Wednesday, April STH. The Post Office Robbery.

Otago Witness, Issue 697, 8 April 1865, Page 8

Wednesday, April STH. The Post Office Robbery.

Charles Pearson "Fox surrendered to his bail, to answer the charge of feloniously breaking into the Post-office, Dunedin, between 9 p.m. on the 18th and 9 a.m. on the 2Qth December, 186-1, and stealing therefrom L 440 of the monies of the Postmaster- Gener :1.

Mr Henry Howorth appeared to prosecute for the Crown, and Mr Prendergast appeared for the prisoner.

Mr Howorth asked leave to amend the information. The prisoner was charged with breaking into the Post-office, but the facts which he would be able to prove led him to think that the probabilities were that the prisoner had broken out of the Post-office. lie wished to amend the information in this respect.

Mr Prendergast assented to this amendment.

The information, as amended, was then rr.id over to the prisoner. He was charged with secreting himself in the Post-office, stealing L 440, and afterwards breaking out of the building.

Mr Iloworth, in opening the case, stated at great length the facts which he hoped to be able to prove against the prisoner.

The following evidence was taken :—: —

Robert Dow : I am messenger at the Post Office, Dunedin, and live in part of the building. I recollect the morning of the 19th December. I went to the office at eight o'clock that morning. I went through the lower room and upstairs. I entered Mr Biss's room, and found the outer d^or, which leads to the back, fastened with a piece of blotting paper. There is a flight of steps from the door leading tothe Government yard, and there is also a path to a gate wheh opens into Princes street. The outer door was jammed, a piece of blotting paper being fixed between the door and the lintel. I saw the box of the door hanging on the doorpost; the top screw had been taken out, and the box or hasp was broken as it is now, lying on the table. I saw a screw on the corner of Mr Biss's table ; and a screw driver lying at the foot of the table. I then went to the staircase door and called

upMr Stevenson. He came and went into Mr Biss's room, and I pointed out what I had observed. We went out of the room and towards the safe, which stood about \ 6ft from Mr Biss's door. The postmaster's room adjoins Mr Biss's, and the door of ' that room is between Mr Biss's door and the safe, which is close to Mr Barr's door. "We found one of the doors of the safe about 3in open. There was atableoppo-ite the safe, and on it we found the three cash boxes now produced. I did not try the white tin box to see. whether or not it was unlocked ; but the rip or tear in the top was certainly there at this time. I was sent by Mr Stevenson to fetch Mr Biss. Beyond Mr Barr's room there is a small room used as a washing-room ; airl there is a window in it from which there is a full view of Princes street. 1 recollect shutting and locking the door of that room on the night of Siturday, the 17th December. On the Monday morning, I found it standing open, the key being on the outside, as I left it. In Jetty street there are two doors to the porch to the office, and they were locked wi f h separate keys. It is my duty to lo'.'k those doors, and to hang the keys in Mr Kay's office, which adjoins the porch. I recollect locking those at nine o'clock on this Saturday night, and hanging up the keys as usual. They were hanging there at nine o'clock on the Monday morning. 1 remember that during September Mr Biss asked me to search for a bunch of keys. It would be about one o'clock in the forenoon. I searched diligently all through the office on that day, aud on the fo' lowing day I searched again. I did not find the keys.

By Mr Prendergast : I live on the Jetty street side of the building ; and there is a door by which I can go into the office. I have tliree rooms in a building adjoining the office ; and the door I refer to opens into the receiving room, whence there is access to all parts. It is my duty to fasten the two outer doors in the porch, not other?. Yes, I lock a iitile gate leading to Princes street also. I keep the key of it. I locked this gate ab )ut twelve o'clock on this Saturdiy night, it is usually the bst place fastened, after I hare gone over the building to see that all is sate. I did that on this night. There is a door from thi« passage into the receiving room, and I went that way to my house. Mr Barr looks his own door and keeps the key, anil so does Mr Biss. Either of 'hem can get into the place when he like. I have known Mr BiS3 come in ;:t night, but veryseldom. The key of the receiving room is left in the lock after I have turned it. A clerk conies to the office early every Monday morning — sometimes at three, sometimes at four: and they all come early, if the English mail arrives during the night. Mr Cecil Biss had to come on Monday the 19th December. I don't know what time l.c came ; he got a key on the Saturday night, and came through my house. He had to come through my front door and through one of my rooms, and on this morning I saw him pass, while 1 was in bed in the other room. I have two key's of my front door for this purpose ; and any clerk who comes at night comes the wiy I have described. I saw Mr C. Biss go out a^ain on this Mon-

day morning ; he did not stop more than an hour. He gave me up the key when he returned to duty, as is the practice ; but I don't remember whether he was then on the morning or alternoon staff. I got up at half-past four o'clock that morning, after giving out the mails, and then I went to bed again. I did not sleep at all, I'm sure of that ; and I got up again at six o'clock. I did not go into the office again until after Mr Stevenson came at eight o'clock. I went on with sweeping the place, and when I found what had happened, I called Mr Stevenson. On the Sunday morning, Mr Stevenson and three of the clerks came to the office about nine o'clock, to get off the English mail. I locked the door behind them, when they left, as soon as I returned from despatching the mail ; that would be about one o'clock. Mr Schrader was in the office that day ; he was the mail agent. I don't know whether Mr Jago was also there. I did not, when the clerks left, go round to see that all was safe. 1 went out at two o'clock, returned at six, and remained home all the evening. My wife was at home while I

was ou'

Re-examined : Mr C. Biss and Mr Stevenson are the Superintendents of the mail room. When the office is closed, I have no communication, except with the receiving rooms. Soon after the keys were missed, there was a search for them in the closet, which was emptied. They were not found, so far as I know. Alexander Stevenson : I am clerk in the mail department at the Post Office. I left about twelve o'clock on the night o Saturday, the 17th December, at which time Mr Cecil Biss was still there. I returned to the office on Sunday morning, at 9.15, and entered from Jetty street, either through the large door, or Mr Dow's room. Mr Cecil Biss, Mr Brown, and Mr M'Donough, were working in the mail room when I entered. That room is

entered through the receiving room and / the newspaper room. Mr Schrader was there during the forenoon, but I cannot remember that Mr Jago was. I did not go into the upper part of the building that day, nor did I see anyone else do so; but I work with my back to the doors, so that anyone might go up without my observing them. I left the office about twelve o'clock on this Sunday morning, leaving Mr Cecil Biss there. I saw the prisoner that day. Mr Warburton, who is also a clerk, and the prisoner, came to my lodgings, by appointment, between =i:< and seven o'clock, and we W2nt to Vauxhall and bathed. Mr Grey, another clerk, accompanied us. We returned together between eight and nine o'clock ; and went together as far as Clark street, where I went on in front, because of having to get back to the office to assist in despatching the English Mail. On the Monday morning, at a few minutes past eight, I was called by Dow and. went up to Biss's room. [The witness described what he saw, the effect of the evidence being the same as that given by Dow.] I sent Dow off for Mr Biss, and one of the mailclerks for Mr Barr ; and I stood at the staircase, to prevent any one going up until Mr Barr arrived. He, with Biss and. Mr Pagan, arrived shortly afterwards. I subsequently saw a chain lying on a bag, at a li' tie distance from the safe.

By Mr Prendergast : I did not see either of these cash boxes from the Sunday until last night. I don't know that there was a cash box lying about the office up to the 11th ult. 1 believe that the prisoner was assistant upstairs, to Mr Pagan, in the money order department. Mr War bur ton had the registration duties, and Mr Grubb the stamps. I have known the prisoner come and help in the mail department ; hut I never knew of a mail clerk going to help upstairs.

lie- examined : I remember an inquiry being made for keys missed by Mr Biss. I had seen them previously, but I have not seen them since.

The examination, was then adjourned.

The Magistrate said that he would accept bail, and he would consider whether he would accept the previous amounts, or require larger ones.