Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-12-02

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four.pound oh. ok bags. These smaller
packets were put in four courier bag
made OF .drab leather, which bncklet
high up around the body and were con
oealed by short capes. A small blacl
leather bag, large enough to admit bal
OF bullion OF the standard size, was also
provided for Tester, who was to 60 on tC
Redhill. there receive part OF the gold,
and convey it to London. Everything
being In readiness for the robbery, Agar
and Pierce met nightly at London bridge
to watch for their opportunity. For q
week there was no chance, but on the
the eighth day they heard from Tester
that there was large consignment so0u
to be sent down the line, though he
could not ascertain the precise day.
The friends buckled on their courier
bags, took two large bags - dummies u
lin each Of which was smaller one
with quantity of hay, and, hiring a
cab, drove in the evening to st. Thomas
street. Agar got out and walked toward
the station Burgess came to the door
and wiped his facp. 1t was the pre-
concerted signal, and he and Pierce pur-
chased their tickets and hurried to the
train. The latter put his luggage in
charge Of Burgess aud got into first
class carriage, while Agar walked up
and down the platform till the train
started, then jumped unobservsd into
tile van, where he crouched down in a
corner, and Burgess threw his apron
over him.
No sooner was the train fairly under
way than the energetic Agar commenced
operations. he opened ono safe and
nails and iron bands and sealed. He
had provided himself with pincers, box
wood wedges, sealing wax and taper.
He quickly pried open the box, took out
four gold bars, put one in Testers bag
and three in the carpetbags. He then
filed it up with shot, fastened and
sealed it. BY this time the train had
reached Redhill. Tester made his ap-
pearance. Burgess handed him his bag,
aud he started back for London. Agar
then opened two other boxes, taking
some American coin, some large bars,
and several small ones, known as Cali
fornians. Having secured all that he
thought he and Pierce could carry, he
filed the boxes with shot, closed and
sealed them, and returned them to the
safes. The debris was swept up, and,
when the train reached Folkestone,
Pierce and Agar buckled on their courier
bags and took the valises out of Burgess
van. The safes weretaken from the train at
Folkestone, but the confederates re-
NAMED on board till they reached
Dover, where they put up ct the Dover
Castle Hotel. They entered the coffee
room and ordered supper. The waiter
asked them if they wanted beds. NO."
said Agar, tive 60 back to London by
the two A. n. train" He then wicked
to the pier and threw all his tools into
the sea.
After supper they walked to the rail-
way, and on the porter asking to see
their tickets they presented Ostend
ones. which they had procured, Inthis
they were somewhat overshrewd, and
nearly brought about their own detec-
ton, for the porter, surprised at the
sight of the tickets and bags, said that
no luggage had passed through the
custom house that day, and he supposed
that he ought to call the inspector.
"No," said Agar. 1--WE came yesterday"
and he closed the porter's eyes by slip
ping sovereign into his hand, and they
passed on to tho cars.
On their way back they opened the
large bags, took out the hay, and hid
the bags behind the door Of the waiting
room at one Of the stations at which they
stopped. The gold was then in the
small carpet and courier bags. On reach
ing London they took cab and ordered
the driver to take them to the Great
Western station, but before reaching
that place explained that they had made
q mistake AMI directed him to drive to
Euston square. They got out at pub
lie house and dismissed the cab, but
Pierce, few moments later, engaged an
other in which they were conveyed to
the neighborhood Of Grown Terrace.
They here dismissed the second cab and
took their bags into Pierce's house.
The American gold coin was sold the
next day, but the rest Of the plumber
was in an inconvenient shape. and these
indefatigable rascals resolved to recast
it. It was removed to Agar's house, and
they set about building q furnace in the
first floor, back. They took up some of
the stones of the floor for that purpose,
and replaced them with fire bricks.
Fanny Kay was kept out OF the room,
but she testified that for days Agar and
Pierce remained there at work; that she
constantly heard noise like the roaring
of furnace, and, when they appeared
at meals, they were hot and dirty. In
removing one OF the crucibles it broke,
and the gold ran over the floor. Small
particles Of it adhered to the bricks, four
of which were produced in court
When they had melted the gold and
run it into ingots, they commenced to
sell it little by little, and this operation
was going on when Agar was arrested |
for another ohense. BY this time the
confederates had each received 300 in
notes for gold sold, and there was q
great deal not disposed of. It was all
sold, however, before the trial, and the
proceeds divided, except "a, 800 in
Turkish bonds. Before his arrest Agar
had again quareled with Fanny, and
the treasure was removed from his
house to new and elegant villa which
Pierce had purchased at Kilburn, and
hidden in hole dug in the floor of
pantry under the front steps. The
POAAOo ohOA0 AOuuu S0OOO Al HOAuS 06sOOV
in Turkish bonds, s3, 900 in government
securities, besides bonds and mort
cages, bank notes, and other securities
to the amount of E15,O 900. Much of this
was Agar's private property, left with
Pierce to support Fanny Kay, and in
regard to the embezzlement thereof
Baron Martin, in sentencing the pris-
oner, said that he "would rather have
been concerned in stealing the gold
than in the robbery of that wretched
woman and her child"
The prisoners we're duly found guilty
and sentenced, and then there arose the
somewhat perplexing question as to
what should be done with the recaptured
plumber. A host of claimants struggled
for its possession. The attorney general
demanded it as prerogative OF the
crown. The city OF London insisted on
o clause in its charter which gave it
title to the goods of all felons convicted
in the city. The Southeastern railway
advanced the theory that it was the pro-
ceeds of the property stolen from them,
sto pokuro chop nod huk Stu b;k1o midi; |