AN OLD CRIMINAL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXXII, Issue 847, 4 December 1905, Page 7

AN OLD CRIMINAL.

FROM WELLINGTON TO LONDON. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, December 2. The Talbot Bridgewater in the case mentioned in the London cable message yesterday, is identical with Pohn Henry Brown alias Jenkins, who in November, 1895, was senteni_ed at the Supreme Court, Wellington, to eighteen years' penal servitude for procuring abortion. While in Wellington, Brown conducted a medical business with Dr Frickart, a woman who is the Elizabeth Faster of th? cable message. Brown was liberated from gaol in 1902 on the ground of supposed failing health. He subsequently brought, an action for wrongful treatment against Dr Teare, the gaol surgeon. This was not sustained. During the hearing of the case in the lower Court an ' amazing story, was unfolded by the prosecuting counsel. Ac--«orcting to'the statement, Bridgewater, who ha? been sentenced to seven years' imprisonment, had an extensive "acquaintance among ■ men' who were notorious criminals of-the bank-theft and forger class. Holmes had \ been: associated with Bridgewater for;/:certainly eight years. He was an assistant in in Bri'dgewateT's medical specialist practice. Shackell was a man who had his v letters addressed to Bridge-water's place, arid had been described, as the superintendent of his billmen men who were sent out into the streets to advertise the medical iwisiness. .

The evidence would also show, said .'counsel; 'that Shackell was there'to see whe- ; thi'r there Was'airy "scratching.", to be done !;-—-*'scratching." being; the sang team. for ; forgery. • l Tlie woman Foster had lived at|a OhPase"at Seaford calfed'lngleside. Bridge- ; "rcate> visited her, there; and took Jiis;'; friends r .dpjvvn, among :others, Shackell ?ajia"a' , mto'''naihed..F3sherj'','ali'as Blair, now i-Tindergo'ing a v term ,of 'penal.,servitude. >■ According' to Fisher, the'prisoner Bridge-; Miss Too-' 'secretary to .Mr., E.. Marshall Fox, an American. ,_... His object was to gain information about "her employer, and*'this he succeeded in Miss Tbovey gave it give ua consciously. Wax impressions were taken ofj;keys; in her possession.' "* At that time a-:riotoripuW bank thief named { "Billy" ■■ Wigriim,:. "was.,- at.TaVge, and .con-; ' ;wlih I ,the^'jp^^i^get^ng'->m ! |o'' , Mr. Tbat^ribffieej-'"--Wlgranv broke, bne-.pf i; (tiie He was ; "' in Glasgow in October, 1903, 6h' a'charge robbery, ami went >His' longers in, IntOi-j^l^'a,^cheque-bboK' siol&i^:; v Two *fe(Bqp^^onei ■ for 4319 and fa. Ins js&odtt - Fisher, was> Court in 1 charge of -warders. In-;lli'§|.icOTirge- of his evidence 3ie said 1 ;—" I called pn^Bridgewater, to see if there ' was any Htfeffiess-;'. I was 'broke' and wanted sometßirig ?to do. Bridgewater suggested I snould take apartments at Miss Toovey's house at Streatham-> and pet impressions of-her keys. ; He l said Mr Fox was an American, a strongman financially, with ■maßy.:-th^nsaids ; ] iin diamonds. in his .safe arid' *&.' account of £3o^ooo.prV£4o^ooo:. -\ He represented that. ,£7OOO :be'. got; and I was: promised a third'of."rt; ; ' "It was; about; three weeks- 'alftering prison that Iwii& installed .a lodger. a|; gave her name: of Dean."' 'The thrid day/l}gotrimprr«ssions of, on tlie dining roomvyti.ble. : , ! told., me that-she kepteithem; ..in tnje\bag,: : I gave "Bridgewater Jthe .jhe ;2iad:/the keys .madei : ; : • to me'by'him three or ;iow and I brake; one of the r wypng door at, one of Mr Fox's offices. Fresh keys..V§re made ? and I.jgpt in't; 6the : ' T wanted more time, on.,the. finst .Occasion Jo,properly •go through the safe, the time'' from 9.30 to 9.45 a..m. being rather unsafe." " This-was reported to Bridgewater, who urged that., as we were, inv.want of money the job" should be done right away. About a week afterwards, while ;Dr Bridgewater,' was watching outside to see if Miss Toovey came alone, I paid another visit. to the worn, and opened Mr Fox's safe. I took aeveral blank ■cheque forms from a book, and also some.old returned (used) cheques a« specimens of Mr Fox's handwriting. As Bvidirewater was not satisfied with these", ori the : ground that they were too old, 1. was deputed" to get specimens of Fox's handwriting • from. Miss Toovey. I talked to her about references and induced her! fn show :roe.lier? wfitten>vte.stimonial from Mr Fox. It was vkept : in a lx>ok, and 1 borrowed it, a dny, or-two. after for 'ithe' doctor.' who handed it over to Shackell. -.; ■" The cheque forms were given to- Shackel'. and he went upstajrs with 'the doc-;; tor.' Titer returned, and' all four of lis— Bridgewater, "Holmes, Shacknell, and myself —looked at"n; : form filled in for £6OO. Bridgewater ' fold liim • "the signature • was- too ;,-- ; shaky/f— -that : he ought' tp; go home and stop drinking for a ibit. before he liTul'"aiiotTier'" tiy; An- apnoint-; Biflijtjwas,made .for the;next day. Shackell, was advised to feike a tonic 'to; straifrhten put hirs hand a bit.' (Laughter.) " i'interval, of 'sbnie days" Shackell at the office did ' tim pieces'—one for f«r ov%r £BOO and the other for £SOO. It was arranged that Holmes should pass thesmaller' cheque. Bridgewater said he would *end his' prisoner Foster—on the ■continent to change-the proceeds. " Bridgewater reported eome days after-, wards'that Foster had changed the bank n otes .in , France. I _... received £lO5 in French-money for my share of tie business. I was -'invited rto Seaford for the following week-end, and 'the. doctor' said the expenses yof the "ioiirney to Paris .were £ls. After the job I left Miss Toovey's place."