The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-03-30
REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENTS.

Poor little Nell.
REMARKABLE DEVELOPMENTS:
CONCERNING THE ROBBERY OF $4,000 FROM
HENRY WHITTIER, MESSENGER OF THE
THAMES BANK OF NORWICH, CosN.-AR.
REST OF CHARLES H. BREWER, TELLER
OF THE SUFFOLK BANK, BosToN, ETC.
About one year ago, Henry Whittier, young
man only twenty years of age, who was EN-
plOyed as a bank messenger of the Thames
Bank OF Norwich, Conn.,, reported that he had
been knocked down on a certain night, at the
Norwich Railroad station house and robbed of
S4O,0 600 in bills upon that bank. which were in
his possession to deliver to the Boston banks
Since this reported robbery, the officers OF the
bank have been on the lookoutfor any discove-
ry that might lead to an explanation of the
affair and the punishment of the Offenders
At many different times, they have been on the
point of arresting some of the best men in the
community, but have withheld from doing so
on further inquiry. Within a short time past,
Charles H. Brewer, the receiving teller of the
Suffolk Bank of this city, who is a brother-in-
law to the above named Henry Whittier, has
visited Norwich, Connecticut, aud has employ
ed Whittier and MIR Albert Converse in ex-
changing large amounts in paper money for
gold, at Norwich. rumor had also gained
currency in Norwich, that person was about
to leave in a steamer from New York for
Europe, with a large amount of money; this
rumor was so we'll grounded as to induce the
President ofthe Thames Bank to leave for New
York, accompanied by Mr.. George Bliss,
Sheriffof New London county, Connecticut;
and it appears that on their arrival in New
York, they employed officer Robert w. Bow
yer, of the Chiefs force, and officer William
H. Stephens. ofihe Tombs, TO go with them on
board the steamship Asia, on Wednesday,
which was announced to sail in the afternoon
for Europe. They found on board the vessel
MIR. Thorndike Rand, head book-keeper of the
Suffolk Bank, who had left Boston some days
before, under the plea that he had received
telegraphc despatch stating that his brother
was quite i'll at New York, and who had been
seen in company with Charles A. Brewer, the
receiving teller oi the bank, in the streets of
New York, who was also on board the vessel.
1t was also ascertained that tickets for Europe
had been purchased by both Rand and Brewer
by Albert Converse, OF Norwich:
The dispatch, which appeared in the even
ing's edition of the Nail of yesterday, was
sent on to the president and cashier of the
Suffolk Bank of Boston, asking for an imme-
diate answer, if the bank matters were all right,
and stating that two of the officers of the bank
were on board the steamer. Unfortunately
The dispatch was not answered in season to
steamer for Liverpool, as it is suspected, in
possession of a large amount of funds. The
officers being only in pursuit of Brewer rela-
tive to the Norwich robbery, they did not feel
authorized to detain Rand without authority
They however, brought Brewer TO Boston,
and retained him ia room over the Suffolk
Bank, after his arrival yesterday morning, till
5 o'clock in the afternoon. Meanwhile the
officers of the bank went through the exten-
1f III
bills in the bank, and examining the accounts
with the city and country banks, a business
that required the labor OF some fifteen or TWEEN
ty clerks, under the direction of Mr.. Jeffry
Richardson, the President, for twenty-four
hours, in which time the astonishing feat of
making a satisfactory inquiry was performed.
The nature of this herculean task will be ap-
preciuted from the fact that the Suffolk Bank
does, on a capital of 81 ,000,000, the business
Of all the other banks of the city with the
country banks. The inquiry was pursued as
far as II could be, the only remaining invest-s
cation being the comparison of the depositors
pass-books with the receiving telier's accounts,
which cannot well be done, except at the end
of each and every month. This enquiry may
develop fraud, but as yet no clue or suspi-
cious circumstance has been developed by the
labors of the clerks, except the fact that the
$4,000 in funds which were found in the
receiving telleE's trunk al the bank, was all iD
specie excepta 600 bill.
This circumstance, taken in connection with
the fact that MIR. Brewer, the teller, had been
ndustriousIy engaged for some time in chang
ing money into specie, leads to the suspicion
that il was his intention to have taken with
him in his flight this large amount, which it
was quite easy for him to have done; why he
not undertake il, is somewhat Mysterious, if his
intention was 10 defraud The Suffolk Bank.
At three O'Clock yesterday afternoon, Mr. Brew
ef. the teller. was arraigned in the police court,
before Justice Gushing, on complaint OF w.
w. Tucker, Esq one OF the directors, charg-
ing him with stealing $4,000 in gold from the
Suffolk Bank, on the 23d instant. Edward ID.
Sohier, ESQ, appeared for the Suffolk Bank,
John C. Park, ESQ.,, for the State, aud William
H. Farrar, Esq, for the Thames Bank OF Nor
wich, and Henry l.. Hallett, Esq, ir place of
his father, Benjamin F. Hallett, ESQ.,, who is
retained by the accused. Mr.. Halleu stated
TO the court that his father was too unwcll TO
attend the examination that day, and suggested
a continuance until Saturday next. Mr.. So-
hier then moved u continuance for ten days.
Mr.. Hallett objected, saying that il would place
Mr. Brewer, The accused, in a very unpleasant
position. The Court suggested that the de-
fendant waive an examination. MIR. Hallett re-
piled that he should be unwilling 10 do that
until the accused had had personal consul
tation with his counsel, Mr. Hallett, senior,
and suggested thai the examinations be post.
poned ill this morning. MIR. Sohier replied
that a partial investigation would only show
thar further postponemenf would be required
under the statute. and suggested an immediate
inquiry TO that point Mr. Halleti said he could
not consent to any inquiry till the defendant
had heen enabled tn consult with his father,