- 2270. WILLIAM MILTON PUGSLEY , stealing, whilst employed under the Post-Office, a post-letter, containing 1s.; the money of Her Majesty's post-master General.
MESSRS. CLARKSON and BODKIN conducted the Prosecution.
THOMAS GAPES . I am inspector of letter-carriers at the Charing cross Branch-office—the prisoner has been a letter-carrier at that office for three or four years in the Pimlico district—a letter addressed to Emanuel Hospital Schools would be in his delivery—a letter posted at Beverley, in Yorkshire, on 3rd Aug., would be delivered in town on the morning of the 4th, about nine, or from nine to ten—after his delivery, he came to the office about twenty minutes past twelve—he was then taken into custody upon a process of the County Court—the officers were waiting at the office for his return—they brought him to me, and asked if I would see that all his letters were taken from him before he was taken, as they could not take him while he had any letters in his possession—I desired the prisoner to give up all his letters to his partner, George Feltham—he said he had done so—he was then taken by the officers—this letter (produced) bears the Beverley post-mark of 3rd Aug., and the London post-mark of 4th—it is open—it has been wafered—I know the prisoner's handwriting—I believe this other letter to be his—(produced.)
Cross-examined by MR. BALLAXTINE. Q. Do you know about the number of letters he would have to deliver of a morning. A. I cannot say—I have known instances of money escaping from letters—if such a thing happened while the postman was going his rounds, it would be his duty to explain that to the party to whom he delivered the letter, if he knew the letter out of which it came—if he could not tell, it would be his duty to inform some person in authority, and to receive directions as to what to do—he would not be justified in delivering money to a party with a letter, unless he was quite ascertain that it belonged to that letter—he would not have any opportunity of seeing any of the superiors of the establishment until he was taken into custody—he did not appear to be much excited and agitated—the officers were not in the office—I told him that two persons were waiting for him, and desired him to go out to them—he brought in his collection of letters with him—I have no idea how many there were—he brought them in in a bag—they were letters that he had collected from the different district offices.
JOSEPH KING . I am a warden in the Westminster House of Correction—the prisoner was brought there on the 4th Aug. under a process of the County Court—I was asked by another officer to come and search him, and I did so—the first thing I searched was his hat—I turned up the leather lining and found a piece of newspaper put in, as if the hat was too large for him—I said, "Have you anything else in the hat?" He said, "No." I then tanned down the lining, and there found the letter produced, broken open—I said, "Halloo! here is a letter!" He said, "Oh yes, it is quite right; I have deliverd the letter, and am further going to deliver it to a Mrs. Somebody, "
mentioning some name which I forget, in Chapel-street; it was no such name as is on this letter—I turned the letter round, and said, "It is directed to Master Geo. Eastwood, Emanuel Hospital School, James-street, Westminster, London." He said, "Yes; if I can see the next postman that comes to the prison gate, I will explain the whole particulars to him, and give it to him to take it to where I was to take it to." I was about to take it out of the envelope, when he very quietly took it from my hand, and said, "It is quite right"—I had not read the contents of it—I said, "I don't think you will be allowed to see the next postman; if you will tell me the particulars about it, I will give it to the postman?"—He said, "I think you will not understand it." I said, "Why; is it not written in English?"—he said, "Yes; but you won't understand it." I continued to search him, and the only money I found on him was a penny, and he acknowledged that to be all he had; but he wanted to send for some money—that was while I was searching him—I searched every pocket except his fob, and I told him to turn that out—he said, "he had nothing in it"—he bad given the letter back to me, and I gave it to Maries, who was also present during the search—I handed it to Marles with the other papers—he reported the case to the Governor, and the Governor allowed the prisoner to see the next postman—I was not present—I did not read the letter and envelope at the time I was with the prisoner—it was about five minutes to two when I searched him, and it was about half-past four the same afternoon that I saw it again—Marles was not present when I looked at it—the prisoner did not ask me for pen and ink to write a letter, nor did I see him write a letter—next day I went to the General Post-office, and accompanied Peak back to the prison—I was present when Peak saw the prisoner—Peak said to him, "You are charged with stealing a money-letter containing one shilling, directed to Master Geo. Eastwood, Emanuel Hospital Schools, James-street, Westminster, London." He said, "I did not steal it, I found the shilling in my pocket and meant to have returned it to the inspector on duty."—I said, "How could you do that, when you had only one penny in your pocket?"—he said, he had made use of the money previous to coming in, and he meant to have returned it.
Cross-examined. Q. You have told us two very long conversations; am I to understand that you pledge yourself to the accuracy of them. A. Yes; I have not the least doubt about them—I am sure he said he found the shilling in his pocket—that was said in Peak's presence—I did not hear him say he found the shilling in his bundle of letters—he said he collected his letters at Elliott's; but I did not hear him say anything about finding the shilling in the bundle—it was my duty to search him accurately—this was the only letter I foand in his hat, I swear that—I found another letter in his side coat-pocket, which I gave up to the Post-office authorities—I think I gave it to Marles; it was directed to a Miss Adams, Montagu-place—it was sealed—I have not seen it since—the word "Paid" was put in the corner, but there was was no post mark on it—there was one letter directed to himself—that was found in his breast-pocket; be pulled out three or four memorandums or papers—the letter directed to himself, was with one directed to Miss Adams—it was among the letters he pulled out—I took it out of his breast-pocket with the papers he had—he was very reluctant to take them out—I took part out, and he took part out—he took out the letter directed to himself, and gave it to me; I gave it to Maries—I am quite sure that that letter was not found in his hat, because I read the direction myself—I found the letter in his hat before I found the other papers—I searched the hat the first thing—I put that letter and the other papers all together, and delivered them up to Maries—I
did not find every thins that the prisoner had about him—he acknowledged that he had given up everything—I have been reprimanded for the manner in which I conducted this search—I now know that some other things were found on him—the person is not here that found them—when I found the letter, he said, it was all right; he had delivered it, and was going to further deliver it—that was the letter I found in his hat—he did not say he had to deliver it—I said at Bow-street that he said he had delivered it.
THOMAS MARLES . I was present at the Westminster gaol, when the prisoner was searched. I told him to give up all his property—he was asked whether he had given up everything that he had—he said yes he had done—he had given up a newspaper, and two or three letters, which he took, I believe, from his breast coatpocket—King was present when he produced them—he had his hat on—I saw King take it off and search it, and find a letter in it—that was after the other papers were found—I am quite sure of that—this is the envelope of the letter that was taken from his hat—I read the address—I took the letters and papers and wrapped them up in a parcel—kept them for about half an hour, and then delivered the letter again to the prisoner—he said he wished to see the next postman that came, in order that he might give the letter up to him—a postman came soon after wards, and I was present when the prisoner saw him—the prisoner requested the postman to go to some place and obtain some money for him, and to come again at at half-past five o'clock—I do not remember the place he mentioned—the post-man said, "Very well," and the prisoner was about to come away, and I said, "I thought you had a letter to give him? you have not given him the letter"—I had given him back the letter before that—the prisoner said, "Yes, I have a letter," put his hand into his side pocket, and pulled it out, and asked the postman if he knew a somebody; I believe it was Mrs. Williams, but I am not certain, in Little Chapel-street—the postman said no, he did not know the house—the prisoner said, "No, I have forgotten the number, and if you will return at half-past five I will write out an explanation for yon"—the postman said, "If you have a letter I had better deliver that; no doubt I shall rind it out"—he said, "No, if you call at half-past five and bring me some money, I will write out the whole of the explanation for you"—he showed the postman a letter—the postman took it, and returned it to him again directly, and he kept it for a short time after the postman left, and then applied to me for paper to write out the explanation—I supplied him—he wrote more than one—he gave me one addressed to a person in Regent-street; I gave it to the Governor—I saw no more of him—at the same time he gave me this letter, addressed to the Inspector, Charing-cross post-office—it is not one of the sheets of paper I supplied to him, but I know he wrote it—it was wafered when he gave it me—the wafer was wet—it was open when I had it half an hour before—the Governor opened it, and King was sent to Emanuel Hospital with it.
Cross-examined. Q. Was not the other letter to Mr. Pridley, Palace-street, Pimlico? A. No; I heard everything that was said during the search—I cannot swear he had not taken his hat off when the letters were being delivered up—King took it off afterwards—the letter taken out of it was placed on the top of the others, tied up in a parcel, and delivered by King to me—when it was found. King said, "Here is a letter; it is broken open"—the prisoner said, "Oh yes, it is all right, I have delivered the letter, but have been requested as a favour to deliver it to somebody else"—he did not mention the name, but said, "to some one in Chapel-street"—a bit of 3 paper was also found in his hat—1d. was found—he was asked if he had
anything more—he said "No," that was all he had—King did not say anything about a shilling that day—I was not present when he was searched the second time.
MR. BODKIN. Q. When you left the room, had you any notion that that letter was supposed to contain money? A. No, not till the Governor broke it open—it was open when it was found—I never read it—I am not aware that any one did, till the Governor did—I have no recollection of money being mentioned during the whole time I and King were together.
MATTHEW PEAK . On 5th Aug. I received a warrant to apprehend the prisoner, and went to the House of Detention, and informed him I took him for stealing a letter adressed "Master George Eastwood, Emanuel Hospital, Westminster," containing 1s., which ought to have been delivered the day before—I asked him if he had anything to say to it—he said, "No"—I said, "Am I to take that as an answer?"—he stopped a minute, and said, "I found the shilling among the letters, and intended to take it back to the Inspector when I went back"—that he found Master George Eastwood's letter open, and he was going to ask the Inspector if he was to deliver the letter with or without the shilling—King said, "How could you do that when you only had a penny on you?"—he said, "No, I made away with that, and all I had, before I came here."
Cross-examined. Q. This was at Tothill-fields prison? A. Yes—he did not say he found the shilling in his pocket; but among the bundle of letters.
GEORGE EASTWOOD . I am the father of George Eastwood, who was at the hospital, and live at Ramsburton, Yorkshire. On 3rd Aug. I wrote this letter, and put it in this envelope—it was directed by a friend of mine to my son—this is his writing—I wrote another letter to Mary Elizabeth Waters, the schoolmistress at Emanuel—I wafered both letters about twelve o'clock, and gave them to Stevenson, the post-carrier, who goes between Ramsburton and Beverley—they were quite secure—I know no one living in Little Chapel-street, London.
GEORGE EASTWOOD, JUS . I was at Emanuel Hospital School. On 8th Aug. I went home for the holidays—I received no note from my father about a week before, and no shilling—I know no one in Little Chapel-street, London.
Cross-examined. Q. Is the hospital at the end of Little Chapel-street? A. Yes.
JULIA SEYMOUR . I was at Emanuel Hospital-school. I recollect the letters coming on 4th Aug.—they are put into a box—I saw the prisoner, who is postman, that morning, about eleven o'clock, put three letters into the box—I bad heard the postman's bell ring before that—I took out the three letters, and gave two to Mrs. Waters, and one to the boy Thompson—this letter, addressed Master George Eastwood, was not there.
SAMUEL MILDER . I am a letter-carrier at the Charing-cross Post-office. On 4th Aug., between two and three o'clock, I had occasion to go to the westminstor House of Correction, and in consequence of information from the Porter, I went into the place, and remained till the prisoner was brought—he put a letter in my hand—after I had read the address, he took it back—he said he had a re-direction for it to go to Little Chapel-street—he could not think of the name or number, but said he would endeavour to do so—he asked me to bring him some pens and writing-paper out of his drawer, and to know what time I could take his money and his wages—the warder gave me the key of his drawer to get the pape'rs, and I then left the prison—I
saw him again next day—he said he was so confused the day before at being brought there, that ho could not tell rightly about the letter; but that when he was in Elliott's brew house, on untying his letters, there was 1s., fell out, and he found a letter with the seal broken that he thought it had come out of, and he intended to keep it to send to the Inspector at Charing-cross for his opinion.
Cross-examined. Q. Have you had money tumble out of your letters in the course of your delivery? A. No; it never happened to me—once in the course of my sorting in the office, a sixpence fell out of a letter by accident, and it was given to the Inspector, who was present at the time—I have gone the same beat as the prisoner—I have not known him to put letters aside in his hat—I have put letters into my hat on a wet day, when I could not get at my pocket.
MR. CLARKSON. Q. Have you ever put them in the lining of your half? A. No; if money dropped from a letter in my possession, I should think is my duty immediately to communicate it to the officer on duty.
GEORGE FELTHAM . I was the prisoner's partner in the delivery of the district of Pimlico. On the 4th Aug., the day he was taken, he did not hand me any letters.
(The letter being read, mentioned the fact of 1s.being enclosed in it.) The letter written by the prisoner was as follows:—"To the Inspector, Charing-cross.—This morning I found with my letters 1s., and meant to have star: you the letter I supposed it came out of, as the seal was broken or imperfect, I gave it to one of our men to deliver, and the shilling was enclosed to you. The letter was addressed—'Emanuel Hospital, Westminster.'" (The prisoner here produced his hat, and King pointed out where he found the letter.)
GUILTY. Aged 35.—Recommended to mercy. — Transported for Seven Years.
Before Mr. Justice Maule.
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Australian Convict Ship Project
Abt 1811 - Yes, date unknown
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