SUMMER ASSIZES
LEWES
John Wilson, a man of decent appearance, of about 40 years of age, was indicted for stealing from the Hero Portsmouth coach, on the 16th of January last, a parcel containing bank-notes, sovereigns, and silver, amounting to 1,005l.
Mr. BRODRICK stated the case for the prosecution.
Mr. Stephen Bencraft, examined by Mr. THESSIGER.—I am a banker at Petersfield, and have one partner, Mr. Hector. I remitted on the 15th of January last some money to London—the sum of 1,005l. to Williams and Co. Birchin-lane. Our young man looked out the notes, and I packed them up. There was 805l. in 5l. and 10l. notes, of different country banks, 150l. in gold, and 50l. in silver. The parcel was directed to Messrs. Williams and Co., bankers, London.
George Young, examined by Mr. BRODERICK.—Was a clerk in January to Mr. Bencraft. Put up the parcel and notes mentioned in the indictment. I took them out, and entered them in our book. Delivered it to Faulkner, the driver of the new coach from Portsmouth, between 10 and 11 on the morning of the 16th.
Cross-examined by Mr. ANDREWS.—I am able to swear the list of the notes was correct. The parcel was made up in my presence by Mr. Bencraft, and I am certain all the notes were put in.
H. Harding, book-keeper, at the Fountain inn, Portsmouth, to the Hero coach, was called, on the morning of the 16th, to the coffee-room. I found three gentlemen there. They came there in the morning. The prisoner was one of these persons. They were in company. They said, unless they could get to the front of the coach to London, they would not go by the Hero. I procured them the three front seats. I saw them get on the coach. Two got up at the door, one of them was the prisoner. The prisoner sat on the off-side, directly behind the coachman.
By Mr. ANDREWS.—Have not altered my opinion since I met you (Mr. Andrews) at Union-hall. I now speak positively to the man. I was positive at that time. I used the phrase “I believe Wilson was the man. I now am quite sure. On the second examination I observed the man wore the same pantaloons he did at Portsmouth, which confirmed my opinion. I am a confident man. Don’t believe I make a mistake at present. A man in the coffee-room looked at the men so sharply that it drew my attention to them.
Francis Faulkner, the driver of the Hero coach.—I received a parcel from Mr. George Young, at Petersfield. I got two parcels, which I placed in a box under my seat on the coach-box: one was a paper parcel, the other a canvas bag. They were directed to Messrs. Williams and Co., the bankers, in Birchin-lane. I locked the box, and put the key in my pocket. On that morning I took up four passengers at Portsmouth. I saw Mr. Harding, the clerk, at the Fountain. The three men sat on the front of the roof, and one on the box. They were on the coach when I put in the parcel. They could see me do it. One of the men got down at the Stags, at Lambeth. The others at the Elephant and Castle. I cannot speak to the person of the prisoner. I examined the box at the Spread Eagle, in Gracechurch-street. The parcel and bag were gone. I ran to the banking-house to give notice of the loss, and returned, and saw a skeleton-key in the lock of the box; it was a common picklock-key. I stopped at the Stags, at Lambeth, about two minutes and a half. I went into the Stags. We stopped 20 minutes to dinner at Ripley. When I went to Union-hall Harding was there; I saw him point out the prisoner in the passage to the office. Two men were then in custody.
Cross-examined by Mr. ANDREWS.—I said the other man, who has since been discharged, was, on my belief, one of the men, but I find I was mistaken since, at least there were two things I could not substantiate—his teeth and hair. I could not swear he was not one of the men. I have my doubts about him. That man satisfied the magistrate that I must be mistaken. I don’t affect to say that I have the least knowledge of the prisoner.
Mr. Edward Tooth, a hosier and glover at Hastings.—On the 19th of March last, prisoner came to my shop. He bought two pair of gloves, which came to 4s. 2d. He gave me a 10l. Chichester note, and I returned him the change. Prisoner would not take the half-pence of the change at first, but I went out to get change, and then he took them. I went to the clerk of the Hastings Bank, and in consequence of what I heard from him, I went after the prisoner, I found him in the High-street. I told him the note was a bad one. He said, “Oh, no, it is not bad; if it is, I will give you another.” I walked with him up the street, until we got near the Bank. He attempted to go into a shop to give me another note. I said we had better go to the bank, and we went there. Mr. Gill, the banker, came in with a list of the stolen notes, which he showed the prisoner, and told him his note was one of those stolen, and wished to know how he came by it. Prisoner said he took it at Brighton for silk goods he had sold to a Guernsey merchant. Mr. Gill asked him who he was, and where he lived. He said he was a coal-merchant, living at Burton-crescent, in London. Mr. Gill sent for an officer. Before the officer came, the prisoner offered me a ten pound note of the Rye bank, in lieu of the other. The officer, Carpenter, came and searched the prisoner in my presence. The officer took one pocket-book from his person containing several notes, and then some sovereigns. Carpenter asked him if had any others, to which he answered “no.” His pockets were then emptied. The Town-clerk, who was present, desired the officer to make further search and take his clothes off. His boots were taken off. Mr. Carpenter took up from the ground two rolls of notes, near the prisoner. There were notes found on him besides those I gave him.
Cross-examined by Mr. ANDREWS.—The prisoner was in Mr. Gill’s presence nearly an hour. The prisoner submitted readily to be searched, and said he travelled round the country, and received notes from a variety of persons. The prisoner said, “This may be one of the stolen notes for aught I know; but I got it from some person as I travelled round the country.” A great many notes originally taken from him have been since returned to the prisoner.
George Bristow Carpenter, examined by Mr. BRODERICK.—I am an officer at Hastings. I was sent for to the Bank on the 19th of March. I searched the prisoner, and found on him a pocket-book, some sovereigns, and a little silver. Also a screw-driver. There were some Rye notes in the pocket-book. I asked him if he had any more notes, to which he answered, No. I made another search. He was reluctant to be searched. I observed something on the floor, from which the prisoner moved his foot. I picked it up. It was a roll of notes. Among them there were three of the notes said to be stolen. There were two 5l. and a 10l. note. I marked my name upon them, and delivered the notes to Mr. Cope.
By Mr. ANDREWS.—A good deal of money I took from the prisoner was returned to him, as there was nothing suspicious about it.
Mr. James W. Cope, City-Marshal of London, examined by Mr. THESSIGER.—I received certain notes from Mr. G. Carpenter. I kept the notes, which I produce, and also a screw-driver. The notes are in the same state as when I received them. I was present at the first examination of the prisoner at Union Hall. Also at the second, on the 14th of April. I saw Harding there. He pointed out the prisoner to me.
By Mr. ANDREWS.—I mean that Harding said he was one of the men who came on the coach. There was another man of whom the coachman spoke who was afterwards discharged.
George Young produced the bankers’ book, in which the notes were entered, and compared the entry with the notes. There were two 5l. Petworth notes; two 10l. Chichester notes.
By Mr. ANDREWS.—There is no entry of the date of the note, but there is of the value.
Mr. Bencraft recalled, and examined by Mr. ANDREWS.—There may be notes of the same number issued in different years, but each are distinguished with a letter. The numbers are entered that the notes can be ascertained; the others of the same number may have been in circulation issued in different years; two of the notes have the letter D. on them.
This closed the case for the prosecution.
The prisoner, on being called on for his defence, assured his lordship and the gentlemen of the jury, that he was innocent of the charge. It was so long from the time of his apprehension to its being declared to him (only last Monday) that he was to be tried on this charge, that he had not the opportunity to ascertain where he was at the time when the robbery was said to be committed; or how, in his capacity of a dealer at fairs and markets, he had received the notes in question.
The case then went to the jury, who returned, in a few minutes, a verdict of guilty; and sentence of transportation for seven years was immediately pronounced against him.
The case excited a great deal of interest in the county, as it was understood that the bankers have refused several offers to compromise, and receive back a great part of the stolen property. A sum exceeding 1,000l. is stated to have been expended by Mr. Bencraft in the tracing of the gang, which, added to the value of the lost property, makes a great sacrifice on the part of that gentleman to public justice.