ROBBERY BY A GOVERNMENT CLERK, AND REMARKABLE CAPTURE.
PORTSMOUTH, SATURDAY.
A bold robbery of cash, the property of the government, was effected in this town yesterday afternoon by a clerk on the establishment of the Gun Wharf (or ‟War Department” of this port), named George Joseph Nathaniel Charlier, a young man aged about 25, who has been nine years in the department. It has been the custom for the Ordnance storekeeper (Mr. Stewart) to draw a cheque on the branch Bank of England weekly for the amount of wages to be paid to the persons employed in the Gun Wharf and dependencies. This sum has sometimes been as small as 90l., and seldom exceeded 150l.; but once a quarter the salaries of officers, pensions, and other calls are added, and these, on the 28th instant, made the amount ordered to be paid 1130l. Charlier, the absconded clerk, had the confidential duty ever since he joined the Portsmouth establishment of drawing these sums from the bank; in fact, the cheque drawn was worded ‟Pay Mr. Charlier,” &c., who was invariably attended by a confidential messenger named Sheppard with bags to contain and carry the cash from the bank to the Gun Wharf. On Friday midday the two were sent as usual to the bank, but when opposite, Charlier suddenly said to Sheppard, ‟Oh, Sheppard, run down to Nance’s office, and tell them to send in their quarterly account today if possible;” to which the messenger replied, ‟Shall I come back to you at the bank?” ‟No,” said Charlier, ‟you needn’t come all the way back; you go round by the walls, and meet me; if I’m there before you I’ll wait for you, and if you are there first you can wait for me.” Suspecting nothing dishonest in this order of his superior, Sheppard went on his errand and Charlier went into the bank, where he obtained for the cheque 600l. in sovereigns. 30l. in half-sovereigns, 20l. in silver, and 480l. in notes (the numbers of which are all known and stopped), and made off. That he had contemplated the robbery for some time is suspected from the fact of his having been to a hairdresser’s in High-street, and asked him what would best disguise him—a subject he repeatedly recurred to, and about 10 days ago he took away a formidable pair of whiskers and moustache of dark hair, which would certainly disguise him if well adjusted, for he is a small made young man of thin features and scant stature. His family is very respectable, he is married, and has two children; his salary was 190l. per annum, and a house rent free in the Gun Wharf, and he ranked as a second class clerk. He had with him a woman, formerly his servant, and who is now missing. The police, under Superintendent Leggatt, immediately started in pursuit of the delinquent, for whose apprehension the government offer a reward of 100l.
SUNDAY, TEN P.M.
Mr. Superintendent Leggatt has arrived by the South Western train, just in, with the prisoner Charlier, whom he captured dressed as a widow in ‟weeds,” and has lodged him in Portsmouth gaol, together with the woman Jones, who was his companion, and with whom he cohabited. They were taken in London this day.
MONDAY.
Charlier was placed in the dock of the Portsmouth police-court, before Mr. G. C. Stigant, the Mayor, and other magistrates, to-day, to answer the charge. The woman who was the companion of his flight (who is well known at the gaol and to the police as Elizabeth Jones, and who was captured in his company), was placed in the clock with him. The male prisoner was admirably ‟got up” as a middle-aged widow, in weeds, and, having a cadaverous thin face, passed well for one who might have been supposed to have lost ‟the prop that did sustain her house.” His apparel was complete, consisting of widow’s cap, bonnet and crape veil, false hair in bands, black alpaca dress, black cloth mantle, lady’s boots (he has a remarkably small foot), open-worked stockings, white corded skirt, pocket kerchief with widow’s hem, fur boa, and ‟spectacles on nose.” The evidence given by Mr. Superintendent Leggatt, of the Portsmouth police force, and others, fully confirmed the details given above. The only addition necessary is relative to the manner of the detection and capture of the prisoners, which was very dexterously effected by Mr. Leggatt. Mr. Leggatt deposed to going, from information he had received, to Petersfield on Saturday last, and, at the Dolphin Inn there, learning that a widow lady and a young lady had been there the previous evening, and had posted on to Farnham. Proceeding there, he found they had gone on to Guildford, thence to Esher, and thence to London. They had left the carriage in Piccadilly, and here witness lost trace of them for the time. From information, however, he went yesterday (Sunday) afternoon to a coffee-house in Fenchurch-street, called the Leopard, and said to the landlady, ‟A widow and a young lady slept here last night.” She replied they had, but that the widow lady was unwell, apparently troubled in mind. Witness said he was sorry, and would call again to see them. He then went into the street, and procured the aid of a London policeman, in the event of assistance being needed. He then again went in, and said he wished to see the ladies. The landlady said he could not see them unless he sent up his card and name. He then told the landlady who he was, and he went upstairs with the London constable, finding the prisoner in his present widow's garb, with the exception that the bonnet was off, and his female companion very expensively attired. They pretended not to know him, but he told them his business, and addressing the prisoner by name, asked him if a black leather bag in the room contained the 1130l. he had stolen. He hesitated, but at length replied, ‟The principal part of the gold and silver is there, and here (producing from under his gown a packet) are the whole of the notes. I have not broken them at all.” (The numbers of these notes corresponded with those paid the prisoner partly in exchange for the cheque for the public salaries on Friday.) Mr. Leggatt then took him into custody. The moneys recovered amount to 1108l. 14s. 6d. In the black bag were whiskers, &c. mentioned above, and some canvas bank bags, with pieces, where apparently a name may have been cut out of each. Charlier then turned, to his companion, and said—‟Betsy, I've deceived, you;” and then added, ‟Mr. Leggatt, until five minutes since she was not aware but what the moneys I had were my own; I told her I had 1400l. in the bank of my own, and she said, on my telling her of it, ‛You have deceived me, indeed; I won’t betray you, but I’ll not go any further with you.’” This so far exonerated the female prisoner from the suspicion of being a particeps criminis that the bench discharged her. Mr. Swainson, the Portsmouth agent to the solicitor for the War Department, prosecuted for the Crown, and Mr. Ford appeared for the prisoners; and Charlier was fully committed for trial at the ensuing sessions. He preserved an unmoved bearing throughout, and stepped from the dock to the court table and signed his statement, ‟I have nothing to say,” with a firm step and flourishing style. His appearance created much mirth in a large and not too select auditory in the gallery, and the case altogether excited unprecedented curiosity, owing to the prisoner’s respectability and his remarkable disguise.