The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-01-05

THE GOLD DUST ROBBERY.
4 Fancy Theft and How IL Was Ac-
cemplishsd.
Of late years there has been mark
ed increase in all crimes requiring SUI
perior intelligence rather than brute
force for their successful accomplish
ment, and which can only be effected
by the misapplied union Of talent and
education. Mr.. Townsend, Q. c., Re
corder Of Macclesfield, in his 'sModerr
State Trials" seeks to explain the phe-
nomenon--in England ut least-by the
suggestion that the abolition OF the
death penalty for all crimes against
property "a change which dates only
from the time Of Romilly) may have
tempted persons of comparative refine
ment, Of cool head and callous heart, to
venture on forbidden ways Of enriching
themselves st the expense Of their
neighbors, when failure and detection
would not involve their personal safety.
Among this class Of crimes the great
Boyle conspiracy holds q prominent
place, as does the hardly less cele-
brated case known rs the gold dust rob-
berry, which was tried in London in
January, 1857.
On Nay Is, 1855, three boxes, con-
tanning gold, were taken TO the South
eastern Railway Company's station, So
London Bridge, for the purpose Of be-
ing conveyed to Paris. The boxes were
bound with iron hoops or bars, and, after
having been weighed and sealed, were
placed, according to the usual practice,
in iron safes. These safes were
secured by Chubb's patent locks,
duplicate keys If which were intrusted
to confidential servants Of the company
at Folkestone, Boulogne, and Paris.
As further precaution. the guard Of
the train usually took the safes into his
own van, and was thus enabled to see
to their safety during the journey. On
the night in question, one Burgess, who
had been Is years in the company's
service, was the guard Of the train, and
in his van the iron safes were placed.
On their arrival at Boulogne, the boxes
were taken out Of the safes and weighed,
and the same process was again gone
through at Paris. At the latter place
it was ascertained that considerable
portion Of the bullion had been alb
stracted from the boxes and quantity
OF shot substituted for II, and on COM
parison Of the weight at different stages
Of the journey, il was found that the
weights 1T Paris corresponded with
those 1t Boulogne, but varied from those
which were taken in London. From
this it was evident that the robbery must
have been committed between London
and Boulogne, but further than this the
strictest investigation appeared TO afford
no clew TO the discovery Of the criminals.
In fact. nearly two years elapsed before
the mystery was cleared up, and so
skillfuiiy had the crime been planned
and executed that it even then became
known only through dissension among
the thieves themselves.
In October, 1855, person Of the
name Of Agar was tried and convicted
Of uttering . forged check, and SEN
fenced to transportation for life. At
the time Of his arrest be had in his nos
session considerable sum OF money.
amounting TO several thousand pounds,
and b arranged with William Pierce,
. retired Wholesale grocer residing in
an elegant villa at kilburn, that the
latter should take possession Of all his
property, with the understanding that
woman in whom Agar was interested,
and BY whom he had child, should be
provided for out Of its proceeds. This
Pierce did for some time, but eventual.
~ when Agar had been convicted, neg
lected his promises, and thus allowed
the woman and her child to be reduced
70 state Of the greatest distress. This
TACT coming TO the knowledge Of Agar,
he came forward and made public the
whole circumstance Of the robbery.
The story he told was : graphic one.
and f0rcible illustration OF the fact
that IN the present age greater amount
Of talent and capital u invested in the
pursuit Of crime - Q profession than
ever before. The picture Agar drew OF
himself with his E3,OO0 In the 8 per
cents. and Pierce with his villa ut Kill
bourn, both for whole year rushing
about In cabs. lodging 1t fashionable
watering places, and journeying up and
down the Southeastern Railway with
firstclass tickets, was view Of crimi-
nal enterprise hardly to be looked for.
In consequence Of his disclosures, on
January IL, 1857, William Pierce, Bur
CESS the guard, and traflic-clerk
named Tester, were placed at the bar,
charged with stealing two hundred
weight Of gold, and Agar was called to
the stand. He was . gentlcmanly,
well educ ated man Of Al, who, BY his
own acknowledgment, had lived By
crime since his thirtieth year. Accord
ing u his OWE story be was neither en-
ticed into wrong uoing BY the accidents
Of special temptation, nor allured by
the seductions Of veteran offenders.
That he might q one time have known
want y possible, but he had evidently
learned economy 70 some purpose. for,