The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-14 00:00:00

TIE GREAT GOLD ROBBERY.

CENTRAL CRIMINAL COURT-JAN. 13.
OLD COURT.

[The following appeared in part of our impression of
yesterday :—]
(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 bullion
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 bad 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 Agar, a 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 bad 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 indcce-
merit to give the information he 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 had 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. I met him accidentally. I had 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 had 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 want 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 watoh 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 Teeter 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 bad an introduc-
tion to Sharman. Tester left for London •, I remained
and walked about with Sharman, but he was
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.
Chubby' 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 I 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 hands, 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 advanced for that purpose.
I received a letter by post from Pierce, informing me
that he had 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. lle 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. IL 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 andAtad an interview with Pierce and Bur-
gess, and told Mem where the key was kept. It was they
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
station-master managed with the passerigers and luggage.
We saw Chapman and Ledger leave the 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 ; be
said it was a good job, and that he would do all jn 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 Sling 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 that time, and we were living apart. We

made it up then, and I took a house, Cambridge-villa,
Shepherd's-bush, where we lived together again. I there
finished the keys. Pierce then left Walnut-tree.walk,
and took a house in Crown-terrace, Hampstead-road. It
was arranged that after I had finished the keys I should go
down by the train and try them in the bullion chest.
I went down several times with Bargees when he had
the chest, and tried the keys before they would fit. I
watched an opportunity of getting into Burgess'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 aay 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 bad
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 of 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 and 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
anA 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, and 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
started, 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 portico of the van till the train started,
when I got up and saw there were two iron safes
in the van. As soon as the train started I went into
the baggage department, opened the iron safe, and took
out one of the wooden bores (the box produced is the
one); it was fastened with nails through the lid by bands
and was sealed. I had a pair of pinchers to raise the
iron end box-wood wedges with which to force open the
the lid. I took out of that box, I think, 4 bars of gold;
one of them I placed in Tester's bag and gave it to
Burgess ; the others were taken out and placed in the
carpet bag, and I put shot into the box. Burgess
placed the bag for Tester in the guard's compartment.
The train by this time had arrived at Reigate. I gave the
bag to Burgess, and I heard Tester say, " Where is it ?"
and I saw no more of it till the next morning. I
did not see Tester —I only heard his voice. When the
train started again Burgess joined me, and I opened
another box in the same safe, containing American gold
coins. I don't know the amount. I put them into my
bag and substituted shot for them. I fastened down
both boxes (the one with American coins with screws),
and sealed them again with some seals and a wax taper
I had purchased for the purpose. I then locked the one
chest and opened the other chest, and also one of the
boxes, which I found to contain small bars of gold. I
took out as many bars of gold as I thought I bad shot
to make up the weight, and then fastened up the box
again. The safes were taken out at Folkestone, and
we went on to Dover. I and Pierce took the courier bags
and carpet bags, and we went to the Dover Castle. It
was about 11 o'clock.. We went into the coffee-room,
placed the carpet bags under the window, and ordered
supper. During the absence of the waiter we took off
the courier bags. The waiter asked if we wanted beds,
and we replied no, that we had driven in, and were going
up by the 2 o'clock train. I left Pierce at the hotel,
whilst I went to the pier, and threw the mallet, chisel,
&c., with which I opened the boxes, into the sea.
When I came back we paid the bill and sent the waiter
for some brandy in a soda water bottle, in order that
we might replace our courier bags. We then left, and
went to the station. At the station the porter
asked to take the carpet-bags. I refused, but he per-
sisted and almost forced them out cf my hands. The
porter then asked us if we had our tickets. We replied,
"Yes, Ostend tickets." The porter asked us to show them,
and he said "There's been no baggage through the Cus-
toms to-day." I replied "No; we came yesterday," at the
same time pitting some silver in his hand. He then
left and we went intoa first-class carriage. Burgess was
guard of the train. Few passengers came up by the
train. Pierce and I were alone in a first-class carriage.
On the way up we opened the large carpet-bags, which
were "dummies, threw out the hay, and at one of the
stations Pierce got out and placed the carpet-bags behind
the door of the waiting-room. The gold was then in
the small carpet and courier bags. On our arrival at
the London-bridge station we walked to the cab-stand,
and desired the cabman to drive us to the Great
Western Railway. Before getting there we said we
had made a mistake, and ordered him to drive us to the
Euston-square station. When we got out there we
discharged the' cab, and Pierce got another, and we
drove to the neighbourhood of Crown-terrace. We
there discharged the cab, and took the bags to Pierce's
house. From thence we went to London-bridge in a
cab, with the American gold coins. The cab was then dis-
charged, and I met Tester with the box of gold, as had been
previously arranged. Tester gave me the box of gold,
and I believed he went to his office. I and Pierce then
took a cab and drove to the neighbourhood of the East
India House. Pierce got out, taking with him part of
the American coins, and sold them at a shop at the cor-
ner of St. Mary Axe. I remained in the cab. On
Pierce's return, he told me he bad to wait whilst the
money-changer sent to the Bank for gold. He obtained
upwards of 2001. for the coins. We then drove to an•
other money-changer's in the Haymarket, and Pierce
sold the remainder of the American gold coins for 2011.,
which was paid by cheque on the Union Bank.
The cheque was then taken to the bank and
cashed. We then returned to Pierce's house. Pierce had
the proceeds of the American coins. At that time I was
not in want ,of money, but Pierce was ; he had to
pledge his things for support. Pierce afterwards hired
a horse and cart, and we drove with the box of gold to
Cambridge-villas, where I then resided. Fanny Kay
was at home when we arrived there. The bags were
first put into the parlour, and afterwards in my trunk,
in my bed - room. Pierce took the horse and
cart back from whence he had borrowed it,
and I saw no more of him on that day.
I saw him in a day or two after at my house, when we
cut a 100 oz. of gold off one of the bars, and sold it at
31. per ounce. I had the proceeds. It was then ar-
ranged that we should melt the gold, and we accord.
ingly took out the stove in my first floor back room, and
procured some fire-bricks for that purpose. The fire-
brick produced is one of them, and on it small particles
of gold are to be now seen. The gold, when melted,
was poured into an "ingot " (100 oz. bars) that had
been procured for the purpose by myself and Pierce.
On one occasion, when taking one of the crucibles out
of the fire I met with an accident and broke it, and the
gold was scattered about on the floor, which was
burnt ; Fanny Kay on one occasion complained
of the heat, and asked what we were about. I replied
"leather apron making," meaning "mind your own
business." The courier bags were destroyed. It took
four days to melt the gold. Pierce remained with me
smkdeueeeprtnitnhhgicimhmtahamaa
tttbavvetrbi
smeeseeatri 2,000 oz, of the gold were sold by
Saward, alias the barrister, When first I knew him he
theo his goldt
trouble,
bml
ee: I IchiNaosnnouso,
Itts.
dee Westminster
yemaa
wrlal
:psilnner-court,acelelhclao:dn.ipdpogln adtT:
oeawfmbhspaeorl
neor
barrister.
r, had.sof
oldlr
which he paid me 31. 2s. 6d. per oz. He paid me in
gold. Saward charged ls. or 6d. per ounce commission
About this time I
had another quarrel with Fanny Kay, and I left Shep-
herd's-bush and took lodgings at Kilburn in
Piercela,
s
aaohrnotni
mdwe Pierre's
To ttcooecs atiKasrioel on,bhhuuaotaßrdunnsude6rt.
vgohweoii
at
Burgess
the name of Adams. The gold had previously
been removed from my house to Pierce's.
eliving
there
afterwardso
when
I from
was
n Crown-
row
appre-
hended.l lived in Pierre's house about a week. On
hna dg beenld and sold,
abe andrub received
changedene.
iTv Testerheldet
by Pierce
e.
i
stated tewe danwdrheacPteigievoreeldde
andrce f
olr,
notes Pierce,
my share of the money was in my trunk when I was
apprehended. The remainder of the unsold gold had
been buried in a hole he dug under the front steps of
the house. At the time of the robbery I had seven
1001. Spanish Bonds purchased of Mr. Young, stock-
broker, a considerable time before the robbery. I sold
five of them on the night of the division of the spoil,
at 481. each, to Tester, who paid me out
of the notes he had received as his share. On the
morning of my arrest I saw Pierce, and made an ap-
pointment with him to go with me that day to Shep-
herd's-bush to fetch the child'sclth.o clothing, &e. After that
I left to meet a man named Humphreys in Holborn, but
I was arrested on my way, T saw Pierce after my arrest.