The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-02-18
THE DAILY DISPATCH
From chambers's Edinburgh Journal
Recollections Of Police Officer.
FLINT JACKSON.

FLINT JACKSON.
Farnham hops are worid.famous, or at least
famous in that huge portion Of the world where
English ale is drunk, and whereon, I have
thousand times heard and read, the sun never
sets. The name, therefore, of the pleasant
Surry village, in and about which the events
am about to relate occurred, is, | may fairly
presume, known to many of my readers. i
was ordered TO Farnham, to investigate case
OF burglary, committed in the house of gen.
tleman of the name Of Hursley, during the
temporary absence Of the family, which had
completely nonplussed the unpractised Dog
berys of the place, albeit il was not a riddle
at all difficultto read. The premises, il was
quickly plairto me, had been broken, not into,
but out OF; and watch being set upon the
motions of the very specious and clever per-
son left in charge Of the house and properly, il
was speedily discovered that the robbery had
been effected by herself and a confederate of
the name of Dawkins, her broaher-in-law.-.
Some Of the stolen goods were found secreted
at his lodgings; but the most valuable portion,
consisting Of plate, and small quantity of
lewelry, had disappeared: it had questionless
been converted into money, as considerable
sums, IN soyereigns, were found upon both
hawkins and the woman, Sarah Purday.
Now, as it had been clearly ascertained that
neither of the prisoners had left Farnham
since the. burglary, If was manifest there
was receiver near at hand who had pur-
chased the missing articles. Dawkins and
Purday. were, however, dumb as stones
upon the subject; and nothing occurred to
point suspicion till early in the evening previ-
Gus to the second examination of the prisoners
before the magistrates, when Sarah Purday
asked for pen, ink, and paper for the purpose
OF writing to one Mr.. Jackson, in whose SER
vice she had formerly lived. l happened to
be at the prison, and Of course took the liberty
of carefully unsealing her note and reading it.
Ii revealed nothing; and save by its extremely
cautious wording, and abrupt perempfory tone.
coming from servant to her former master.
sugguested nothing. 1 had carefully reckoned
the number of sheets of paper sent into the cell.
and now on recounting them found that three
were missing. The turnkey returned immedi-
ately, and asked for the two other letters she
had written. The woman denied having writ
ten any other, and for proof pointed to the torn
fragments of the missing sheets lying on the
floor. These were gathered up and brought
TO me, but could make nothing out of them.
every word having been carefully run through
with the pen, and converted into an unintellig i.
BILE blot. The request contained in the &c.
tually-written letter was one simple enough in
itself, merely, that MIR. Jackson would not on
any account fail to provide her, in considera.
ton of past services, with legal assistance on
the morrow The first nine words were
strongly underlined; and l made out after q
good deal of trouble that the word 'pretence'
had been partially effaced, and account sub.
stituted for it.
She need not have wasted three sheets OIL
paper upon such a nonsensical request as that.
observed the turnkey. old jackson wouldn't
shell out sixpence to save her or anybody else
from the gallows.'
Il am of different opinion; but tell me
what sort of person is this former master oil
hers =
.All know about him is that he's cross.
grained old curmudgeon, living about mile
out Of Farnhanl, who scrapes money together
by lending small sums upon notes hand al
short dates, and at laundering interest. Flint
Jackson, folk about here call him.
AT all events, forward the letter at once
and Tomorrow we shall see-what we shall
see. Good evening"
1t turned out as [ anticipated. A few mi.
nutes after the prisoners were brought into the
justice-room, a Guilford solicitor, Of much 10.
cal celebrity arrived, and announced that he
appeared for both the inculpated parties. He
was allowed a private conference with them
at the close Of which he stated that his clients
would reserve their defence. They were a,
once committed for trial, and overhead the
solicitor assure the woman that the ables
counsel on the circuit would be retained in
their behalf
had no longer doubt that it was my duty
to know something further of this suddenly.
generous Flint Jackson, though how to set
about it was matter of considerable difficult
ty. There was no legal pretence for a search.
warrant, and l doubted the prudence of pro.
ceeding upon my own responsibility with so
| astute an old fox as Jackson was represented
to be; for, supposing him to be confederate
| with the burglars, he had by this time in all
probability sent the stolen property away-to
London in all likelihood; and should [ find
nothing, the.consequences of ransacking his
house merely because he had provided a for
mer servant with legal assistance would be Sc.
rious. Under these circumstances wrote to
headquarters for instructions, and by return
of post received orders to prosecute the inqui-
ry thoroughly but cautiously, and to consider
time as nothing so long as there appeared q
chance of fixing Jackson with the guilt of re-
ceiving the plunder. Another suspicious cir.
cumstance that have omitted TO notice in its
place was that the Guilford solicitor rendered
bail for the prisoners to any reasonable amount
and named Enock jackson as one of the secu .
rites. Bail was, however, refused.
There was no need for over-hurrying the
business, as the prisoners were committed to
the Surrey Spring AssiZes, and it was now the
season OF the hop harvesr-a delightful and
hilarious period about Farnham when the
weather rs fine and the yield abundant. L.
however, lost no time in making oiligent and
minute inquiry as to the character and habits
of Jackson, and the result was full convic.
ton that nothing but the fear of being de-
nounced as an accomplice could have induced
such mserly, iron-hearted rogue to put him.
self to changes in defence of the imprisoned
burglars.
One afternoon, whilst pondering the matter
and at the same time enjoying the prettiest aud
cheerfulest of rural sights, that of hop picking
the apothecary at whose house | was lodging
I've will call him Mr.. Morgan; he pds Q
Welshman-tapped me suddenly on the shoul-
der, and looking sharply round, perceived he
had something he deemed Of importance te
communicate.
What is it = I said quickly.
The oldest thing in the world. There's
Flint Jackson, his deaf old woman. and the
young people lodging with him, all drinking
and boozing away at yon alehouse.
'Shew them to me, II you please.