The Atherstone Times. — 1879-04-05 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

THE POLYTECHNIC. wrote to Church to his address in Charles Severn, 34, and Samuel George Chapman, diammer.einith, telling him I bad arrived safely. 13: fore leaving it 25, firemen, in the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, was partly arranged that I should remain at home stationed at King-street Fire Brigade Station, have for about three weeks; that he would Pend me been brought up on remand at the Marylebone Policemoney to come back with, and then we were to go court, on the charge of being concerned together in to America. I never laid a hand on Mrs. Themes, stealing from the Royal Polytechnic Institution. • and I had nothing to do with murdering her, but , cash-box, containing Li 13s. 6d. in money, the proI knew Church had done it. All the money in the perty of Mr. John Samuel Brooks, china, lamp, and house belonging to Mrs. Thomas was a .C 1 note • glass dealer, who rents show-rooms on the groundand 30s. This note I changed at a fishmonger's floor of that institution. Mr. W. H. B. Pain defended in Richmond. Cnurch and Porter had been with Severn, and Mr. S. B. Abrahams defended Chapman. me at the time. I intended to tell the whole truth, Further evidence was given to prove that the £5 bankas Ido not see why I should be blamed for what note changed at a public-house by Severn on the Church has done. I would not accuse my greatest Sunday after the fire at the Polytechnic had been sent enemy of anything wrong, let alone. a friend, which up to a lady from the bank at llolywell, North Wales, Church has been to me up till now. and she had paid it to Mr. Brooks, whose clerk placed No further arrests have been as yet made, though it in the cash-box the day before the fire. Inspector it is believed one other will be before the enquiry is George King, of the Criminal Investigation Departended. Church laughs at the statement of the ment, stated that the other property had not been w•iman Webster, and has not yet made any counter traced. It was also stated by the officer in charge at statement. Search for the bag continues to be the King-street fire-station that it was the duty of suede without success, aad it is beginning !xi be any fireman, when he found any article at a fire, to doubted whether there is a bag at 01. j give it to a senior officer on duty. Mr. Abrahams, for the prisoner Chapman, said his client regretted, when Mr. Pollard call the lad who gave his evidence abut the box which was fouud in the flames he found the note in the debris, that he did not hand being the one he carried for the prisoner Dyer it over. He repudiated that he was in any way guilty Richmond Bridge ; and after the man who picked of breaking open the desk and stealing the cash-box. up the box had identified it, hlr. Pollard asked for The smell of the note was almost evidence of its have remand, which was agreed to, Wednesday week ing been lying in the rubbish. The prisoner admitted being fixed for the further hearing,—Bail that he was in the unlawful possession of the note, and was it must have been thrown amongst the rubbish by • ref used both prisoners. person who took the cash-box from the drawer, and put the gold and silver in his pocket. Mr. Pain conchanged the note, and put the number of it in his tended for Severn that the open manner in which he pocket-book, and other circumstances showed he had no guilty knowledge as to how the note had been come by. Mr. Cooke committed Chapman for trial for stealing, and Severn for receiving, and consented to take bail for the latter.