WANDSWORTH
DARING RAILWAY ROBBERIES.—Charles Bedman, who has been in the service of the South-Western Railway Company for six years as porter, was brought before Mr. Dayman charged with stealing three brooches and other articles, the property of Sarah Lance, in the employ of Lady Jane Knox, of Scotton House, near Petersfield.
The prisoner already stands committed for trial, with a carman, named Gussin, in the enploy of Messrs. Chaplin, the carriers, for stealing a firkin of stout, belonging to Messrs. Ince, Cooke and Co., the Romford brewers, from the Nine Elms depot, to which pace it had been conveyed, with other casks of beer, to be transmitted to Surbiton.
In this case it appeared that on the 25th of April last 33 packages, including the prosecutrix’s box, were delivered at Nine Elm’s Station by Messrs, Pickford’s van from Mr. Knox’s town house for Petersfield. The packages were all secure when they were placed in a railway truck and shunted in the yard to be attached to the train at 2.45 in the morning. On the packages reaching Scutton House, the prosecutrix found that her box had been re-corded, the lock was broken, and she missed from the inside a pair of new boots, three brooches, two pieces of black silk, and a hat and feather. Mr. Knox wrote to the company, and the hat was returned without the feather. Bucknoll, one of the company’s detective officers, instituted some inquiries, and on the 2d of May he went to Nine Elm’s Station, and in an office on the bank where the prisoner was employed he found an iron crowbar, which corresponded with the marks on the box, and also on a writing-desk which was in the box, and had been broken open. The prisoner, a person named Ingram, and others employed as the ‟beer gang,” were questioned about the crowbar, and they all denied any knowledge of it. It also appeared that this gang was employed near where the truck was shunted. Since the prisoner had been in custody one of the stolen brooches had been traced to his bed-room, where his wife had recently been confined.
The Prosecutrix identified the brooch as her property, and also the boots, another brooch, and one piece of silk, which were produced.
Mr. T. Bent, the company’s superintendent of police, said he could produce the young woman to whom the other things had been given by Ingram, who had since been killed in the company’s service.
Mr. Dayman thought it unnecessary to examine her, as her evidence would not connect the prisoner with those articles.
Mr. Wilson, who defended the prisoner, did not deny the possession of the brooch, and said his answer was that it had been given to his client by the late porter, Ingram. He submitted that there was no case against the prisoner.
Mr. Dayman differed with Mr, Wilson, and said there was a strong case of suspicion against the prisoner, whom he intended to commit for trial in that case also.
Morning Post Monday 24 October 1864
Address of Lady Jane Knox, of Trotton House, near Petersfield.