The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-24 00:00:00

ROBBERY AT BITCKINGHAM

PALACE BY THE SERVANTS.

.yen Lindsay, a housemaid employed in Buckingham Pa-
and Elizabeth Lindsay, a linen woman, her sister, were
rought before Mr. Hall, at Bow-street, charged with steal-
ing a quantity of blankets, counterpanes, linen, and other
articles of a similar description, valued at about 401., the pro-
perty of her Majesty; and James Lindsay, their brother, a
surgeon, residing at 25, Upper Eaton-street, Pimlico, was
charged with receiving the same, knowing them to have been
stolen.
Mr. Charles Brimfield, of 25, Upper Eaton-Street, being
sworn, said, the male prisoner has lodged in my house since
the month of December last, occupying two rooms on the
second-floor, which consist of a sitting and a bed-room. lie
had two sisters employed in Buckingham Palace, who on
several occasions visited him. They usually, as far as I can
recollect, came to the house separately, and I was given to
understand that one was a housemaid and the other was em-
ployed as a linen woman. During the last two months I ob-
served they came about four times a week until the last few
days. They were generally admitted by members of my
family, and within the last two months I have seen in
his bed-room large quantities of property, such as that pro-
duced, and same of the counterpanes were laid in a chest
of drawers, which, until the visits of the females became
so frequent, I did not see in the drawers, but from time to
time they appeared to increase in bulk, one of the articles
being perfectly new, and marked "V. R., 1840," which I
saw in the room on Monday last, and which was brought
to my house in a van on the 7th inst., empty and
lined with white pasteboard paper. The other box produced
was also in the same room, and was brought to the house
about a month previously. The blankets appeared to be of
a peculiar kind, and bound with silk ferettiug, similar to that
produced. There-were also some muslin window curtains,
having a large flower worked upon them, which were tied
up in the room, and a blue China plate, such as the one pro-
duced, having " Buckingham Palace" on the back, but which
I did not at first observe. About two months back a pillow
was brought in a band-box, which was taken in by my wife ;
it appeared to be a down one, and was delivered as coming
from Miss Lindsay. The females usually came to the house
separately, and the prisoner Ellen used to remain a conside-
rable time, locked up with the male prisoner in the bedroom.
On Tuesday I recollect the two boxes, with two smaller ones,
were removed in a cart, under the superintendence of the male
prisoner, who delivered them to the carter, about half-past
two o'clock. On passing by the prisoner, he appeared agi-
tated, and said, " We are removing these things out of your
way." I happened to follow the boxes, and the two smaller
ones were dropped at 17, Lower Eaton-street, while the
larger ones were left at No. 9, Belgrave-street, South, the
prisoner all the time following the cart. A few days pre-
vious, the whole of the articles were taken out of the drawers
and placed in the boxes ; and about four days before that
time, the male prisoner and one of the females were locked
np in the bedroom for a considerable time, busily engaged, as
if packing up some articles ; and my belief is that it was not
wearing apparel. The prisoner kept my lodgings up to the
time he was apprehended ; and his sister used to visit him
within the last two months, about half-past nine o'clock in
the evening. I accompanied the officer, on Wednesday last,
to the house in Belgrave-street, and identified the boxes
produced. I now identify the counterpane, blankets, the
linen not made up, napkins and other articles, as the same
which were at my house, and in the possession of the male
prisoner.
Other evidence having been adduced,
Inspector Steed said he recollected going to the house of
Mr. Brimfield on the 11th instant, and on entering the bed-
room on the second floor with him, he pointed out the various
articles similar to those produced. There were also several
pices of linen not made up, and he saw the boxes, together
with the pillow, which was covered with brown holland. In
the front room there were several pieces of blanketing
wrapped up, and there was also a blue plate with the words
" Buckingham Palace" on the back. On Wednesday, the
15th, he followed the prisoner Ellen to Mr. Brimfield's, bout
six o'clock in the evening, with a small parcel. He knew
Elizabeth was in the habit of employing arding's van to
convey linen to and from the palace. The females reside in
the palace, and on executing the search in Belgrave-street
South, to where the boxes were carried, he saw Captain
M'Mahon, the occupier, to whom he told his business, and
he instantly pointed out the two boxes, which witness took
away in the presence of Mr. Saunders.
,They were corded
and locked, and having opened them, they were found to con-
tain the articles spoken to by the last witnesses. There were
among them a blanket of a very fine texture, with " W. R."
tbe i n
deposited in k
in whichtheLord
and a crown, together with a duster, marked " V. R.," with a
out. He then conveyed away the boxes and committed them
tco
or
twh crown
care above,o f Mr. and
Saunders,l 839
marked was
picked
d Cham-
berlain's office. Witness then went to No. 25, Upper Eaton-
street, where he apprehended the male prisoner, and having told
him his business, he cautioned him as he was about to make
some observation, and he said he would communicate with his
sisters upon the subject. He then said the boxes contained some
of the Queen's property, and having informed him that one
article bore the initials of her Majesty, he said he had nothing
to do with it more than having charge of it for his sister,
whose perquisite it was. He also pointed out the plate, but
the prisoner made no reply. In the bedroom he saw the
drawers full of wearing apparel, which, on a former occasion,
were full of the articles produced. As they were leaving the
sitting-room, before proceeding to the station-house, witness
held the plate in his hand, and the prisoner said it was a
trumpery article; can't you hide it? The boxes were then
sealed up at the Lord Chamberlain's office ; and Yesterday
having apprehended the females, Elizabeth said, " What shall
I do ? can you give me any advice?" but witness declined,
saying she would have justice shown to her.
Mr. Saunders said when the boxes were taken an inventory
was taken of their contents, and then sealed up. The females
were employed in the royal service for fourteen or fifteen
years. He believed all the articles belonged to the palace,
and, being for the most part quite new, worth about 40/.
The male prisoner said he always considered the articles
brought to him belonged to his sisters, as they had told him,
and he only took charge of them, without ever examining
what they consisted of.
The prisoner Elizabeth said she considered the linen her
own, as her mother, who was dead about fourteen years, had
left it to her sister, who deposited it with her when she was
living at St. James's Palace, and she occasionally used it for
the household when pressed for such an article ; but as to the
four common blankets, they were given to her by the late
Sir Thomas Nash, as being condemned in his late Majesty's
reign.
The prisoners were then remanded, and in a short time
were removed in the van to Tothill-fields Prison.

• TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The noble truths you give utterance to, and
the spirit of independence you manifest upon all oc-
casions when the public interests are concerned, and
more particularly when the interests of the navy are
discussed in the columns of your invaluable Journal,
these, Sir, induce me to offer you some observations ;
and, if you think them worthy of publication, they
are at your service.
I am an officer, that would be glad to be employed
if I could; but, in the present state of things, that
cannot be ; nevertheless, I am alive to every thing
that affects that profession to which I have the honour
to belong ; and the more so, when the interest of my
country, and, perhaps, the salvation of that country,
are at issue.
The pamphlet of Prince de Joinville on steam navi-
gation is making great talk everywhere, stirring the
hearts and minds of this excitable people in no small
degree ; and this, coupled by a " pale cast of thought"
in reference to past events, may work wonders, and
nerve the French to accomplish anything ; and it
would be strange, indeed, that the man who brought
the dust of the great Napoleon across the Atlantic,
should not inherit, more or less, the spirit that once
animated that dust. It behoves, then, the British
people to be " up" and thinking ; and it also behoves
the British Government to do justice, before it is too
late, to the claims and merits of the old war officers
and men, by giving them that trifling article " the
cheap defence of nations." And wise it would be,
too, if the Admiralty, without delay, were to listen
to, and adopt, the suggestions of the gallant Napier,
by suffering the old officers to retire.
I have the honour to be, Sir,

Your very humble servant,
A CAPTAIN IN THE NAVY.
Paris, May 20, 1844.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The unfortunate man Crouch is, on Monday,
to suffer by one of the most un-Christian laws that
ever disgraced a Christian country; and it may be
said, with truth, that it is almost the only relic we
have of the darkest ages—ages when the foulest
crimes that human beings could commit stained our
national character. Those flagrant vices have long
since ceased—enlightenment and religion have eradi-
cated them—and yet this most obnoxious and de-
grading law still retains its place upon the British
statute-book. What are our Government ? Are they
Christians ? Did ever Christianity sanction death ?
Let them examine the Sacred writings. They say
the laws of England are based upon the laws of God.
Is this a fact ? Can we dare assume that, when an
individual renders himself am enable to the laws of
society, society is invested with a power to take away
his life ? Did that Being, who was the most merciful
that ever visited the abodes of man, contemplate, when
he said " the laws are a terror to evil doers," that
those who should profess to be his followers should
enact such as to deprive a human being of existence ?
If mercy was extended to the "vilest of the vile,"
by the mighty Jehovah and his dearly-beloved Son,
shall man extinguish so noble an emotion and yet
escape with impunity ? What is the object of punish-
ment but to benefit the .i ?—this was the
primary cause for its institution. But what good can
result to the doomed to death by kis execution a few
days subsequent to his conviction ? He is frequently
not in a state to receive spiritual consolation, and he
is hurried into the presence of his Maker with all his
guilt upon his head. Is there not some responsibility
attached to those who framed this law ?—some re-
sponsibility to him who puts it into force ? Yes ;
that God before whose bar both judge and judged
shall appear, will not hold those guiltless who have
been instrumental in the murder of an immortal

creature.
Humanity sickens at the bare contemplation that
man has doomed his brother to die. Christianity ever
has, and does condemn it, and repudiates with disdain
any attempt which is made to charge it upon her ;
and, let it be remembered that a time is not far dis-
tant when these barbarous and wicked acts will re-
coil with fury upon the perpetrators, and whelm them
with confusion—with torment—with despair. May
this attract the attention of those in authority, that
they
with.—Yours truly
crime to the many they
must minaeyvitnsobtl
May 23, 1844. 'BENJAMIN.
yadbde canh4theedr

SAVINGS BANNS. Wednesday, on the motion of
Mr..Masterman, a statement was issued of the amount of the
separate surplus fund, not bearing interest, belonging to the
trustees of savings banks, in the hands of the Commissioners
for the reduction of the national debt up to the 9th of May
last. It appears that the separate surplus fund of Great Bri-
tain amounted, at the period mentioned, to 321,4681.135. 2d.,
and of Ireland, 11,3281 14s. 41
332,797/. 7s. 64. not bearing interest.