The Blandford and Wimbourne Telegram. — 1881-02-25 (Blandford, Dorset, England)

THE POST-OFFICE ROBBERY.  Edward Bushrod, who was last week brought before the Borough magistrates for attempting to eommit suicide, was brought up on three charges of obtaining money by false pretences. Mr. T. Clombs appea ed to prosecute on behalf of the postal authorities. Thomas Bishop Ellery was the first witness. He said he lived at Broadmayne, and on the sth August he received a letter. It was handed him by the postman Bushrod (letter produced). He charged him is. 61. on it, saying the letter was over weight. He paid the money. He opened the letter and found only one sheet of paper. His letter had the is. 61 marked in blue on the envelope. Prisoner: I said the letter was from New Zealand, and that it had no stamps on it. Witness: He said the letter was over weight. Ann Tucker said she lived at Broadmayne. On December 24th she received a letter by the second delivery. The prisoner handed it to her, and on the Christmas mcraing she paid him one penny for it. She made that payment thinking it was an official charge. When he handed her the letter he said " You have t pay a penny on it," and she promised t 4 pay him on the following morning. (Envelope produced.) The envelope had the b ue mark on it. Francis Fooks Bartlett, of Broadmayne, said on December Bth she received a registered letter from the prisoner. It was sent by Mrs. Rose, of Weymouth. Prisoner said there was 8 I. to pay on it as a registered letter. She paid the money. There was • blue mark on it.  Mr. Charles Parsons, pestmaster, of Dorchester, said the marks on the three envelopes (produced) were not the official marks of the Post-office, excepting in the case of the registered letter. He produced the rural letter carrier's letter bill for Auguet sth, from Dorchester to Broadmayne. There was no offieial charge of is. 61. on it. but there was one of lid. only. All the money that the carriers were to collect was entered on the bill; they had to collect it, and bring it hack to the Post-effice with the bill at night. He onry made a return of 111. on the day in question. He also produced the letter bill for December Bth. There was no charge of 8.1. on it. He made a return of id. only on that day. There was no letter bill for the 24th, as there wag a special delivery on that day. The blue mark of is. 61 on Ellery's envelope was not an official mark. There was an official mark on Miss Bartlett's envelope only as regarded the registration, but the figure 81 and the word " posted " were Lot official. Letter carriers were not allowed to make any charges whatever. They were provided with blue pencils. He queltioned the prisoner on February 10h in consequence of enquiries he had made at Breadmayne during the day, arid he denied it at first. He told him he should suspend hire, and he replied he would confess to all the charges. Prisoner had ri thing tr say in answer to the charge. He was then charge I with obtaining 6d. by false pretences. Minnie Jemima Lane Paid she lived at Broadmayne. On the February, 6th inst.. she received a registered letter from the prisoner. He said "There is sixpence to pay," but did not say whet it was for. (The envelope was produced). She paid the sixpence, and signed the receipt (produced). Mr. Parsons produeed the letter bill for the day in question. There was a charge of 61. on it, but it was not the charge on the registered letter. He put in the receipt form for the registered letter. The sixpence which was charrd on the letter bill was for ordinary letters. The blue m Irk "posted" and the figure "61." were not official marks. He had no right to make any charge on the letter at all. Mr. Supt. Gale said he apprehended the prisoner on Thur4dav la.t on a warrant, charging him with obtaining 6d. by false pretences of a Mr*. Lane, of