The Weekly Gazette for Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Cleveland District. — 1880-11-27 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

DESPERATE AFFRAY WITH BURGLARS. PLOT TO OAB,RY OFF A SAFE.  t 1 the Leicester County Police Court on Sa rday three desperate-looking fellows were charged—William Kelly and Thomas Damson, °Uri,/ Walter Mitchell, with feloniously breaking and entering the cashofficio of Messrs Benton sod Woodiwies, radway contractors, at New Humberatone, and Jesse Clark with aiding and abetting at the same time.—Polioe-conntable Bloomfield said be and Police -constable Prew were secreted near the office in question, and jut before midnight a cart came from the direction of Leicester, on the Uppingham-road There were four men in it, one driving. Three men got out, listened a minute, and the horse and cal t went further up the road. Immediately there WM a breaking of glass, and he saw a light in the countinghouse. He crept on his hands and knees just under the window, aud saw the two prisoners Kelly and Damson moving about with a dark lantern, breaking open drawers, and thoroughly ransacking the offioe. He heard one say to the other. "Bill, hue you found the —A-- sugar?' (Kelly and Drimsou at this burst iuto loud laughter, and were reproved by the bench for their conduct.)— Damson (to the bench): "He ie giviag his evidence in StIC'J a strange manner that it touches my nerves, and I cannot help laughing:"... Witness, continuiug.said he heard the prisoner Clark, who was on the watch, call out, and immediately something was thrown at his head, but he stooped, and it mtsset him. He drew his staff and dealt his assailant a heavy blow on the head, and he ran off, leaving his hat on the ground. Kelly was nearly out of the office window, but witness ran hard at Lim, and threw him back into the office on the floor. Kelly then seized a long heavy poker and aimed a blow at him, but he evaded it by pulling down the window sash. There were windows on both I sides of the building, and they had ths utmost difficulty in keeping both the prisoners in uttil assistance arrived. The prisoners pelted them witu heavy stoues, ink bottles, and aoythin4 they could find, and threatened to murder the officers. After a sharp struggle two sergeants came to their assistance, and the prisoners surrendered. After the struggle was over and both haudeuffed Damson said, " Shake hands, sergeant ; God bless you, if we are bur lars we are not murderers."' On the office floor were found the following tools, all quite new :—A stockland boring bits, two saws, a strong chisel, a lighter chisel, a screw-driver, and a dark hinters. In reply to the &large, Damson made the followieg extraordinary statement : was at the it.stization of a man named Charles Ozenham, a publican at Keyham, whom I saw in the change office to-day, tuat we went there. He provided us with a hcrse and cart to convey the safe away. I, holly, Dunham, and Clark (who did not know what we were to do) came to Leicester in the morning with a brown horse. Oxenhain said, We had better change the horse, as it has been seen come into Leicester to-day with us. Whet about Mese (messing Clark, ?" I said, "Let him kni,,w nothing; I don't wept all the plums picked out of the padding, as there sr3 enbtigh in it now. There are you and I and Tim (Kelly), and if we get a quid' it will be only 6s 8d a piece." (Laughter.) Oxen. ham then said, " You are tight, my boy; don't get boozed, and look to business. This is Friday night, and I suggest there is £l,OOO in the safe, and that will be a good pull for us. The safe only weighs about 4 cwt., and we could easily get it in the cart." He then said, "You could lift your share, couldn't you ?" and I sail," Yes, a ton of it if it was gold." (Laughter.) He said, "Go, and do your best." Oxenham drove us there with white horse to do the job; he paid ball the cost of the tools we bought, aid I don't see why he should not have a bit of justice and oakum picking as well as we. Clark, who gave himself up to the police on the previous night, said he was watching, but did not know what they were to do. All the prisoners were committed for trial at the assizes.  As a safe, permanent and warranted cure for Pimples, Scrotal& Barry, Bad Legs, Skin and Blood Diseases, and Sores of all kinds, we can with confidence recommend CLARK!! gr. W "