[List-Cumbria] Carlisle Journal, 27 Aug 1814 - Cumberland Assizes (5)

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 27 Aug 1814   (p. 4, col. 1-5)

 

CUMBERLAND ASSIZES. 

----- 

CROWN END. 

 

TUESDAY, AUG. 23. 

 

[continued] 

 

ROBBERY OF THE MAIL. 

 

William JACKSON (aged 45) was put to the bar, charged under an act of the 31st of his present Majesty, which makes the offence
capital, and without benefit of clergy, with stealing two bags containing letters from Keswick to Penrith, and Keswick to London, on
the morning of the 15th Feb. last, out of the mail-cart travelling between Keswick and Penrith. 

 

It would seem, that on the day laid in the indictment, the postman, ATKINSON, driving the mail from Keswick to Penrith, conveyed the
bags to the post-office at the latter place; but for a reason which will be hereafter explained, neglected to count them as usual.
On inspecting the bags, the post-master discovered the two bags from Keswick to Penrith and London were missing, and, as no account
could be obtained of them, it was conjectured that they had been either lost or stolen. Next morning the prisoner, who was a helper
in some stables in the neighbourhood, brought the bags to the post-office, attended by a little boy, whom, he said, he had found
playing with them in Dockray. On examination, it was discovered, that the letters had been all opened, and money abstracted from
those which had contained it. This circumstance, coupled with the prisoner having been near the mail-cart on the morning on which
the bags were stolen,—its being ascertained that the story of his finding the boy playing with them was not correct, and other
suspicious appearances,—lead to his apprehension. 

 

The first witness was Miss Jane DOVER, of Keswick, who, being shewn a letter (one of those which had been opened), proved that she
had put it into the post-office at Keswick on the 14th Feb. directed to her uncle in London. In the letter was a bill of exchange
for £29 3s. 6d. which was wanting. 

 

Mr. T. D. BLAMIRE occasionally acts as clerk to Messrs. FLETCHER and DE WHELPDALE, magistrates in Penrith; was present when prisoner
was brought before them, and took down from his mouth an examination, the truth of which he admitted, but refused to sign it. 

 

Mr. James ATKINSON, post-master at Keswick, received a letter from Miss DOVER, which he put into the bag for London, on the 14th
February. The mail is conveyed in a covered cart from Keswick to Penrith. In the morning, when the cart set out, there were eight
bags to be forwarded from Keswick to Penrith: two of these, viz. those designed for Penrith and London, were put together by
themselves; and the whole were delivered to George BROCKLEBANK, to be forwarded by Thomas ATKINSON, the driver of the mail-cart to
Penrith. 

 

Geo. BROCKLEBANK, in February last, was the driver of the mail from Keswick. On the 14th of that month he brought nine bags to the
latter place, three of which he gave to the post-master, from whom he received two others. These two bags he put into the cart he
had brought from Cockermouth to be conveyed by Thomas ATKINSON to Penrith, at which time all the bags were safe. The door of the
cart opens beneath his feet, so that no one could get into it except through the driver's legs. 

 

Thomas ATKINSON, in February last, drove the mail from Keswick to Penrith, and corroborated the evidence of the preceding witness
respecting the bags being safely delivered into the vehicle. He did not stop at any place by the way, and arrived at Penrith
post-office a little before six; and having taken the bags of letters from the cart, threw them upon the floor; but did not count
them as usual, because his horse started suddenly from the door, and he ran out to hold him. It was then between dark and light, and
he proceeded after his horse to the stable. When at the post-office door, the horses which had brought the Manchester mail, at the
stables of which prisoner is a helper, came past. His own stable is about 30 or 40 yards beyond the former stables. After reaching
his own stable, he proceeded to those of the Manchester mail in order to light a candle, and observed the prisoner at the door. On
the two bags being missed, every enquiry. was made respecting them, but without effect. On the succeeding Wednesday he saw the
prisoner in the kitchen of Richard HERRING, where he quartered; Mr. POOLEY, post-master, was then present, and spoke about offering
a reward of £5 for the recovery of the bags; on hearing which prisoner went out.—The prisoner here put a variety of questions to
witness, the only pertinent one of which had reference to his reason for so abruptly going out; when witness stated that Mrs.
HERRING desired him to carry some linen to the hedge, and she would give him a cup of tea; could not say which way the prisoner
departed from the house, but thought it was by the back-door. 

 

 

[to be continued] 

 

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.cumbriafhs.com/mailman/private/list-cumbria/attachments/20201010/94ac1794/attachment.htm>