Star. — 1814-10-18 (London, England)

BOW-sTAEST.—RoZBERY AT BEDFoNT.--Iresterday! John Anderson alias Christie, and 2 bolas Dew& alias Rowney, were placed at the bar, on suspicion of being two of the footpads who committed the robbery a short time since at Bedfont. The examination excited much interest. The Office was crowded.—Mr. Joseph Longhurst, of Staines, stated, that on the evening of the /thSeptember, returning through Bedfontlane, he was met by three soldiers in regimentals, and armed with bayonets, who seized him by the collar, demanded his cash, watch, &c. They dragged Mm out of the road about fifty yards, to a gravel pit, where they took his watch, a £lO note, &c. and took off all his clothes, and left him naked ; however they gave him a pair of old trowsers. They then tied his hands, legs, and knees, with a cord, and continued their ill-treatment of him till nine o'clock, when two of them went, leaving one over him, with a bayonet pointed at hint, threatening him if be made a noise This man remained over him till ten o'clock ; he spoke positively to the hour, horn hearing Sir W. Gibbons's clock strike,. He remained till between two and three hours, when hearing a carriage pass he called out—" Help ! Murder !"-Stc. which be repeated when he heard any thing that passed, but in vain till six o'clock, when a labouring man heard him. He made several attempts to extricate himself, and got on his knees, but could proceed no further, but tell on his face. The man was afraid to approach, but -Mr. L. at length prevailed on him to assist him, and cut the cords : but he was so benumbed that he could scarcely move; his hands had been tied so tight as to cut the flesh, and he has not yet recovered the use of his right hand. He was asked as to his knowledge of the prisoners, when he identified the prisoner Anderson, and said he had no doubt he was the man who was with the other two, and stood over him with a bayonet for a hour. He had no recollection of the person of the prisoner Dewly.—Jubn Stratford attended Coventsarefen market between three and four in ' the morning, alter the robbery ; went into the Ship in James-street, for refreshment, when both prisoners, dressed in regimentals, in company with a man in plain clothes, came into the house, called for l.quor, and asked for change of a selo Bank note ; he heard one Of them say it was a Staines Bank note; it was not changed. It was a Staines note that Mr. L. was robbed elf. The man in plain clothes was tried and convicted last Old Bailey Sessions for the offence, and the clothes he had been seen in were those which they had taken off Mr. Lorghurst Stratford, nephew ef last witness, identified both prisoners as being at the Ship at the time stated.—Mrs. Grigg, pastryconk, in Covent-garden, stated, that on the moment; of the tith of September, the prisoners, in company with Strangeways, who was convicted for the robbery at the Old Bailey,. came to her house eh( ut five o'clock and had breakfast ; they asked for change for a 410 -note, which she did not give. Strangeways then left the house, returned with silver, and paid for their breakfast. Charles Stratford, brother to John Stratford, attended Covent-garden market on the same morning, and breakfasted at Mrs. Griggs's ; the prisonets were there ; their conduct appearing uncommon, he watched them ; he noticed No. 45 on their buttons and belts; Dewley appeared uneasy while Strangeways was gone for money to pay for breakfast.—David Bishop said, that he, and Yearkes. the officer, discovered Anderson at the White Lion, in James-street, on Friday afternoon, and found un his neck a Belcher silk handkerchief, which Mr. Longliurst proved to be his, and which was taken from hint with the rest of his clothes. Bishop also found upon him a pocket-book, a red note-case, and two canvas money bags. Ile produced a Hue and Cry, in which he pointed out the prisoners to be adverb tised as deserters from the 45th regiment, quartered at Exeter, a few days previous to the robbery, Anderson by the name of John Christie, and Dewley by the name of Thomas kossney.—Committed for trial.