up, but I objected,
saying that I must take the impression myself. By
appointment 1 met Tester after at the Arcade, near
the station at London-bridge, who informed me
that he had not got the key. We met several
times without success. Not liking to stand
so long in the arcade we appointed to meet at a beer-
shop at the corner of Tooley-street, kept by a person
named Wallace. I met Pierce and Tester there, when
Tester produced the keys. I said I must go into another
room and take the impression. Tester hesitated to part
with them, and asked me if I could not do it there. I
said no. I rang the bell, and was shown to a bed-room
under the excuse of washing my bands, and there I took
an impression of one of the keys ; after that I returned
the key to Tester. I knew the train Burgess worked.
We were in the habit of meeting Burgess at Stearne's
publichouse, which the railway officials frequented. I
there informed him how the matter was progressing.
I was first taken to the house by Pierce. It
was then arranged that I should go to Folke-
stone so as to be able to get an impression of the
keys kept there. I went to the Pavilion Hotel, and
Pierce forwarded to me there a box containing 200 or
300 sovereigns, which I had adianced for that purpose.
I received a letter by post from Pierce, informing me
that he bad forwarded the box to me. It was insured in
the usual manner and addressed to me in the name of
Archer, to the care of Chapman or Ledger, at the office.
I called and inquired for the box once before it arrived,
It arrived on a Sunday, whilst I was at the higher
station awaiting the arrival of the train. I saw the
chest arrive and I followed it to the lower station where
it was opened by Chapman with one key. There
were two locks on the safe. I noticed that he took the
key from a cupboard on the left hand side at the back of
the office. Be took out the box I expected and gave it
to me, and he also gave me a form to sign acknowledging
its receipt. I told him I could not write, as I had injured
my finger, and at my request he filled it up, and I signed
it in the name' of E. R. Archer. The form produced is the
one Iso signed. I took the box to the Pavilion Hotel,
where I opened it and took out the sovereigns. I returned
to London and had an interview with Pierce and Bur-
gess, and told them where the key was kept. It was then
arranged that I and Pierce should go to Dover, and
walk across the cliffs to Folkestone. About a
week after that we went down by a train that
had arrived there at mid-day. We stopped at a
commercial house, called the Rose, opposite the church
at Dover. In the latter part of the day we walked to
Folkestone, over the cliffs. We arrived there before the
arrival of the Boulogne boat. We walked on to the
harbour station. I saw the boat arrive, and how the
stationsniaster managed with the passengers and luggage.
We saw Chapman and Ledger leave th office. Pierce
then went to the office, whilst I remained at the door.
Pierce went in, took the key from the cupboard, and
brought it to me. I took the impression, gave the key
back to him, and he replaced it in the cupboard. The
door of the office was unlocked. I don't know if the
cupboard was locked, but I imagine not. We then re
turned to Dover and had tea at the Rose, and after that
we returned to London. I then saw Burgess, and in
formed him I had taken an impression of the key ; he
said it was a good job, and that he would do all in his
power to assist us in the robbery. I met Burgess
several times at the Marquis of Granby, at New-cross.
I had some blank keys made,and I filed them and finished
them to the impression. I commenced filing them at
Pierce's residence, at Walnut-tree-walk. Fanny Kay
had lived with me as my wife, and she and her child
were living at Harleyford-road. I had had a difference
with her about the time, and we were living apart. We
& made it up thous awl I took a home, CarobriciPlillits

Shepherd's-bush, where we lived together again. I there
finished the keys. Pierce then left Walnut-cree walk,
and took a house in Crown-terrace, Hampstert-l-road. It,
was arranged that after I bad finished the keys I should go
down by the train and try them in the bullion chest.
I went down several times with Burgess when he had
the chest, and tried the keys before they would fit. I
watched an opportunity of getting into Burge's's van
before the starting of the train. I tried them five or six
times before they would fit. Burgess was present on
the van, and saw me try them, and saw me open the
chest with them. I never went down with any other
person in the van but Burgess. The keys being found
to fit, I learnt from Burgess and Tester that when the
tidal train went down early in the morning the bullion
was to be sent down by the mail train. It was the mail
train that was robbed. It was arranged that I
should provide lead about two hundredweight,
which we calculated 12,0001. of gold would weigh, and
which we thought would be as much as we could carry.
Pierce and I procured shot, which we placed in bags
and conveyed to Cambridge-villas. The shot was then
placed in 81b and 41b check bags. Fanny Kay, my
child, and a servant named Painter were at home when
this was done. I dont think Fanny Kay knew what
we were doing. We had more shot than we required,
and we threw the excess away in the streets and fields
of the neighbourhood. The small bags of shot were put
into four courier bags we had made at a shop at the corner
of Queen-street, Drury-lane. The courier bags were
made to order and to a particular size. The strength of
bags was tested at Cambridge-villa. They were made of
drab leather. Some of the stitches gave way, and I
repaired them. The shot in the coarser bags was
removed in a carpet bag with a cart and horse to
Pierce's house, Crown-terrace, Hampstead-road. I had
a black leather bag made for Tester, who consented to
go to Reigate and take part of the gold and bring it up
to London, so as to relieve us df their weight. All the
bags were taken to Pierce's house. Everything being in
readiness for the robbery, arrangements were made
when Burgess got on the mail train that I and
Pierce, ~Burgess, and Tester should meet at London
Bridge. I and Pierce were to go in a cab with the
courier and carpet-bag to St. Thomas-street. We hired
a cab from the stand and walked to it a short distance
from Pierce's house. Pierce had a black wig and
whiskers on. He wore a cloak arid carried two courier
bags underneath and a carpet-bag in his hand. I had
on a cloak, and had the other two courier-bags on and
carried a carpet-bag. We drove to St. Thomas-street.
I took off my courier-bags and cloak and left them with
Pierce, whilst I walked to the station and met Tester,
who told me there was no gold going down that night.
This was repeated, I think, five or six times before
the robbery was committed. On some occasions Tester
came to the cab and had a conversation with Pierce
respecting the robbery. On one occasion Pierce car-
ried a carpet-bag on his shoulder and left it with me
at a coffee - shop near the Eagle, College-street,
whilst he went home and dressed himself up. On the
night of the robbery Pierce and I were at a public-house
near the turnpike-gate, Camden-town, where we took a
cab, with our bags, to St. Thomas-street. I got out then
and went to the station as usual. Burgess came out
of- the station, and wiped his face. That was the signal
agreed on when the bullion was going down. He
went to his house. I went back to Pierce in the cab,
and we directed the cabman to drive us to the Dover
railway office. I had previously seen Tester on the in-
cline, near the station, who said in a hurried manner
"All right." I went to the station and procured two
first-class tickets. We kept our courier bags
on, but gave the carpet bags to a porter.
I gave Pierce a ticket, aad he got into a
first-class carriage. I walked up and down, and saw
the carpet-bag given to Burgess, who placed it in the
van. The small black leather bag was in the carpet-
bag. I walked up and down the platform till the train
stared, when I watched an opportunity and jumped
into Burgess's van. I crouched down in a corner, and
Burgess threw his apron over me. I was in the guard's
porticn of the van till the train started, when I got up
and saw there wore two iron safes.
[We shall continue the case in our last edition]