EXTRAORDINARY WILL-STEALING CASE AT NEWPORT.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 97, 5 October 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

EXTRAORDINARY WILL-STEALING CASE AT NEWPORT.

(From the Weekly Dispatch*) The following particulars are from a provincial contemporary : — About two months since we announced the decease of the late Mr Thomas Powell, of the Gaer, near Newport, Monmouthshire. By dint of perseverance and untiring energy deceased had amassed a large fortune, and although his property consisted principally of collieries, yet the revenues from them were stated to be something fabulous. The old gentleman was possessed of no less than six teen collieries, which gave employment to from eight thousand to ten thousand hands, and it was said that he exported more coal than any single firm in the world. A widow and several sons and dauthters were left to mourn his loss, and the property was understood to be divided amongst them, but the proportions have not transpired. The executors were Mr Henry Powell aud Mr Walter Powell, the second and third sons of the deceased, and Mr Williams a friend of the family. In about a fortnight after Mr Powell's death, a report was circulated that the original copy of his will had been suddenly lost, or, in other words, had been stolen along with other papers from a safe, at the family mansion, the Gaer, near Newport. The report was at first put down as a canard, but in course of time the supposed hoax turned out to be a fact. The executors issued a placard offering a reward of sixty pounds for the recovery of the will and other documents lost, and the conviction of the thief. As this reward produced no result, in a few days another placard was issued, and tlie reward was increased to .£IOO. It was stated that entrance had been effected through the back window of the house, and that the safe was forcibly opened, and the will and other papers taken. The perpetrator of the robbery did not seem to have any hankering after money. For six or seven weeks nothing further was heard of the matter, and as other events of local and general interest claimed public attention, the will and its mysterious disappearance were gradually becoming things of the past. On Thursday morning last, however, the intelligence was circulated that the will and the perpetrator of the robbery were in the hands of the police. From what has since transpired, it appears that about a fortnight ayo a letter was received by Mrs. Powell, written in a good bold hand, signed "the Brothers Laverna," offering to restore the lost documents on payment 0f£125 in gold. If Mrs. Powell acceded to this proposal, an advertisement was to be inserted in the local papers of the 4th inst., to the following effect, " John Anderson may communicate with his late employer." Theadvertisementduly appeared, and on the 1 1th Mrs Powellreceived another letter, appointing a meeting at half-past 10 that evening, at the old road leading to the Gaer. It was, of course, out of the question that a lady should keep such an appointment, and Mr Williams, one of the executors, hit upon the happy expedient of impersonation. He dressed in lady's clothes, and at the proper hour the supposed Mrs. Powell (Mr. Williams) met one of the brothers "Laverna'' in the old road as agreed upon. There was a closed gate between the two, and Mr. Williams immediately found that " Laverna '' wore a mask. The latter offered to sjive up the papers there and then, provided the money was placed on the gate. Mr. Williams hesitated, and wished to be satisfied as to their genuineness, and after a little further conversation, " Laverna '' agreed to send Mrs. Powell part of the lost papers by post, and have a second meeting on Monday evening. Mrs. Powell received the papers as promised, and all doubts were then removed as to their genuineness. By Monday evening the police were communicated with, and several officers were posted round the spot where the extraordinary meeting was to take place. " Laverna," however, did not make an appearance, and it was feared that he had found out the trap laid for him. This fear was set at rest by Mrs Powell receiving another letter on Wednesday morning, appointing a meeting the same evening, at the same place as before. Every possible preparation was now made to secure the " Lavernas," and five or six police officers were stationed around the spot, as was the case on Monday evening. As P. C. Hale, one of the officers on the watch, was going over the gate into the field, he perceived a man standing before him with a mask on his face. This at once aroused his suspicion, and he jumped forward and seized the man. A frightful struggle here ensued, and the man managed to get hold of Hale by the throat, and nearly overpowered him. By a sudden effort Hale got his opponent under him, and then he took out his staff and managed him well. The whistle was sounded, and the other officers immediately came to the rescue. Mr Williams, Mr Henry Powell, Mr Thomas Powell, Mr Walter Powell, and other members of the Gaer family were within easy distance preparing

for the interview. After several determined attempts to escape, the "Laverna*' was at last secured, and turned out to be Mr Edwin Trustcotter Gill, son of Mr Gill, carver and gilder, Commercial-street, Newport. When apprehended he said, " Oh ! Lord, I am the victim of others ; I know nothing about the papers.'' He also said that the documents were with a man | named William Matthews, in the same ' field. Police-officers were stationed in the field at night, and on Thursday J morning a parcel wa& found about two yards from where Gill stood. In this parcel were the will and the other missing papers. On Saturday Gill was i brought before the Rev. T. Pope, Cap- i tain Phillips, R.N., and Mr John James, Jun., at the County Police-court, Newport. Long before 12 o'clock, the hour appointed for the sitting, the court was densely crowded with spectators, anxious to have a look at the prisoner, and to hear the particulars of the case. Gill was charged on the police-sheet with burglariously entering the " Gaer" mansion, and stealing there- j from a copy of a will and several other papers. Mr Fox appeared to prosecute, and Mr Cathcart defended the prisoner. Mr Fox applied for a remand for a few days, in order that he should have time to prepare the evid-ence vvhiah he intended to offer. Mr Cathcart said he had no objection to that course, and after some further discussion it was agreed that the case should be heard next Saturday, at 1 1 a.m. Mr Fox remarked that he feared the case would occupy a long time, as a great number of witnesses would have to be examined. The prison, a tall, thin young man, was then removed. Judging from appearance, one would not imagine that he could offer very great resistance ; but it appears that he is remarkably athletic and nimble with both hand and foot. His hand showed slight marks of the punishment which Sergeant Hale inflicted upon him at the time of his capture. Some remarkable disclosures are expected te be made when the case is heard. About half-past 4 on Saturday afterEdwin Gill, the father of the prisoner, and John Jenkins, a workman in his employ, were apprehended by Detective Curtis, of the borough police, ou a charge of being concerned in the affair.