The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-05-29 00:00:00

POLICE INTEIMGENCE.—T u z arrA

THE TOXTETH-PARK ROBBERY.
John Mulstray, whose examination we reported at length
in the Standard of Tuesday, was brought up for further ex-
amination. / _
_

John Gerison, the painter, gave further evidence. As the
balcony of Mr. Browne's house communicates with the bal-
cony of the empty house next door, the object of this testi-
mony was to show, that the latter was securely fastened by
the painters on Saturday night, the 16th instant, the windows
overlooking the garden having been closed and barred ; and,
that the house was in precisely the same state on Monday
morning, indicating that no person had passed through it to
the balcony.

Williatnlovett and William Fairhurst, painters in the same
employ as the above, corroborated the testimony as to the
finding of the bag.
Mr. Alexander Browne testified generally to the absence
of all marks in the balconies, in the gardens, or elsewhere,
indicative of any persons having obtained access to the pre-
mises from the back.

Ann Barker, Mr. Browne's cook, corroborated the testi-
mony of the housemaid. She added, that the prisoner used
to take the gentlemen's dinners to the office three times a
week. He carried it in a basket. He took the dinners on
the day after the robbery. He left the house about ten mi-
nutes to two o'clock. It was about half-past five when he
returned, and he then appeared to have been drinking.
It appears that Mr. Dowling, from the moment that he
saw the shoes, was impressed with the conviction that they
bad been purchased by the man servant. They were wet and
dirty in all parts but the up per leather of the heels, by which
they appeared to have been held while they had been im-
mersed. He therefore gave orders to an officer to watch him
wherever he went to, and also directed that inquiry should
be, made at the shops of all t he parties who sell repaired shoes.
As it was known the prisoner would take the gentlemen's
dimmers to the office, the policeman appointed was directed
to watch him particularly. The following is the evidence
given on that subject, the prisoner having, as was expected,
gone to the person from wham he had bought the shoes which
were found in the drawing-naom.
Police-officer 307 (Thomas Holden) stated that by direction
of Mr. Dowling he stationed. himself, on Monday, the 18th
instant, near Mr. Browne's house, to watch the prisoner.
He came out a few minutes before two o'clock. He had a
basket over his shoulder. Witness was in plain clothes. He
watched him, and saw him stop opposite Mr. Judge's cellar,
in Park-lane. He stood about a minute, looked down into
the cellar, and then passed on to Mr. Browne's office in
Paradise-street. When he same out of Mr. Browne's office
he turned into Price-street, and witness lost sight of him.
Witness walked on then, thinking he had gone into a shop,
but as he could not see him he walked on to Park-lane. It
was part of witness's instructions to make inquiries about the
shoes. He therefore went to Judge's cellar, and, upon look-
ing in, he saw the prisoner seated there. He remained there
about an hour. He then came out, and witness watched him
until he went to Mr. Browne's house.
Bernard M'Canti, a shoemaker who works for Mr. Judge,
from whom the prisoner bought the shoes, swore to the shoes
found in the drawing-room as those which the prisoner had
purchased from his master. He (witness) had soled and
vamped them.
The prisoner had nothing to say in his defence. He was
fully committed for trial.

THURSDAY.
ROBBERY AT THE BULL INN.
Robert O'Meara, a young man of gentlemanly appearance,
was charged with having stolen certain bank notes and sove-
reigns, the property of Mr. John Wade, commercial travel-
ler, of Glossop-road, Sheffield. The case was adjourned from
Tuesday, when the following evidence was heard :
Mr. Wade.—l have been in Ireland, where I received a
considerable sum of money in provincial Irish notes, and on
Thursday last I went to the Provincial Bank of Ireland, in
William-street, Dublin, where I exchanged Irish notes to
the amount of £4O, and received from Mr. M'Crea, (the
cashier,) in exchange, a £2O and a £lO Bank of England
note, also a £lO Bank of England note payable in Manches-
ter. I arrived in Liverpool on Saturday afternoon about 4
o'clock, and went to Mr. Spinks's, Bull Inn, New Hay-
market, when I met the prisoner, who calls himself Robert
O'Meara, in the course of the evening. On Monday, about
half-past two, the prisoner, myself, and Mr. Spinks, dined
together in the coffee-room. We had only two bottles of
wine during dinner • but I, Mr. Spinks, and another gentle-
man, had two bottles previous to dinner. In the course of
conversation after dinner, the prisoner proposed that we
should go out together. I took my purse, in which were
eleven sovereigns, out of my pocket, and said I would go and
lock it up. I went to my bed-room, and deposited eight
I sovereigns in my pocket-book, in which were the notes I had re-
ceived from Mr. M'Crea, which I afterwards put in my port-
manteau, and locked up. I then returned to the coffee-room,
where I found the prisoner and Mr. Spinks. The prisoner
called for a bottle of wine, which was brought. In about a
quarter of an hour the prisoner left the room, and was absent
about twelve or fifteen minutes, when he returned and took
a glass of wine. A short time after Mr. Spinks said he would
go and lie down, and left the room. After he had gone the
prisoner said, "We had better be going." The waiter was
then in the room, and I took my watch out of my fob, and
told him to take care of it for me, as we might not be in all
night. The prisoner took his pocket-book out of his pocket,
and took all his money out, and counted it, and desired the
waiter to count it, which he did : there were fifty
pounds in notes—one £2O, and three £lO Bank of England
notes, and a £5 note which appeared a country note. The
prisoner then returned the notes to the pocket-book, and
gave his watch to the waiter, and we all went up stairs. I
went into my bedroom for the purpose of changing my
coat, and upon going to unlock my portmanteau, I found the
lock had been cut off, and was lying on the floor. I im-
mediately looked for my pocket-book, containing my money,
but it was gone. I ran down stairs, and gave the alarm to
Mrs. Spinks. It was about seven o'clock when I missed the
money, and 1 think it would be about half-past five when
I saw it safe. I saw the prisoner in the coffee-room after I
had missed my money, and told him of my loss. Police-
officers were sent for, and two came, and examined the
portmanteau and room ; and under the bed my pocket-book
was found, but no money in it. I returned to the coffee-
room, where I found the prisoner, and told him I would
have every one searched. He began to cry, and said, "Do
you suspect me ?" The prisoner left the room soon after,
and did not return until the next morning. He was taken
into custody during that day.
Jonathan Smith Spinks, landlord of the Bull Hotel, cor-
roborated Mr. Wade's evidence ; and stated further, that on
being informed of the loss about seven o'clock in the even-
ing, he got up, and found two officers in the house, who
examined the room and portmanteau and in the room he
found one of the stair-rods, very much bent. He proposed
that every one should be searched, but it was not done.
When he went into the coffee-room he found the prisoner
pacing about and crying. He said, " I was never suspected
before." The prisoner then went out, and did not return
until the next morning, when he asked witness if he had
heard any thing of the loss; and he began to abuse Mr.
Wade, and said, lie thought he had not been robbed. Soon
after the officers came, and he (Mr. Spinks) communicated
to them his suspicions. The prisoner had then gone into
the coffee-room. Mr. Jones was :then in the bar, and had
called upon witness for £4O; he was short of £2O, and told
the waiter to go and borrow it of the prisoner for half an
hour or an hour. He went and brought two £lO notes,
which witness paid to Mr. Jones, in the presence of the
officers. Witness was present when the knife produced
(which was broken) was shown to the prisoner, who claimed
it, and said lie had broken one of the blades in attempting to
open a bottle of soda-water, in the house where he had
slept.
_ . . .

Peter Jordan, a waiter at the Bull Hotel, stated that on
Monday night, about a quarter past six o'clock, he went into
the coffee-room, where he found Mr. Wade and the prisoner.
The prisoner had a pocket-book in his hand, which he threw
on the table, and desired him to count the money. He did
so, and found a £2O note, three £lO notes, and a £5 note.
Prisoner then placed them in the pocket-book, and said,
" John, I am going on the spree to-night, and I think I have
more sovereigns than I wish." He then pulled out his purse,
and took out six sovereigns, which he put on the table, where
the pocket-book was then lying. Witness took up the po :ket-
book and sovereigns, and went up stairs with the prisoner
and Mr. Wade into the prisoner's room. Prisoner then de-
sired witness to place the pocket-book and sovereigns in a
box. He did so, and then all three came out of the room.
The prisoner and Mr. Wade then gave witness their watches.
Witness went towards No. 1 bed-room, and the prisoner and
Mr. Wade went towards Mr. Wade's bed-room. In a se-
cond or two witness heard a noise, and saw Mr. Wade run-
ning down stairs. He went to see what was the matter, and
met the prisoner between Mr. Wade's bed-room and his own.
Prisoner said, " John, there is something up : Mr. Wade's
box is broken open." Witness went down stairs, and saw Mr.
Wade going towards Mr. Spinks's bed-room. Mr. Spinks
came out, officers were sent for, and the portmanteau and
bed-room were examined. The pocket-book was found un-
der the bed. The prisoner did not sleep there that night,
but came the next morning, between nine and ten o'clock,
Witness corroborated Mr. Spinks's evidence relative to his
borrowing two £lO notes from the prisoner, and identified a
£lO note, produced by Thomas Ainsworth, as being one of
them.

George Wharton, inspector of police examined the port-
manteau, and found the lock had been forced off. Under the
bed he found a pocket-book, which Mr. Wade claimed ; it
contained a letter or two and some cards, but no money.
The prisoner was brought at about half past eleven o'clock
that day before the magistrates ; and inconsequence of what
occurred then, witness went to number 80, Lime-street,
where the prisoner had slept. He there received the knife
produced, from Mary Williams. The prisoner had previously
stated that he had broken the knife in opening a bottle of
soda water at the house that morning. He searched the room
in which the prisoner had slept, but did not find any blade
of a knife. When he showed the prisoner the knife, he said
it was his, and made a snatch at it, and immediately said,—
"I am innocent," and began to cry. Both the blades of the
knife were broken. Witness afterwards found two blades of
a knife in Mr. Wade's room, which he now produced. He
put them to the knife claimed by the prisoner, and they ex-
actly fitted. He was present at Spinks's when Jordan
brought him the two £lO notes, of which he took the numbers.
That produced by Ainsworth was one of them.
John M`Coomb searched the prisoner's trunk and found
nothing there but wearing apparel and three sovereigns ;
upon his person he found one £2O note, one £lO note of the
Bank of England ; and two £5 country notes, then pro-
duced, which he said were his own.
Thomas Ainsworth, constable, stated that he was present
when Jordan brought the two £lO notes to Mr. Spinks, and
saw Mr. Spinks pay them to Mr. Jones. He was present
when Jordan got those notes from the prisoner, and saw the
prisoner write his name upon each. He yesterday went to
Manchester and received the £lO note now produced by Mr.
Worthington, which he knows to be one of those received by
Jordan from the prisoner.
Mary Williams corroborated the evidence regarding the
knife, and said that no knife blade had been found in her
mistress's house. in Lime-street.
The foregoing evidence having been heard on Tuesday, the
case was then adjourned until to-day, for the purpose of ob-
taining the evidence of Mr. M'Crea, to prove the identity of
the notes found in the prisoner's possession with those paid
by him (Mr. M'Crea) to the prosecutor.
Mr. M'Crea having been sworn deposed as follows :—I am
cashier in the Provincial Bank of Ireland. On the 19th inst.
I marked a £2O and a £lO Bank of England note with the name
of Robert Little. I received those notes from a gentleman
of that name in the course of business. I afterwards paid
away the same notes but Ido not recollect to whom. The
£2O note now produced by John M'Comb, and the £lO note
produced by Thomas Ainsworth, are the same notes I marked,
as received from Mr. Little. I know them by my hand-
writing upon each of them.
Mr. Rushton put some further questions to Mr. Wade
and the other witnesses, and the answers having been satis-
factory and corroborative of their previous testimony, he said
it was his duty to commit the prisoner for trial for this offence,
and he should do so.
On the prisoner being asked if he wished to say anything
to the magistrate, he gave a long account of himself since his
arrival in Liverpool on Thursday last, from Leeds, in the
course of which he stated that lie received the money found
upon him from his brother.
The several witnesses were then bound over to appear and
give evidence against the prisoner at the sessions.
EXTENSIVE ROBBERY BY
John Welch, a young man, apparentlyAPnOoßtTEabuove 19 or 20
.
years of age, was charged with having stolen a quantity of
42, Bold-
goods, the property of Mr. Joseph, a jeweller
employ he had been at different perms, as
street, and Mr. Bridson, ironmonger,
. Ilerry-street. No
street,
seinwehn byose
service
the following evidence :
9th of
Meposedwaselcfith, follows e
3on
my the
s :
' as a porter, at lOs per week, and in three or four days after-
wardsarch Barnet
last Lyon
t lie prisoner, Joseph
d John
I went to France, and remained there four or five

,
wetks. On my return home I missed two silver-keyed flutes
(one with a case), and one set of bone chess-men. I then
discharged the prisoner from my service. I had not asked
him anything about the flutes. I afterwards examined my
stock, and missed from six to eight pairs of pistols, some of
them of a peculiar make, and a great variety of other articles.
On Tuesday last I went to the police-office, and gave infor-
mation of my loss. On the same evening Lloyd, the con-
stable, came to my shop, and informed me that he had
found out the prisoner's residence. I and Lloyd went to
the lodgings of the prisoner, in Back Berry-street, about
11 o'clock on Tuesday night. We found the prisoner in a
room. I saw the bottom of a musical clock upon the mantel-
piece. I claimed it. Lloyd took it into his care. I asked
the prisoner what he had done with the flutes and pistols
which he had taken from my shop ? He said he knew nothing
about them. I saw Lloyd find a housewife on the mantel-
piece. We examined it, and found a number of pawn-
tickets. I asked the prisoner who the work-box on one of
the tickets belonged to ? He said, "it is yours." I then
said, "To whom does the tea caddy belong ?" He said,
"It is yours." I then saw Lloyd search the prisoner's room,
and find a portion of a work-box, a pair of snuffers, three
parasol rings, a custard cup, two pair of bracelet straps, two
button hooks, a chess-board, an inkstand, and a looking
glass. I claimed them. I did not ask the prisoner any
questions, but on finding each article, he said they were mine.
Lloyd took all the articls into his care. I went with the
prisoner to Bridewell. When the prisoner was searched,
nothing was found upon him ; but after he got to Bridewell, I
asked him if he knew where any more of the property had
been pledged, and he said he had told Lloyd all about it.
The witness went on to state that he went, in company with
Lloyd, to the following pawnbrokers :—Mr. Sharp, of Para-
dise-street ' • Mr. Gregory, of Jamaica-street; Mr. Maclean,
of Greenland-street ; Mr. Hughes, of Berry-street ; and Mr.
Mack, of Reushaw-street ; and, from information received,
to a house in Norfolk-street, where he severally found a
pistol, a pair of pistols, a silver keyed flute and case, a work-
box, a tea caddy, a glove box, a set of chess men, a tablet, a
snuff-box mounted in gold, a scent bottle, and a saw, which
Mr. Joseph said were altogether worth about £lO. He
stated that there was property missing besides that then
produced, to the amount of about £BO or £9O.
Samuel Lloyd, constable, corroborated Mr. Joseph's testi-
mony, and stated that, after finding the property and tickets at
the prisoner's lodgings, he asked him what he had done with
the other property which had been missed. The prisoner then
said he would tell all about what he had taken. Witness made
no promise or threat. The prisoner then gave him informa-
tion, on receiving which, he went with Mr. Joseph to the
various pawnbrokers, as stated in his evidence. He found,
at the prisoner's lodgings, besides the property belonging to
Mr. Joseph, a copper kettle, two trays, six knives and forks,
one box-iron, two pairs of scissors, and three pawn tickets of
other small articles, which he acknowledged were the pro-
perty of Mr. Bridson. Witness aunt with Mr. Bridson yes-
terday and found, at Mr. Sharp's, a metal tea-pot, a measur-
ing tape, and two razors ; at Mr. Cohen's, in Paradise-street,
two candlesticks ; at Mr. Gregory's, two dozen knives and
forks; and at Mr. Brown's, in Coppefas-hill, half a dozen
knives and forks ;—which were all claimed by Mr. Bridson.
The pawnbrokers, who presented a formidable appearance,
were then called, and severally deposed that the property had
either been pledged by the prisoner in his own name; or by
a female, in the names of Sophia Welch, Charlotte Welch,
Charlotte Watson, and Ann Jones.

Robert Bridson, sworn, deposed that on the 27th December
last the prisoner came into his service, and remained until
the 7th March. "During the time he was in his employ he
missed about 50 pairs of ivory handled knives a►►d forks.
The prisoner left his service for that of Mr. Joseph. On
Tuesday night Lloyd called upon him and he gave him the
prisoner's address : yesterday he accompanied him to the
shops of Sharp, Cohen, Gregory, and Brown, and found a
number of articles which he claimed. He had not sold them
to the prisoner, or to any other person ; and his name was
on some of the papers in which they were wrapped.
The prisoner, on being asked what he had to say, replied,
" I have nothing at all to say, except that I acknowledge to
all the things, but I do not know of any other property ex-
cept that produced."
Mr. Rushton said he was sorry such a case had tome be-
fore him. It developed a system more insecure than he had
thought existed in Liverpool. He was astonished that
pawnbrokers—a respectable body of men,—should receive
goods in pledge evidently not unpacked, and taken direct
from some tradesman's stock. This was the worst case he
had ever heard ; and it was his duty to consider whether
certain paw►►brokers who appeared in that case should not be
indicted. He then committed the prisoner for trial.

CASE OF SMUGGLING BRANDY.-CAUTION TO SHIP-

MASTERS.

James Adams, master of the brig Europa, trading to Hon-
duras, was charged with having a quantity of brandy on
board, above that which he had reported to the custom-house
officer.

Mr. Pitman, tide-waiter to the customs, stated that the
Europa arrived on the 14th instant, and was put into the
Brunswick Dock. He went on board the vessel, and found
under the steps of the water-closet, which were so securely
nailed down that he had to use a marlin spike to prize them
up, 48 bottles of brandy ; and behind the pipe of the water-
closet other five bottles. He afterwards found a cask in the
store-room, containing fifteen gallons of brandy.
Mr. Young, tide surveyor of the customs, corroborated
this testimony, and said the defendant told him he had pur-
chased the brandy at Greenock, and bottled it at Honduras.
Christopher Warmby stated that he received the brandy
from John Locke, the assistant warehouseman. He pro-
duced A sample, and said he had no doubt it was foreign
brandy.

Defendant said that he had reported the brandy to the cus-

;om-house officer,

Mr. Young said that he had only reported 10 gallons ; and
went over the statement of the manner in which the 53
bottles had been found concealed under the steps, and be-
hind the pipe of the water closet.

This (dosed the case for the prosecution, and on the defend-
ant being asked if he had any witnesses, he called
George Wilkie, who said he did not think there was any
concealment. There was no lock or key upon it, but just
two bits of wattles to lift up and down.

Mr. Rushton said it was his duty to convict, which he ac-
cordingly did, in the penalty of £lOO.
Notice was given on the part of the defendant, that a me-
morial would be sent to the Board of Customs, praying for a
mitigation.