Year: 1876

L


On their way back they opened the
large bags, took out the hay, and hid
the bags behind the door of the waiting
room at one of the stations at which they
stopped. The gold was then in the
small carpet and courier bags. On reach
ing London they took cab and ordered
the driver to take them to the Great
Western station, but before reaching
that place explained that they had made
a mistake AMI directed him to drive to
Euston square. They got out at q pub
lie house and dismissed the cab, but
Pierce, few moments later, engaged an
other in which they were conveyed to
the neighborhood of Grown Terrace.
They here dismissed the second cab and
took their bags into Pierce's house.


The American gold coin was sold the
next day, but the rest of the plunder
was in an inconvenient shape, and these
lndefatigable rascals resolved to recast
1t. 1t was removed to Agar's house, aud
they set about building furnace in the
first floor, back. They took up some of
the stones of the floor for that purpose,
aud replaced them with fire bricks.
Fanny Kay was kept out of the room,
but she testified that for days Agar and
Pierce remained there at work; that she
constantly heard a noise like the roaring
OF furnace, and, when they appeared
at meals, they were hot and dirty. In
removing one of the crucibles it broke,
and the gold ran over the floor. Small
PARTICLES of it adhered to the bricks, four
OF which were produced in court


When they had melted the gold and
run it into ingots, they commenced to
sell it little by little, and this operation
was going on, when Agar was arrested
for another offense. BY this time the
confederates had each received E7OO in
notes for gold sold, and there was q
great deal not disposed of. It was all
sold, however, before the trial, and the
proceeds divided. except 1900 in
Turkish bonds. Before his arrest Agar
had again quarreled with Fanny, and
the treasure was removed from his
house to a new and elegant villa which
Pierce had purchased at Klburn, and
hidden in hole dug in the floor of a
pantry under the front steps. The
police there found s6OO in gold, s2, 800
In Turkish bonds, 93, 900 in government
securities, besides bonds and mort
cages, bank notes, and other securities
sto the amount of G15, 900. Much of this


vas Agars private property, left with
Pierce to support Fanny Kay, and in
regard to the embezzlement thereof
tRaron Martin. in sentencing the pris-
oner, said that he "would rather have
been concerned in stealing the gold
than in the robbery of that wretched
woman and her child"


The prisoners were duly found guilty
aud sentenced, and then there arose the
somewhat perplexing question as to
what should be done with the recaptured
plnnder. A host of claimants struggled
for its possession. The attorney general
demanded it as a prerogative of the
crown. The city of London insisted on
clause in its charter which gave it a
title to the goods of all felons convicted
in the city. The Southeastern railway
advanced the theory that it was the pro-
ceeds of the property stolen from them,
It's nature changed, but its title undi-
verted. One Saward, who was counsel
Tor the prisoners, set up lien on it for
his fees, while Mrs. Tester and Fanny
Kay each claimed share.


After an extended argument, the rail-
way company was allowed to take what
ever it could prove conclusively to be
tho direct fruits of the robbery Of which
1t had been the victim. The residue
was turned over to Sir Richard Mayne,
chief commissioner of police, with the
understanding that it should be applied
to the support of Fanny Kay and her